This tiny, tucked-away little church can claim to be the oldest parish church in Winchester…read more The site probably had a church before the Norman Conquest, and was incorporated into William the Conqueror's palace as its chapel. After the palace and chapel were destroyed by fire, St Lawrence Church was rebuilt in about 1150. The church was badly damaged by fire in 1978 and after restoration re-opened again in 1980. The exterior is just a doorway and a turret, situated on a narrow part of the passage running from the Square to the High Street. A small porch leads into the church, which is a simple space lit with an East window of five lights. The furnishings are simple and unremarkable, but look up the wonderful 17th century Kingpost roof. On the north wall is a mediaeval doorway, discovered in the 1950s. The chapel is open during weekdays for private prayer as well as hosting regular Sunday services.

The old village of Sidlesham, almost by-passed by the B2145 from Chichester to Selsey, is a perfect…read morepicture postcard: a clutch of old thatched cottages along small lanes, clustering around their mediaeval church. The church itself is picturesque enough, but merits a visit on the strength of its jumble of contrasting, almost clashing architectural styles, providing a fascinating challenge for the would-be architectural detective. Here are elements of Early English and Decorated Gothic, Tudor , Georgian and Victorian, its walls (inside and out) peppered with blocked-up windows, doors and arcades, old stone mixed with bricks and plastered walls. A look at the church plan provides a clue to this complexity: the earliest elements of the church are the transepts, built around 1200, with tall and narrow Early English single-lancet windows to the north and south. The aisled nave was added about 1220, again in a simple early gothic style. Research has shown that there was once a large chancel, probably built at the same time, with either aisles or chantry chapels. These were demolished in mediaeval times, leaving the outline of the arcades in the new walls. A 14th century window survives in the south aisle, but is empty of its tracery. In the 15th century the tower was added possibly using the stones form the demolished chancel and contains two bells, one dated 1390. The habit of rebuilding seems to have carried on unabated. The Tudors and Victorians both added large windows, the Tudors through the walls, the Victorians in the roof for a now-lost gallery. The 18th century brought a rustic brick porch, and a vestry off the north transept, now demolished. Yet the biggest change came in 1820, when for some reason the chancel arch was removed, bringing the nave and sanctuary together in a single, large (and architecturally, not entirely successful) space. Modern times have given the church a new East window, in a rather severe Perpendicular. The church also has some furnishings of interest: the font dates back to the original building, and adjacent is an ancient ecclesiastical tombstone on which can be seen a faint outline of a cross. Another rare survivor is a wooden memorial cross to Thomas Greenwood (d. 1658). This survived after having been used by some enterprising carpenter as a door lintel in a nearby cottage, before being rescued and thoughtfully being brought back into the church. On the south wall are the traces of a mediaeval mass sun-dial. But most puzzling is a marble memorial to Rebecka Taylor (d. 1631), which depicts her facing her husband, yet the space for his name is empty: did he desert the village after her death?

If any church could define peace and tranquility, it would be St Andrew's, Didling. Its village is…read moretiny - barely a few houses and a farm - although once the population may have been greater, perhaps before the Black Death. Anyway, at some point it was large enough to build this tiny church, set in rolling fields and nestled under the north slope of the South Downs. It is reached through narrow lanes, with high hedges full of wild flowers. The church was built about 1220, and the south wall rebuilt about a century later. Barely 46ft long (15m), there is no chancel arch - just some pews dating from before the Reformation (with backs added at a later date), a 17th century pulpit and an 11th century font. But as architecture goes, it is simple and rustic, the atmosphere enhanced further in winter by candle-light (there is no electric lighting). The church is known locally as the "Shepherd's Church", and indeed, on my last visit, all one could hear was the flock in the adjacent field. The churchyard has an ancient Yew tree, some 17th century gravestones and stunning views across the surrounding countryside. Thoughtfully, there a bench on which to sit and contemplate it all before you set off home.

Beautiful and peaceful place to be here in the Rother. My ancestor, William Austin travelled from…read moreIden, near Rye to make his home here. This was back in the early 1700's. Nearby is Treyford, so some records show Treyford-cum-Didling. St Andrews' church is well maintained and worth a visit. Look out for the lambs!!

Unbelievably gorgeous cathedral, housing the earthly remains of some of Britain's most eminent…read moreindividuals, including the incomparable author, Jane Austen. Walk its cavernous, echoing nave, its vaunted halls, and its (potentially) flooded catacombs (at the time of my visit, it was, anyway). Admission is £5 or £6, and the grounds include a gift shop and cafe, although we all know why you're here. Spend some money and keep this place alive, will ya?

