Normans 1066 – 1154 Period
The Incredible Gospel Oak of Avington
The incredible Gospel Oak of Avington has two historic tales to tell. It barely clings to life but it leaves behind it a story of kings and bishops and saints, all wrapped up in the history of Hampshire
Read MoreSt Mary and St Michael Stoke Charity
The church of St Mary and St Michael Stoke Charity was described by John Betjeman ‘This gem like little church is a veritable treasure house of beautiful things and in itself it is also of great beauty’. Enough said….
Read MoreSt Peter’s Church St Mary Bourne
St Peter’s Church St Mary Bourne is full of puzzles, defaced crusader tombs, a rare Tournai marble font and architecture that bewilders.
Read MoreSt John the Baptist Church Boldre
St John the Baptist Church, Boldre has possibly been a site of worship for over 2000 years St John the Baptist Church, Boldre occupies a beautiful location, standing aside the valley of the River Boldre as it cuts its way through the New Forest. It seems to be the perfect setting to foster the literary…
Read MoreSt Mary the Virgin Church Greywell
St Mary the Virgin church in Greywell, is a peaceful C12th sanctuary that sits back from it is a pretty village alongside a pasture full of cows. Its rood-loft only one of two in Hampshire that survived the Reformation.
Read MoreSt Mary’s Church Breamore
St Mary’s Church Breamore is one of Hampshire’s and maybe England’s finest Saxon buildings. St Mary’s church Breamore is thought to have been built as a Saxon minster on a royal estate and evidence has been found that it does in fact occupy an eastern corner of a large enclosure. Even today it has the…
Read MoreSt Mary the Virgin Church East Worldham
St Mary the Virgin Church East Worldham sits prominently on the crossroads at Worldham Hill St Mary the Virgin East Worldham was built in its present form in the C13th but quite obviously sits on the site of a much earlier Anglo Saxon building. Its position is no accident. An ancient forest track on the…
Read MoreHoly Cross Church Binsted
The Holy Cross Church Binsted sits on the top of a chalk ridge looking out from its delightful setting across the county of Hampshire. This beautiful C12th century church occupies a high position watching over its cluster of pretty village houses and farmland. Several points of interest are to be found in the church and…
Read MoreSt Bartholemew’s Church Botley
St Bartholemew’s church in Botley feels as if its Victorian congregation had just slipped out a while
Read MoreBishop’s Waltham Palace
Bishop’s Waltham Palace, the name itself conjurers up the magnificent place it must have been 900 years ago. Bishop’s Waltham Palace lies just ten miles away from Winchester Cathedral and was the noble palace of its Bishop’s who built a splendid residence for themselves and a 1000 acre park. Henry de Blois, that inveterate builder,…
Read MoreBasing House Before the Civil War
Basing House is a marvelous ruin, filled with five hundred years of history and intrigue, its history prior to the English Civil War is as fascinating as what followed.
Read MoreSt Nicholas Church Bishop’s Sutton
The church of St Nicholas Bishop’s Sutton is a simple and beautiful church sitting at the headwaters of the River Arle
Read MoreAll Saints Church Steep
The church of All Saints Steep has a beautiful setting opposite the village common and school and with wonderful views East towards Petersfield.
Read MoreThe Port of Portsmouth Hampshire
Why did Portsmouth become the home of England’s Royal Navy, it had an inauspicious start as a swampy disease ridden island but it grew into an important first line defence against French invasions
Read MoreHayling Priory
Hayling Island Priory has long since disappeared without trace but the history of it’s links with the French abbey of Jumièges is well documented and an intriguing part of Hampshire history
Read MoreSouthampton Castle
When Winchester was the royal capital of England, Southampton, close by on the southern coast of England, was its chief port and trading centre. It was an obvious magnet for Danish and French raiding party’s and its defense became an issue. The castle was constructed first out of timber and then stone and its great city walls threw up a considerable obstacle to attack
Read MoreWherwell Abbey
The quintessentially English village of Wherwell has played an important part in the history of the county of Hampshire, hidden beneath its meadows is the Abbey of Wherwell, established in the C10th century as a form of penance by Queen Elfrida
Read MoreNorman Chancel Arch St Peter’s Petersfield
The Norman chancel arch in St Peter’s church in Petersfield is one of the most magnificent in Hampshire, its proportions seeming to signal the architects desire to elevate this chapel in a field to something more. It is possible that the design was influenced by the architecture of Winchester Cathedral. Bishop Walkelyn may well have…
Read MoreCreating the ‘New Forest’
Forest Laws were introduced by William I and the New Forest in Hampshire was one of the most important of the King’s hunting grounds. For the local population however it was the imposition of a tyranny that brought them great suffering.
Read MoreKing John and Petersfield Hampshire
Petersfield had its charter confirmed by King John, just what was the connection between him and the Hampshire town of Petersfield?
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