St. Peter’s Church, St. Mary Bourne
St. Peter's Church, St. Mary Bourne is one of the most puzzling in the county. No details earlier than the second half of the 12th century are now to be seen, but the thick west wall of the south chapel of St. Peter's Church, St. Mary Bourne is cut away to adapt it to the capital of the third pier of the south arcade, clearly belongs to an older state of things. It must have formed part of a south transept or, what is more likely, a south tower, and a weathering on its west face shows that a south aisle of the same width as that now existing was standing at the time.
The present chancel arch, which is of 12th-century masonry re-used early in the 14th, when the present chancel was added, probably stands on the line of the east wall of the early chancel, and any division which may have existed between this chancel and the nave must have been destroyed when the north arcade assumed its present form.
This arcade is apparently all of one date, the end of the 12th century, except perhaps its eastern bay, and has diagonal tooling throughout on arches and piers. It is set out without regard to the south arcade, one pier of which, the third, seems to be of equal age with it. The two east bays of the south arcade belong to the first quarter of the 13th century, and are of wider span than the rest; the south tower can hardly have been standing after they were built.
The nave has clearly been shortened, probably when the present west tower was built in the latter part of the 15th century, in order to leave space for the usual procession path within the churchyard boundary, here formed by the road.
Early in the 14th century the present fine chancel was built and about 1350–60 the south chapel of the nave, taking up the site of the south tower and 13th-century south chapel, was added.
The north wall of the north aisle seems to have been rebuilt in comparatively modern times, and the west walls of both aisles are of the same date as the tower. The upper part of the tower suggests a rebuilding in the 16th or 17th century. As usual, galleries were put in at the west end and sides, and again removed at a subsequent period. The south porch is a comparatively modern addition. Much of the stonework has had to be renewed in modern times; the easternmost arch on the north side is all modern, and some of the windows are modernized, otherwise the church has undergone no drastic alterations.
The east window of the chancel has five lights under a traceried head of geometrical design, the tracery and mullions being modern. The jambs outside are double chamfered; inside they are splayed in two wave-moulded orders. The chancel is of three bays, and has, in the east and west bays, original two-light north and south windows, trefoiled, and with a quatrefoil in the head; the middle bay on the south contains a small doorway, and that on the north is blank. Under the first south window is a cinquefoiled ogee-headed piscina recess with a round basin partly cut away, and a narrow shelf above; the jambs are of two wave-moulded orders. The south doorway is also old; its jambs are double chamfered with broach stops at the foot, and the arch is two-centred with an ogee and bead label.
The chancel arch has square jambs and a round arch 1 ft. 9 in. thick of a single square order. It has on both sides a 12th-century label enriched with pellet ornament and designed for an arch of shorter radius. The masonry also is 12th-century work partly retooled with a claw chisel, and the present condition of the arch probably dates from the building of the chancel.
The arch from the nave into the tower is of two chamfered orders dying on the jambs, which are flush with the tower walls and have chamfered abaci partly modern and partly 12th-century work re-used. The west window in the tower is of early 16th or late 15th-century date and has three cinquefoiled lights under a traceried four-centred head with a moulded label. Above it is a plain rectangular light and over this a clock, all in the first of the two stages of the tower.
The bellchamber is lighted by plain two-light square-headed windows; the parapet is embattled. In the west window are the arms of the see of Winchester in a garter impaled with a coat now lost; but the style of the work makes it probable that the arms were those of Bishop Fox. The south porch is of brick and timber, and probably of 17th-century date. The materials of the walling as usual are flint and stone, the north aisle walls and those of the tower and west ends of the south aisle having been cement faced outside; while the lower part of the north aisle wall is of brick and flint, and the parapet of the south aisle is modern.
There is a plain old oak altar table.
The church has a late 17th-century or 18th-century lectern with a four-sided desk, which revolves on a turned middle post. From it are suspended two chains, which served to secure the books resting upon it.
A patch of old tiles is set in the floor west of the font.
There are five bells: the treble by Robert Cor, 1724; the second by the same founder, 1693; the third by John Cor, 1737; the fourth by Robert Cor, 1683; and the fifth also by Robert Cor, 1698.
The plate consists of a silver chalice and paten cover of 1588; a silver chalice, two patens, a flagon and a credence plate of 1847, given by Mr. Thomas Longman, of Lower Week, in 1848; and a plated alms dish.