History. Beauty. A true experience…read more The church contains a beautiful patio alongside their cafe, a nice gift shop, and of course lovely services.

This church is a beautiful building in Fratton, on the corner of St. Mary's Road and Fratton Road…read more The current building was consecrated on 10th October 1889 and was designed by Sir Arthur Bloomfield. It is part of the parish of St. Mary, Portsea which also includes the nearby churches St. Wilfrid's and St. Faith's. The 165 foot high tower is currently being renovated and the parish is raising the funds to complete this. I first attended St. Mary's Church in the summer and was amazed at the warm welcome I received and the friendliness of everyone. I have been included in lots of events including a barbecue, Harvest Supper (where the clergy did an hilarious version of songs from Mamma Mia!!) and the Autumn Fayre.

I am not a religious person, but I like St Marys church for 3 reasons…read more Every year it holds a fantastic May Day Fete with lots of stalls and attractions. I go every year, and have taken the opportunity to climb the tower and enjoy the wonderful views from the top. It's always an extremely well attended event no matter the weather, and is popular with all ages. The kids love the pony rides and I love all the bric a brac stalls. The second reason I like St Marys church is that it is a really nice building. I love driving by and seeing weddings going on, or seeing Brides and Grooms arriving by horse drawn cart (this is not such a rare occasion when we have beautiful sunny summers)! The third thing I enjoy is the fact that it provides a green open space in the Fratton area of Portsmouth (which is a real rarity these days) and there are benches so you can sit and enjoy a bit of a rest.

Romsey Abbey is one of England's outstanding Norman churches, with some fascinating survivals from…read morethe Saxon and mediaeval periods. It is dedicated to St Mary and St Ethelflæda, one of its early abbesses. History The first community on the site was founded in 907AD, by King Edward, son of Alfred the Great, under his daughter Elflaeda. The abbey was refounded as a Benedictine house by King Edgar in 960AD, with St Ethelflæda as the second abbess. The first stone church was built around 1000AD, but after the Norman conquest the abbey as rebuilt on a much larger scale, starting around 1120. By 1140 the Choir, Transepts, a Lady Chapel at the East end and first three bays of the Nave had been completed. A fourth bay was added in 1150-80. The nave took its present form in 1230-40, when the last three arches and the present west end were added in the Early English style. The upper tiers of the clerestory must also have been completed at this time, as they are also in the Gothic style. Although the abbey declined during the time of the Black Death, by the Dissolution a second aisle had been added to the north to accommodate the townspeople, who used the north aisle and transept as their parish church. After the Dissolution, the townspeople purchased the church for £100 for use as their parish church, removing the second north aisle. The late 13th century Lady Chapel was also demolished in 1539, and over subsequent years the cloisters and other abbey buildings were demolished. Although the Abbey was restored in the 19th century, the Victorians sensibly left most of the fabric well alone, and the church today is one of the best preserved large Norman churches in England. The church From the outside, the church retains its largely Norman (and rather severe) appearance. The decoration is relatively restrained, with rounded arches and some interesting decorated corbels, and a very squat central crossing tower. The best features are on the west wall of the south transept; first, is the famous Romsey Saxon Rood, showing Christ in majesty with the hand of God pointing down from above. Adjacent is a fine Romanesque doorway, which once opened from the nave into the cloister. None of this prepares you for the magnificent interior, which is flooded with light from the clear west windows. The proportions are those of a cathedral, with the eye drawn to the tall, rounded crossing arches. At the west end, the three west bays of the nave and the clerestory have pointed arches in the Early English Gothic style, and the east windows are late 13th century Decorated Gothic work. But essentially, this is a Norman building. Nave, transepts and chancel all have tall rounded arcades surmounted by triforium and clerestory, and the aisles and chancel are vaulted. Most of the capitals are scalloped, but many have the kind of intricate designs of foliage and figures typical of Norman work: one depicts two kings fighting, one pulling the other's beard; another has two scenes, one of two crowned men either side of an angel and a second of two seated men either side of a grotesque monster: banners proclaim the names Robertus and Robert. The interior is also full of interesting fittings and furnishings. The south transept has an impressive 13th century effigy of a woman under a 14th Century Decorated Gothic canopy of ogee arches; a tall and colourful mid-17th Century memorial to the St Barbe family, and the simple floor tablet of Earl Mountbatten of Burma (1900-1979). The south chancel aisle leads to an ambulatory with chapels; the first has a reredos formed of a Perpendicular screen framing a precious (and now partly gilded) Saxon carving of the crucifixion, dated to c. 960AD. This shows Christ with two angels and two soldiers, one offering Christ the sponge soaked in vinegar, the other piercing Christ with a spear. Next to this is St Ethelflaeda's Chapel, with an ancient tomb of an abbess, and a painted kneeling figure of a monk on wood, from around the early 16th century. St Mary's Chapel has a wall painting of the 12th century, with medallions featuring the life of a Saint. Returning past the chancel in the north aisle is an opening in the floor, revealing part of the foundations of the apse from the 10th century Saxon church. The south transept has yet another treasure, this time a rare painted reredos, featuring Christ and saints, dated to c. 1525, with two rather flamboyant censing angels. At the west end of the nave is a beautiful lead memorial to Alice Taylor, who died of scarlet fever in 1843, clutching a rose her father had picked for her. Nearby is another tomb chest of an abbess, and a case of curiosities, including a well preserved scalp of hair with a plait, all that remained of the corpse of a Saxon woman whose lead coffin was opened in 1849. The church has a busy life of daily worship and regular concerts, and there is a bookstall selling gifts, crafts, music and souvenirs.

