History
The Exterior
In it's picturesque setting, the charm of the simple flint and brick building with its oak-shingled bell-tower and spire is self evident. Of particular interest are four mass-clocks carved on two pieces of stone which form part of the surround of the window on the south wall of the nave. Such mass-clocks, which are in reality vertical sun dials, were in use until the start of the 16th century. The small Norman doorway in the north wall shows a superb example of chevron decoration on its external arch.
The south porch was probably built in the mid 19th century: it is present in a photograph taken about 1870.
New drainage was laid around the church in 1991. Excavation outside the west end disclosed a skeleton under the wall, confirming that the nave had been extended to the west on to an existing burial site.
The weather vane at the top of the spire was designed and made by Mr R P Harknett, a steeplejack of Petersfield, incorporating in the design features of two previous vanes (1993). The lanterns at the churchyard gate and in the porch were made by Mr Richard Bent, a master blacksmith of Braishfield (1994).
The churchyard contains the grave of Joshua Reynolds, Rector from 1716 to 1734, who was an uncle of the great portrait artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, the first president of the Royal Academy.
The Interior
A surprising feature of this small Norman church is the impressive arcade of two bays which separates the nave from the north aisle. The explanation of this unusual feature propounded by Dr J C Cox in his book on Hampshire churches is that the Normans added to an existing small Saxon church, constructing into its south wall the arcade, thus converting the Saxon church into the north aisle of the larger Norman church. This theory suggests that the small arch which leads from the aisle into the chapel would originally have led into a tiny semi-circular apse. Pevsner leaves the date and purpose of this arch as unresolved questions.
The fine chancel arch with its ornamental moulding dates from the second half of the 12th century. Note the rare double squint, the aperture in the wall to the north of the arch, which enabled someone standing by the prayer desk to see both altars. The side chapel (named the Hampton chapel after Thomas Hampton, died 1483) was rebuilt in the 15th century.
The East Window in the chancel dates from 1907 and was dedicated on 19th January 1908 in memory of the Rev Charles Balston, Rector 1846-84. The work is attributed to N H J Westlake and replicated what was believed to be the original design, incorporating what remained of the 15th century glass. The letters T H which are a feature of the window commemorate Thomas Hampton.
The pillar piscina which is fixed to the east wall of the chancel was placed there in 1997, having previously been loose in the church.
On the west wall of the chancel is mounted a small wooden statuette of one of the church's two patron siants, St Michael, showing him Victorias, standing on the belly of the defeated dragon. The statuette dates from the early 16th century.
In the nave, situated above and to the north of the chancel arch, is part of a stone arch which formed the entrance to a rood loft. The stonework was left exposed following its discovery when plaster was removed during the renovation work in 1994. It was ordered in 1561 during the reign of Elizabeth I that rood lofts should be removed from churches. The church warden's accounts for 1562 record a payment of xxii d. to "Strowde and his man for 1 day's work and meate and drink when he took down ye rode loffte". The double squint, at the side of the chancel arch, is one of only two in the country.
The font, in the north aisle, is 12th century, and was relined with its original lead in 1908. A rare feature is its iron staple on the top on the east side: the west rim has a corresponding hole for a second staple. It was the custom in medieval days to put fresh water into the font on Easter day and bless it, to be used throughout the year. To guard against theft of the holy water the church in 1236 ordered that all fonts were to be locked. Iron staples were driven into the font, to which a wooden cover could be padlocked.
The Hampton chapel contains the finest of the church's treasures. The piece of sculpture depicting the Mass of St Gregory dates from the late 15th century, and was discovered during the replastering of the nave in 1849 embedded in the wall near the pulpit. It had undoubtedly been hidden during the reign of Edward VI to preserve it from destruction. It is the only well preserved medieval sculpture of the subject left in the country, even though the subject was a popular one. Only two others remain, one in Exeter Cathedral and one in Paignton parish church, and both are very small and much damaged.
