St. Mary's Church, Fordingbridge
Encyclopedia
Listed in the Domesday Book
in 1086 this is one of three ancient churches in our team, all dedicated to St. Mary. The Church was updated by the Normans
around 1150 and would then have been an open space internally. The North Chapel and north and south aisles were added around 1230. Within another 100 years the clerestory
had been added, the tower raised (in modern times housing 8 bells plus a Sanctus bell) and the North Chapel extended. The Chapel has a fine straight tie beam truss roof of chestnut that masquerades as a hammerbeam roof
.
Externally the Church has changed little since the 16th century although originally the exterior flint work would have been plastered like one of its neighbours, St Mary, Breamore
.
Internally the Church looks much as it did after the 1840 renovation except for the addition of the organ in 1887 and the reredos in 1820. The Church once boasted a fine "three-decker" pulpit but this has since been replaced with a much more modest piece of furniture. In very recent years the Victorian
pews have been made into smaller sections to facilitate using the space much more flexibly. Indeed should the visitor visit the Church at the annual Patronal Festival (1st weekend in July) they will usually experience an open space similar to that from many centuries ago.
In 2000 a new window was commissioned in the south aisle to commemorate the millennium, and it is at its best with the sun pouring through it. Also two of the bells were sent to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
to be recast and retuned.
There are two surviving vicarages in Fordingbridge
, the imposing residence opposite the West Front built in 1817 and now converted to apartments and the current, more modern building opposite the South side. It is said that, once, Fordingbridge was amongst the finest livings in the land.
The Churchyard is also worth a visit where a monument to the safe building family "Chubb" can be seen, and also the memorial to the last man to be killed in a duel
in England
, James Alexander Seton. Along with all the town burial sites (except the new Catholic burial ground) St Mary's Churchyard was closed in 1896 and replaced by the new cemetery at Stuckton Road. In modern times the Churchyard has been cleared to allow easier maintenance and many of the anonymous gravestones now form the path from the lichgate
to the North Porch.
St Mary's has a fine musical heritage. Its choirs and instrumental groups can be heard at least twice each Sunday supporting services such as the Family Communion, Matins
and traditional Evensong
whilst the Praise band, Identity, play for the popular modern Praise! Services.
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
in 1086 this is one of three ancient churches in our team, all dedicated to St. Mary. The Church was updated by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
around 1150 and would then have been an open space internally. The North Chapel and north and south aisles were added around 1230. Within another 100 years the clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
had been added, the tower raised (in modern times housing 8 bells plus a Sanctus bell) and the North Chapel extended. The Chapel has a fine straight tie beam truss roof of chestnut that masquerades as a hammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof, in architecture, is the name given to an open timber roof, typical of English Gothic architecture, using short beams projecting from the wall.- Design :...
.
Externally the Church has changed little since the 16th century although originally the exterior flint work would have been plastered like one of its neighbours, St Mary, Breamore
Breamore
Breamore is a village and civil parish near Fordingbridge in Hampshire, England. The toponym is pronounced "Bremmer", not "Bree-moor" as might be supposed. The parish includes a notable Elizabethan country house, Breamore House, built with an E-shaped ground plan...
.
Internally the Church looks much as it did after the 1840 renovation except for the addition of the organ in 1887 and the reredos in 1820. The Church once boasted a fine "three-decker" pulpit but this has since been replaced with a much more modest piece of furniture. In very recent years the Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
pews have been made into smaller sections to facilitate using the space much more flexibly. Indeed should the visitor visit the Church at the annual Patronal Festival (1st weekend in July) they will usually experience an open space similar to that from many centuries ago.
In 2000 a new window was commissioned in the south aisle to commemorate the millennium, and it is at its best with the sun pouring through it. Also two of the bells were sent to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
to be recast and retuned.
There are two surviving vicarages in Fordingbridge
Fordingbridge
Fordingbridge is a town and civil parish with a population of 5,700 on the River Avon in the New Forest District of Hampshire, England, near to the Dorset and Wiltshire borders and on the edge of the New Forest. It is south west of London, and south of the city of Salisbury. Fordingbridge is a...
, the imposing residence opposite the West Front built in 1817 and now converted to apartments and the current, more modern building opposite the South side. It is said that, once, Fordingbridge was amongst the finest livings in the land.
The Churchyard is also worth a visit where a monument to the safe building family "Chubb" can be seen, and also the memorial to the last man to be killed in a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, James Alexander Seton. Along with all the town burial sites (except the new Catholic burial ground) St Mary's Churchyard was closed in 1896 and replaced by the new cemetery at Stuckton Road. In modern times the Churchyard has been cleared to allow easier maintenance and many of the anonymous gravestones now form the path from the lichgate
Lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.-Name:...
to the North Porch.
St Mary's has a fine musical heritage. Its choirs and instrumental groups can be heard at least twice each Sunday supporting services such as the Family Communion, Matins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
and traditional Evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
whilst the Praise band, Identity, play for the popular modern Praise! Services.