The Hampshire Churches Medieval Graffiti Survey – Completed
The different churches and other buildings where surveys have been completed have been split into separate webpages to make it easier to find.
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All Saints Church, Hursley
All Saints Church, Hursley Post code: SO21 2JB OS Grid Ref: SU 427 252 CoE CHR No: 641340 Photo 1 – All Saints, Hursley. The church is best known for its associations with John Keble, the pioneer leader of the Oxford Movement. It was designed for him by JP Harrison, and built in 1846-8, in…
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All Saints, Crondall
All Saints, Crondall All Saints is an Anglican parish church in the village of Crondall, at the north-east edge of Hampshire. It is a Grade I listed building and stands at the highest point in the village. Although a Saxon church was mentioned in the Domesday Book, the present church dates from 1170 Norman…
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All Saints, Dummer
All Saints, Dummer The church, first mentioned 1198 and with probable Norman masonry, has a simple nave and chancel with a west porch and bell turret. The c1200 chancel arch has a squint on the s side, and a niche for the reredos of a lay altar on the n side. Rare 17th century bell…
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All Saints, Houghton
All Saints, Houghton Each image below is linked to a larger version; to see the larger version it may be necessary to allow ‘pop-ups’. Houghton All Saints is located in the Test valley near Stockbridge. This small unassuming church dating from the 12th century contains a wealth of stunning medieval graffiti, with some striking and…
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Corhampton Church
Corhampton Church Photo 1 – Corhampton Church from the south. Corhampton church is one of the four churches of the Meon Bridge Benefice and is unusual in having no dedication. It is a typically Saxon building constructed of stone from the Isle of Wight and flint being erected about 1020 on an artificial mound. Many…
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Gods House Tower, Southampton
Gods House Tower, Southampton Gods House Tower stands at the SE corner of Southamptons medieval town defences, and is a Grade II listed monument. The original gatehouse was built in the late 13th century, and extended in the early 15th century with the addition of a two-storey gallery and a three-storey tower. This was one…
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Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty, Winchester
Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty, Winchester Interim survey report for the stable block This report is a summary of findings made in the north end of the range of buildings on the west side of the Outer Court. An interesting range of graffiti was discovered around the windows and doorways of…
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Little Somborne, All Saints church
Little Somborne, All Saints church This small, remote church is almost certainly one of the two churches in Somborne mentioned in Domesday. It has plastered flint walls with a small wooden bell-turret. It retains a number of Late Saxon features including the characteristic lesene or pilaster strip and a double-splayed window on the north wall,…
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St Andrew the Apostle, Hamble-le-Rice
St Andrew the Apostle, Hamble-le-Rice OS Grid Ref: SU 482068 Postcode: SO31 4JF CoE CHR No: 641233 Photo 1 – St Andrew the Apostle, Hamble-le-Rice. A small priory was established here between 1109 and 1128 by a cell of Benedictine monks from the abbey of Tiron, near Chartres in France. It was probably already run-down…
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St Andrew, Hurstbourne Priors
St Andrew, Hurstbourne Priors Postcode: RG28 7RN Grid Ref: SU838466 CHR No: 641295 Photo 1: Exterior of St Andrew’s, Hurstbourne Priors The church is Grade II* listed. It is on the site of a Saxon church, recorded as being consecrated in 820 AD. The present building dates from the 12th century, and the fine…
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St Andrew, Mottisfont
St Andrew, Mottisfont Postcode: SO51 0LL Grid Ref: SU325267 CHR No: 641295 Photo 1: Exterior of St Andrew’s, Mottisfont This church is Grade 1 Listed. It consists of a nave and chancel with a shingled bell-turret at the west end. Its earliest features are the early 12th century nave with the impressive Norman chancel…
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St Andrew, Tichborne
St Andrew, Tichborne Postcode: SO24 0NA Grid Ref: SU569302 CHR No: 641024 Photo 1: Exterior of St Andrew’s,Tichborne The church is set on a hill, overlooking the village of Tichborne. It retains its mid-11th century plan with a surviving Saxo-Norman chancel which has characteristic stone pilaster strips and small double-splayed windows. The nave and…
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St Andrews church, Timsbury
St Andrews church, Timsbury Post code: SO51 0NA OS Grid Ref: SU347246 CoE CHR No: 641294 Photo 1 – Exterior of the church. The cursory description in Pevsners The buildings of England. Hampshire: South (2018), which concentrates on the 2014 fire, does little justice to this fascinating church. The church is medieval in date, with…
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St Bartholomew, Winchester, Hyde
St Bartholomew, Winchester, Hyde Postcode: S023 7DF Grid Ref: SU482302 CHR No: 641358 Date of survey: 17th October 2025 All images, photos and maps/plan, are available in a larger version by taking the link from each one. (Pop-ups may need to be authorised.) Photo 1: Exterior of St Bartholomew’s church The church is listed…
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St James Without-the-Priory Gate, Southwick
