Wayfarer's Walk

Day  1 - Inkpen Beacon to Stubbington Down

Walked 25th April 2025

Day 2 -Stubbington Down to Dummer

Walked 24th September 2025

Day 3 - Dummer to Abbotstone

Walked October 2025

Day 4 - Abbotstone to Wheely Down Farm Lane

Walked October 2025

Day 5 - Wheely Down Farm Lane to Denmead

Walked 25th January 2026

The Church of St Mary and All Saints in Droxford, Hampshire, has served as a centre of worship for nearly 900 years, with a heritage that may extend back even further to the 7th century. 

Early Origins and Saxon Period

• 7th Century: St Wilfrid is associated with founding churches in the Meon Valley during his mission (c. 681–686). While no building from this era has been found at Droxford, his influence in the area is well-documented.

• 826: King Egbert of Wessex granted the manor of "Drocenesforda" to the monks of St Swithun’s Priory in Winchester.

• 1086: The Domesday Book records a church at Droxford valued at 20 shillings. While this suggests a Saxon structure existed, there is no archaeological evidence confirming it was on the current site. 

Norman and Medieval Construction

• c. 1150–1160: The core of the present flint building was erected. Key surviving Norman features include the chancel arch with its distinctive zigzag carvings and the north and south nave doorways.

• 12th & 13th Centuries: The church was enlarged to accommodate a growing community. The north aisle and chapel were added in the late 12th century, followed by the south aisle in the 13th century.

• 14th Century: The north and south chapels were rebuilt or enlarged. A famous figure from this era is John de Drokensford, Rector of Droxford and later Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose family tomb was likely once in the church. 

Tudor and Post-Reformation Changes

• 1599: The present square west tower was completed, as evidenced by a plaque above the door. It may have replaced an earlier tower mentioned in a 1552 inventory.

• 17th Century: During the English Civil War, Puritans smashed many of the church's medieval monuments. In 1820, a Purbeck marble effigy of a lady (believed to be John de Drokensford’s mother) was discovered in a nearby ditch and restored to the church.

• 18th Century: Major renovations occurred, including renewing roofs and installing box pews and galleries. 

Victorian Era to Present Day 

• 1847: Under an evangelical revival, the galleries and box pews were removed and replaced with the current pine pews.

• 1901–1910: Canon John Vaughan led an extensive restoration that uncovered hidden medieval features, such as a piscina and a staircase that once led to a rood loft.

• Modern Times: In 2016–2018, the church underwent a major £500,000 restoration supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund to repair the tower and structural walls. A community annex and heritage centre were added in 2019. 

Text by Gemini AI

The Church of St Peter and St Paul in Hambledon, Hampshire, is a historic building often described as a "textbook of medieval architecture" due to its complex layering of styles over 1,000 years. 

Early Origins and Saxon Core

• Saxon Foundations: The church contains a nearly complete late Saxon structure from the 11th century within its current shell, making it the oldest building in the village.

• Domesday Connection: While the village is recorded in the Domesday Book (1086), the church itself was first explicitly mentioned in 1155 when it was granted to St Swithun's Priory in Winchester.

• Ancient Yews: The churchyard is home to a massive hollow-trunked yew tree, known as the "Domesday Yew," estimated to be approximately 1,000 years old. 

Medieval Growth and Architecture

• 12th Century Expansion: In approximately 1160, the north aisle was added, requiring the Saxon nave walls to be pierced with rounded Norman arches that are still visible.

• The "Great Enlargement": During the 13th century, the church was significantly expanded. The Saxon chancel arch was replaced by a fine Early English arch, and the chancel was lengthened further east.

• 15th Century Additions: A two-story south porch and vestry were added around 1500. Evidence of a stone drain suggests these rooms may have been inhabited by a priest or hermit. 

Key Historical Events and Figures

• Catastrophic Fire (1788): A major fire destroyed much of the medieval structure at the west end. The tower was subsequently rebuilt in 1794, though the original peal of six bells survived and is still in use.

• Hambledon Volunteers: Hanging in the south aisle are the regimental colours of the Hambledon Volunteers from the Napoleonic Wars.

• Notable Burials: Admiral Sir Erasmus Gower, a former governor of Newfoundland, is buried within the church. 

Modern Restorations

• Victorian Era: A major restoration in 1876 removed decay and introduced the current font and west doorway (a copy of Early English work).

• 20th Century: In the 1960s, the interior was improved under the guidance of Stephen Dykes Bower, including a new organ and a chancel roof decorated in medieval style.

• 21st Century: To mark the new millennium, a small chapel was created in the north aisle, and a "Millennium Yew" sapling was planted in the churchyard. 

For more information, visit the official Hambledon Church website or the Hambledon Parish Council history page.

Text by Google Gemini AI