St. Peter's Church, St. Mary Bourne is one of the most puzzling in the county. No details earlier than the second half of the 12th century are now to be seen, but the thick west wall of the south chapel of St. Peter's Church, St. Mary Bourne is cut away to adapt it to the capital of the third pier of the south arcade, clearly belongs to an older state of things. It must have formed part of a south transept or, what is more likely, a south tower, and a weathering on its west face shows that a south aisle of the same width as that now existing was standing at the time.
The present chancel arch, which is of 12th-century masonry re-used early in the 14th, when the present chancel was added, probably stands on the line of the east wall of the early chancel, and any division which may have existed between this chancel and the nave must have been destroyed when the north arcade assumed its present form.
This arcade is apparently all of one date, the end of the 12th century, except perhaps its eastern bay, and has diagonal tooling throughout on arches and piers. It is set out without regard to the south arcade, one pier of which, the third, seems to be of equal age with it. The two east bays of the south arcade belong to the first quarter of the 13th century, and are of wider span than the rest; the south tower can hardly have been standing after they were built.
The nave has clearly been shortened, probably when the present west tower was built in the latter part of the 15th century, in order to leave space for the usual procession path within the churchyard boundary, here formed by the road.
Early in the 14th century the present fine chancel was built and about 1350–60 the south chapel of the nave, taking up the site of the south tower and 13th-century south chapel, was added.
The north wall of the north aisle seems to have been rebuilt in comparatively modern times, and the west walls of both aisles are of the same date as the tower. The upper part of the tower suggests a rebuilding in the 16th or 17th century. As usual, galleries were put in at the west end and sides, and again removed at a subsequent period. The south porch is a comparatively modern addition. Much of the stonework has had to be renewed in modern times; the easternmost arch on the north side is all modern, and some of the windows are modernized, otherwise the church has undergone no drastic alterations.
The east window of the chancel has five lights under a traceried head of geometrical design, the tracery and mullions being modern. The jambs outside are double chamfered; inside they are splayed in two wave-moulded orders. The chancel is of three bays, and has, in the east and west bays, original two-light north and south windows, trefoiled, and with a quatrefoil in the head; the middle bay on the south contains a small doorway, and that on the north is blank. Under the first south window is a cinquefoiled ogee-headed piscina recess with a round basin partly cut away, and a narrow shelf above; the jambs are of two wave-moulded orders. The south doorway is also old; its jambs are double chamfered with broach stops at the foot, and the arch is two-centred with an ogee and bead label.
The chancel arch has square jambs and a round arch 1 ft. 9 in. thick of a single square order. It has on both sides a 12th-century label enriched with pellet ornament and designed for an arch of shorter radius. The masonry also is 12th-century work partly retooled with a claw chisel, and the present condition of the arch probably dates from the building of the chancel.
The arch from the nave into the tower is of two chamfered orders dying on the jambs, which are flush with the tower walls and have chamfered abaci partly modern and partly 12th-century work re-used. The west window in the tower is of early 16th or late 15th-century date and has three cinquefoiled lights under a traceried four-centred head with a moulded label. Above it is a plain rectangular light and over this a clock, all in the first of the two stages of the tower.
The bellchamber is lighted by plain two-light square-headed windows; the parapet is embattled. In the west window are the arms of the see of Winchester in a garter impaled with a coat now lost; but the style of the work makes it probable that the arms were those of Bishop Fox. The south porch is of brick and timber, and probably of 17th-century date. The materials of the walling as usual are flint and stone, the north aisle walls and those of the tower and west ends of the south aisle having been cement faced outside; while the lower part of the north aisle wall is of brick and flint, and the parapet of the south aisle is modern.
There is a plain old oak altar table.
The church has a late 17th-century or 18th-century lectern with a four-sided desk, which revolves on a turned middle post. From it are suspended two chains, which served to secure the books resting upon it.
A patch of old tiles is set in the floor west of the font.
There are five bells: the treble by Robert Cor, 1724; the second by the same founder, 1693; the third by John Cor, 1737; the fourth by Robert Cor, 1683; and the fifth also by Robert Cor, 1698.
The plate consists of a silver chalice and paten cover of 1588; a silver chalice, two patens, a flagon and a credence plate of 1847, given by Mr. Thomas Longman, of Lower Week, in 1848; and a plated alms dish.
The font is one of the few resembling that of Winchester Cathedral to be found in Hampshire churches; only the bowl remains, the stem being a modern round one.