The story depicted in the sculpture is based on the legend that Pope Gregory the Great AD 590-604, who sent St Augustine to England in 597, one day knew that there was in his congregation someone who did not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and prayed for a vision to convince the unbeliever. Christ then appeared. Pope Gregory is shown in a cope, with his mitre on the altar, and in his right hand he holds the bread and in his left the chalice. A deacon assists him. Behind Pope Gregory Christ appears, revealed by an angel on each side holding back a curtain. The piece has traces of the paint with which the scupture was originally illuminated, most having been roughly scraped off, leaving some of the fine detail distorted. The figure of Christ is unusual for Masses of St Gregory in that it is a post-resurrection figure showing the stigmata.
The remnant of a medieval wall painting on the south wall of the chapel dates from about 1200. It shows the lower parts of two figures: one, probably a saint having a nimbus, stands before a bearded, enthroned crowned figure (almost certainly a king or emperor), whose left hand is extended towards the saint. The painting was uncovered by a workman removing plaster during restoration work in 1963. Conservation work was done then and in 1991. It is believed the painting was executed by the team of artists responsible for murals in Winchester cathedral.
The windows of the chapel contain various pieces of fine ancient glass, notable the Sums of York. The strange phenomenon of a triple sun in a clear sky was seen by Edward, Earl of March (subsequently Edward IV) before the battle of Mortimers Cross on February 2nd 1461. This was interpreted as an augury favourable to Edward and his two brothers George (Duke of Clarence) and Richard (Duke of Gloucester/Richard III). The sun was adopted as a badge by Edward and was used until 1485, enabling the glass to be dated between those years. The incident is related in Shakespeare's Henry VI part III, Act 2 Sc 1. The figure in the left light of the window in the north wall is believed to be St Margaret of Antioch. The centre light shows the Virgin and Child. The right light has a small figure of the child Christ giving benediction.
The windows were conserved and re-leaded in 1993.
The window headstone, mounted on the north wall of the chapel, had been used as a quoin stone built into the outside of the chapel wall, and was discovered during restoration work on the roof timbers in 1992. The headstone retains much of its original fresco paint. The pigments are the same red and yellow ochres as in the wall painting, with details in a blackish colour which is probably a discoloured red (lead or vermilion) and white. Further traces of the same decoration can be observed on the stones of the arch leading from the north aisle into the chapel, on the squint and on the remnant of a round headed arch which was replaced by the 15th century Hampton chapel arch. The combination of architectural style and decoration indicates a date of around 1200.
The wooden carving of the Virgin Mary, also mounted on the north wall of the chapel, was commissioned to mark the completion of the major restoration programme, and to place in the church an object of art of the late 20th century at the time of the millenium. It was carved by Alex Jones and funded from donations given to the church in memory of Fergus Hughes-Onslow, who lived at Lower Norsebury.
The carved head of a femail or angel mounted on the west wall of the chapel was found inside the tomb-chest in the nave when it was dismantled for conversation in 1993. The head has an uncarved protrusion at its rear which indicates that it was originally built into a wall. It has similarities to two carved heads in Rochester cathedral, dates about 1300.
The late 14th century encaustic floor tiles were conserved in 1995, being repositioned to avoid further tread damage. There are tiles of similar age and pattern to some of these in Winchester Cathedral.
Note the eleborate decoration on the timber trusses and deep wall plate frieze on the north wall of the 15th century chapel roof.
The Bells: the church has three bells. The treble bell bears the inscription "God be our Guyd RB 1606". An attribution to R Beconsall of Hampshire is suggested, although R Bond is possible. The second bell bears the inscription "Sancta Trini Tas ora pronobis", a cross and a lion's face and has a groat embedded in it. It has been attributed to the Certsey Fraternity at the Wokingham Foundry in the early 15th century. The tenor bell bears the inscription "Sancta ca tari na ora pro nobis" and a coat of arms, either of Chertsey Abbey or of St Swithun's Priory, Winchester. The attribution is the Reading Foundry, about 1500, either John White or John Saunders.