St James Without-the-Priory Gate, Southwick Photo 1 – St James, Southwick. Members of the Hampshire Medieval Graffiti Project visited St James church, Southwick on 3rd May 2019 to locate, photograph and record the historical graffiti there. The church is described as a Peculiar, meaning it is privately owned and exempt from the jurisdiction of the…
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St James, Bramley
St James, Bramley St James’ church has a plain, brick built, exterior. The earliest parts date from around 1180 as shown by Norman windows. There is a later, Elizabethan, window in the nave and a brick tower, of 1636-40, on the west side. The porch dates from 1806. The church was ‘restored’ in the 19th…
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St John the Baptist, New Alresford
St John the Baptist, New Alresford Postcode: S024 9AG Grid Ref: SU583326 CHR No: 641003 Photo 1: Exterior of St John the Baptist, New Alresford The church is Grade II* listed. It has a nave and aisle of 4 bays, and a chancel with north and south chapels. It is built of flint with…
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St John the Baptist, North Baddesley
St John the Baptist, North Baddesley The church is located on a small rise some distance from the main village. It has associations with the Knights Hospitallers, whose Preceptory was located opposite on the site of what is now an 18th century manor house. The Hopitallers link is evidenced by the presence of their crosses…
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St John’s Church, Farley Chamberlayne
St John’s Church, Farley Chamberlayne The church of St John is in an isolated position on chalk downland with extensive views. The church consists of nave, chancel and bell-turret. The chancel and nave date from 1130-60, although the windows and other details are later. Photographs, taken by members of the Medieval Graffiti Survey, are shown…
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St Leonard, Bursledon
St Leonard, Bursledon The church was founded by the monks of Hamble priory in the 12th C. The chancel arch dates to the 13th C, and the naves walls are medieval with blocked doorways to the N and S. The church was restored 1889-90, and the transepts added. A half-timbered belfry and elaborate wooden porch…
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St Margaret, East Wellow
St Margaret, East Wellow East Wellow St Margaret dates from the 12th century onwards. South view of St Margaret’s It has wall paintings, below left, dating from the early 13th century. The church also has a number of painted consecration crosses present with a number of painted designs found. Example of wall painting …
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St Mary the less, Chilbolton
St Mary the less, Chilbolton This medieval church has a 13th century chancel and nave with two early 14th century arcades. The distinctive low tower and weather-boarded bellcote are Victorian. Each image is linked to a larger version; to see the larger version it may be necessary to allow ‘pop-ups’. Most of the graffiti found…
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St Mary, Ashley
St Mary, Ashley Postcode: SO20 6RJ Grid Ref: SU384309 Photo 1: Exterior of St Mary’s, Ashley This modest church stands within the outer bailey of a Norman ringwork. The building is essentially Norman, with a narrow nave and chancel which was extended in the 13th century. The walls are mainly flint rubble, with chalk block…
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St Mary, Eling
St Mary, Eling This church has Saxon origins, evidenced by Saxon gravestones excavated from beneath the church, now stored in the nave, and a narrow window in the north wall of the chancel, and a tiny opening in the south wall of the nave, neither of which can be in their original position. Medieval features…
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St Mary, Hartley Wintney
St Mary, Hartley Wintney OS Grid ref: SU768 558 Post code: RG27 8EE Photo 1 – St Mary’s Church, Hartley Wintney, from the south-west. The church is situated on a low hill within a large churchyard at what is now the southern edge of the village. The earliest part of the building is the small…
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St Mary, Michelmersh
St Mary, Michelmersh Michelmersh (this link will take you to a map of Michelmersh) is a relatively large parish church dating from the 12th century onwards. The church had a range of graffiti inscriptions present which included ritual protection marks in the form of a daisy wheel on the window west of the porch, textual…
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St Mary, South Stoneham
St Mary, South Stoneham St Marys, South Stoneham, is tucked away amongst the University of Southamptons halls of residence in Swaythling. It has medieval origins with a fine 12th century chancel arch, and a low tower of the late 15th/early 16th century. It contains a range of interesting monuments, including the tomb of Francis Dawtrey,…
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St Mary, Upton Grey
St Mary, Upton Grey OS Grid Ref: SU 697 483 Postcode: RG25 2RB CoE CHR No: 641133 Photo 1 – St Mary’s Church, Upton Grey. The church is situated to the north of the village centre, close to where the Roman road from Chichester to Silchester ran through the parish. It sits on a rise…
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St Marys church, Breamore
St Marys church, Breamore Post code: SP6 2DF OS Grid Ref: SU153189 Coordinates: 50°58’09″N 1°46’59″W CoE CHR No: 641193 Photo 1 – St Mary’s, Breamore. Breamore was founded in Saxon times as a Minster church on a possible Royal estate set within a large enclosure. It served as the mother church for several nearby villages…
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St Maurice, Winchester