St Nicholas is a typical small Sussex village church, situated on a cul-de-sac of a village street…read moreon the west side of the Selsey peninsular. Although Itchenor is a Saxon place name, and permission to build a church was given to the Lord of the Manor around 1175, most of what we see today dates from the 13th century. The exterior is dominated by its pretty shingled turret, which was rebuilt in the 19th century and partly supported on two buttresses. (The church guide-book has an early sketch showing a narrower turret with no buttresses). The porch dates from the same century. Inside, the church is a simple undivided space, with no division between chancel and nave, and without aisles. Most of the windows are mediaeval: there are 13th century lancet windows in the north walls, and three more in a stepped arrangement in the east. The south wall in the Sanctuary has lancet windows from the 13th and 14th centuries, the latter with a trefoiled head. The south nave wall contains a 15th century two-light window. The best furnishing is the 13th century octagonal font, with elegant gothic arcade decoration on the bowl. There are three bells, dated c. 1530, 1665 and one from the 17th century. The Parish is now linked with those of Birdham and West Wittering; the joint web-site gives details of services.

West Wittering is a pretty (and well-heeled) village in the corner of the Selsey Peninsular, its…read morechurch tucked away behind the old village green. The church's history is complex: the first church on the site was erected around 770AD, and that this or a replacement was destroyed by the Vikings during a raid between 950 and 1010. It was rebuilt in stone during the reign of King Canute, and rebuilt again by the Normans around 1150. A south aisle was added around 1175-1200, with the chancel, north tower and the Lady Chapel dating from the 13th century. From the outside, the tower seems almost detached, and the sizeable Lady Chapel much wider and taller than the aisle - makes reading the south side equally challenging. Inside, the aisle arcade of four bays comprises the most basic of pointed arches, crudely cut into the wall. The piers are alternately round and octagonal, with strange capitals mixing foliage and corner volutes, not helped by being whitewashed. The aisle itself is determinedly modest in scale. Entirely different is the two-bay arcade separating the chancel and impressive Lady Chapel; although anachronistically having round arches, this is an elegant piece of 13th century work, with a central pier of Purbeck marble and sophisticated mouldings. The chancel itself has a pair of fine Early English windows, renewed in the 19th century. The church's furnishings are of particular interest. The choir stalls contain two Tudor misericords from the 16th century, and the altar rails date to around 1600. In the Lady Chapel is a 13th century coffin lid with a crude Bishop's staff, locally reputed to be connected with St Richard of Chichester, who had a residence close by. In the sanctuary are two tomb recesses connected with William Ernley (d. 1545). The larger recess commemorates his wife, Elizabeth (d. 1528), and dates from around 1530-35. Gothic in style, it has carvings depicting the Resurrection. Adjacent is William's tomb, erected by his second wife, this time with scenes depicting the Annunciation and Christ showing his wounds. This later tomb contains both Renaissance and Gothic elements. Other items worth looking out for are the crude Saxon tub font, a small piece of Saxon carving framed in the Lady Chapel, and the delightfully rustic pews (a mixture of 16th century originals and Victorian copies) with Fleurs-de-Lis poppy-heads.