Church of St Mary and All Saints, Droxford

Church of St Mary and All Saints
Viewed from the east
50°57′36.4″N1°8′9.7″W / 50.960111°N 1.136028°W / 50.960111; -1.136028 Coordinates: 50°57′36.4″N1°8′9.7″W / 50.960111°N 1.136028°W / 50.960111; -1.136028
OS grid reference	SU 608 182
Location	Droxford, Hampshire
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	6 March 1967
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Portsmouth

The Church of St Mary and All Saints is an Anglican church in the village of Droxford, in Hampshire, England. It is in the Diocese of Portsmouth, ^[1] and is one of the churches of the Meon Bridge Benefice. ^[2] The building is Grade I listed; ^[3] the earliest parts of the church date from the Norman period.

History and description

St Wilfrid is associated with the founding of churches in the Meon Valley in the 7th century. ^[4] It is thought however that the original church at Droxford was built at the time of King Egbert of Wessex, who in 826 granted land at "Drocenesford" to the monks at Winchester Monastery. ^[5] The oldest parts of the present church, the nave and chancel, are 12th-century. The north aisle and chapel were added in the late 12th century; the south aisle and chapel were added in the 13th century. ^{[3] [6]}

The nave, looking towards the chancel

The Norman chancel arch has two orders on the nave side, the inner having a zigzag pattern; on the chancel side there is one plain order. The north and south doors in the nave, moved from their original positions, have Norman arches with zigzag and other decoration. The nave, of which the north and south sides were originally the walls of the church, has three bays, the arcades having pointed arches. ^{[3] [6]}

15th century and later

The aisles were rebuilt in the 15th or early 16th century. The tower was built, perhaps replacing an earlier tower, in 1599. The wooden altar rail, with balustrades of turned shafts, is of the 17th century. ^{[3] [6]}

In the 18th century there was renovation of the roofs of the nave and chancel, and ceilings were added. The current pews were added in 1847. ^[7] There was restoration of the church in 1903. ^{[3] [6]} A stained glass window by Martin Travers was added in 1938 with a second by Carl Johannes Edwards added in 1962. ^[7]

South chapel

The 19th-century stained glass window in the south chapel includes an image of St Wilfrid with the builders of the church. ^[5]

In the south chapel there is a tomb with an effigy in Purbeck marble of a lady, thought to be the mother of John Drokensford (died 1329) who became Bishop of Bath and Wells. The tomb, found in a local meadow in 1820, is thought to have been removed from the church in an earlier period. ^{[5] [6]}

See also

• Corhampton Church

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Mary and All Saints, Droxford .

1. "St Mary and All Saints" A church near you. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
2. "St. Mary and All Saints Church, Droxford" The Meon Bridge Benefice. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
3. Historic England. "Church of St Mary and All Saints (1095540)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 31 January 2021.
4. "Introduction" The Meon Valley Pilgrimage Trail. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
5. "St Mary and All Saints Church, Droxford" The Meon Valley Pilgrimage Trail. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
6. 'Parishes: Droxford', in A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London, 1908), pp. 284-288 British History Online. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
7. O’Brien, Charles; Bailey, Bruce; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Lloyd, David W. (2018). The Buildings of England Hampshire: South. Yale University Press. pp. 240–243. ISBN   9780300225037.