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New Forest Churches

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Christianity came late to the New Forest and there are many tiny churches and chapels dating from the eighteenth century or later. Even the larger older churches have, in many cases, been extensively enlarged in this period.

St Peter's Church, Bramshaw

Location

New_forest Map

OS Ref: SU 264 166

Last Visited: 2002

Bramshaw Church

Bramshaw Church

Only the west end of the nave survives from the original Bramshaw Church which dates back to the mid 13th century.

The rest was rebuilt in brick in 1829 by John Pensiton (according to Pevsner) and the chancel and vestry are modern.

The end result is surprisingly pretty in a quirky kind of way.

External Links and References

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St Mary and All Saints Church, Ellingham

Location

New_forest Map

OS Ref: SU 144 083

Last Visited: 2002

Ellingham Church

Ellingham Church

The most striking thing about the fine little 12th century church at Ellingham is the bright blue sundial above the porch. No excuse for being late for the services at this church then. Unless itʼs cloudy, of course.

It was originally the church of an alien priory founded by William de Solariis in the year 1160 as a cell to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte.

Since then the main building has undergone little alteration apart from the porch which was added in 1720 and the west wall which was rebuilt in 1746.

External Links and References

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All Saints, Fawley

Location

New_forest Map

OS Ref: SU 457 035

Last Visited: 2005

West Front

West Front

All Saints, Fawley is an odd church. The two side aisles are roughly the same width as the nave and the chancel is flanked by two chapels that are almost as big as it.

This results in a large rectangular, almost warehouse-like space, oddly divided into three bays at one end.

Interior

Interior

To get round this, the main altar has been brought forward to the top of the nave and the modern seating arranged to face it so that members of the congregation in the chancel have their backs to the High Altar.

Interestingly enough, St Georgeʼs Church, Reforne on Portland has much the same arrangement, but from a much earlier era.

Originally founded quite possibly back Saxon times, the church dates from the early Norman period and was much enlarged and remodelled in the late 12th and early 14th centuries.

It was restored 1844 and 1866 by H Woodyer, damaged by bombing 1940 and restored again 1954 by R Blacking.

External Links and References

  • External Links

    • Fawley - Church of All Saints
      Information from the British Listed Buildings site
      http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-143423-church-of-all-saints-fawley-hampshire
    • The Parish of Fawley
      Extensive web site for this busy parish
      http://www.fawleychurch.org.uk/

  • Recommended Books

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St Mary's Church, Hale

Location

New_forest Map

OS Ref: SU 178 186

Last Visited: 2014

St Mary's Hale

St Mary's Hale

St Maryʼs, Hale was once a medieval church surrounded by a village.

Most of the village disappeared in the Black Death, and the rest migrated a mile and a half to the east of the church when, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the original site was subsumed by Hale Manor.

The Nave

The Nave

In 1631 the church walls were raised and the church was re-roofed by Sir Thomas Penruddock. A year later he added the chancel.

Then in 1717, Thomas Archer, architect of Hale Park the nearby Palladian style Georgian Mansion, built the transepts and re-faced the building, giving it much of the appearance it has today. And donʼt we know it, as he also designed the monument to himself and his wives that dominates the south transept.

It was re-roofed again in the 19th century when a bell cote was added to the north transept.

External Links and References

  • External Links

    • St Mary's, Hale
      Service times from the official site.
      http://www.avp-benefice.org.uk/churches/hale/
    • St Mary's Church
      A history of the church and details of the Restoration and Access Project from the New Forest District Council's site.
      http://www.newforest.gov.uk/hale/6949

  • Recommended Books

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All Saints, Harbridge

Location

New_forest Map

OS Ref: SU 144 101

Last Visited: 2010

The fifteenth century tower is all that remains of the original Harbridge Church.

The nave and the chancel were completely rebuilt in 1838 at the expense of the Earl of Normanton, owner of nearby Somerley House.

This was done in the traditional style, reusing some of the original stonework.

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All Saints, Minstead

Location

New_forest Map

OS Ref: SU 280 109

Last Visited: 2004

Whilst the core of All Saints, Minstead church dates back to the early 13th century it has been much modified and extended. The porch was added in 1683; The tower in 1774 and the large South Transept in the late 18th century.

In the early 19th century, a family pew room was added on the north side, together with a schoolroom against porch, a vestry and the tower.

Look out for Sir Arthur Connan Doyleʼs grave.

External Links and References

Comments

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Isabel Yeo

The church now boasts a new outer door (the old one having rotted away) constructed by a local craftsman from oak grown within a mile of the church.

Cross Lanes Chapel, Mockbeggar

Location

New_forest Map

OS Ref: SU 160 093

Last Visited: 2006

Cross Lanes Chapel

Cross Lanes Chapel

According to documents in the Hampshire Record Office, Cross Lanes Chapel was built in 1851 by the chapelʼs first minister, Mr Arthur Mist. The church was formed 'in connexion with' the Ebeneezer Independent Chapel in Old Hall Lane, Ringwood, under pastorate of Revd J O Jackson. The burial ground was added 1859.

See also the nearby Ibsley Airfield Memorial

Comments

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Marianne Dowding

The chapel was paid for and built by Mr. Arthur Mist of Ibsley in 1851. My husband's great great grandmother was a founding member of the chapel and a year later the domestic servant of Mrs Mist became a member. She was to become my husband's great grandmother. The last Dowding to become a member from our line of the family was my father-in-law who subsequently became a member of the Church of England just weeks before his death in September 1963. The chapel is now a Baptist Church and most of the records are held by the minister Aaron Lewis.

Strolling Guide

Thanks Marianne. Very interesting. According to the National Register of Archives site some of the records are now with the Hampshire Record Office, and quick search of their site turned the information I've now included above.

Marianne Dowding

After returning to Hampshire Record Office last Saturday and re-examining the records available I found that my husband's great great great great aunt and her husband were founding members together with Mr and Mrs Mist, Mr John Ings mason and Mr and Mrs Henry Ballard shoemaker and shopkeeper respectively. Edmund Goodridge and Mary nee Dowding were shepherd and shepherd,s wife. When two of their children and Mary died in 1855, and 1859 respectively, they were all buried at Ibsley parish church because the burial ground not in use.

Strolling Guide

Although it's amazing what you can find out with a few clicks of the mouse, its kind of reassuring to know that we've still a long, long way to go before everything's online. Glad it was worth the trip.

Rjames

I am grateful to your site I am in the process of composing a history of Crosslanes Chapel . What little I have been able to find so far along with a nearly complete record of burials can be found on my web site rosevilla.info

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