St Maurice, Winchester This was an important medieval parish church with a central position on the High St, close to the cathedral. It may have served as a gate chapel to the New Minster precinct. It was demolished in 1840, apart from the tower, which was then heavily repaired. A new church was built, which…
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St Michael the Archangel Church, Southampton
St Michael the Archangel Church, Southampton Each image, below, is linked to a larger version; to see the larger version it may be necessary to allow ‘pop-ups’. St Michaels is proud to be the only functioning medieval church in the centre of Southampton. Norman in origin, it was of cruciform shape with a central tower,…
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St Nicholas, Bishop’s Sutton
St Nicholas, Bishop’s Sutton Post code: SO24 0AD Grid Ref: SU 605320 CHR No: 641008 Photo 1: Exterior of St Nicholas’ The church was built in the 12th century as a simple two bay structure of nave and chancel by the Bishop of Winchester, Henry de Blois. From this period date the fine south doorway…
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St Nicholas, Boarhunt
St Nicholas, Boarhunt St Nicholas Boarhunt, situated on the Portsdown Hill near Portsmouth, is a fine example of a small Saxon church. It consists of a name and chancel with a much later open bell turret. Due to extensive re-plastering and reworking of the stonework, no historical graffiti was found in the interior of the…
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St Nicholas, North Stoneham
St Nicholas, North Stoneham St Nicholas is “An intriguing and problematical building…”. The church was rebuilt at some time between 1590 and 1610 with older features, possibly from other buildings, incorporated; it was restored in 1826 and again later in the 19th Century. (The Buildings of England: Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, 1985) Photographs,…
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St Peter and Holy Cross church, Wherwell
St Peter and Holy Cross church, Wherwell Each image is linked to a larger version; to see the larger version it may be necessary to allow ‘pop-ups’. Most of the fabric of the present church is mid-nineteenth century in date, although traces of the earlier medieval structure still survive, and a collection of early architectural…
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St Peter, Bramshaw
St Peter, Bramshaw Though the south tower is early 13th C below and the nave is of the same date, due to extensive restoration work in the 19th Century very little graffiti was found. Each image is linked to a larger version; to see the larger version it may be necessary to allow ‘pop-ups’. Two…
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St Peter, Goodworth Clatford
St Peter, Goodworth Clatford Each image below is linked to a larger version; to see the larger version it may be necessary to allow ‘pop-ups’. References to pillars, e.g. S4, can be checked against the plan which can be found in the overall report. The main body of the church consists of a flint-built nave…
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St Peter, Goodworth Clatford – Second World War Graffiti
St Peter, Goodworth Clatford – Second World War Graffiti Perhaps even more significant than the early examples of graffiti however, are the pencil drawings and inscriptions left within the clergy vestry by the young men who acted as organ blowers, pumping the bellows, at the time of the second world war. There is a huge…
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St Peter, Ropley
St Peter, Ropley Postcode: SO24 0DS Grid Ref: SU646320 CHR No: 641022 (Each image below is linked to a larger version; to see the larger version it may be necessary to allow ‘pop-ups’.) > Photo 1: St Peter’s Church before the fire. Sadly, this church was almost completely gutted by a fire in 2014 (Photo…
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St Peter, St Mary Bourne
St Peter, St Mary Bourne Postcode: SP11 6BL Grid Ref: SU422503 CHR No: 641158 Photo 1: Exterior of St Peter’s, St Mary Bourne St Peters church is a Grade 1 listed building. It consists of a chancel with a wide Norman chancel arch, nave with later aisles, western tower and south porch. There are…
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St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate, Winchester
St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate, Winchester Postcode: SO23 9JP Grid Ref: SU482291 CHR No: 641362 Date of survey: 21st February 2025 Photo 1: Exterior of St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate The church sits over Kingsgate, a city gate which is on or close to the site of one of the Roman gates. The present gateway is probably late 14th century…
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St Thomas a Becket, Warblington
St Thomas a Becket, Warblington St Thomas a Becket Warblington has Saxon origins, with Saxon features visible in the tower. The long chancel is supposedly on the site of the Saxon nave. The main body of the church is late 12th/early 13th C, with 19thC restorations. Photographs, taken by members of the Medieval Graffiti Survey,…
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The Bargate, Southampton
The Bargate, Southampton The Bargate is a Grade I listed medieval gatehouse in the city centre of Southampton, England. Constructed in Norman times as part of the Southampton town walls, it was the main gateway to the city. The Bargate was built c. 1180, constructed of stone and flint. Alterations were made to the building…
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Tudor House Museum, Southampton
Tudor House Museum, Southampton The history of Tudor House covers more than 800 years, comprising the late 15th century timber-framed house facing St Michaels Square, together with King Johns Palace, a 12th century Norman building accessible from Tudor House Garden. The house was built by John Dawtrey mayor of Southampton and occupied in early 16th century…