All Saints Church, Little Somborne

All Saints Church, Little Somborne
All Saints Church, Little Somborne, from the south
All Saints Church, Little Somborne Location in Hampshire
Coordinates: 51°05′31″N 1°27′21″W / 51.0919°N 1.4557°W / 51.0919; -1.4557
OS grid reference	SU 383 326
Location	Little Somborne, Hampshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	29 May 1957
Architectural type	Church
Style	Saxon, Norman
Specifications
Materials	Rendered flint rubble with stone dressings Tiled roof

All Saints Church, Little Somborne, is a redundant Anglican church in the hamlet of Little Somborne, Hampshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building,^[1] and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.^[2] The church is situated some 4 miles (6 km) southeast of Stockbridge, to the east of the A3057 road.^[2][3]

History

All Saints has its origin in the Saxon era, and it is recorded in the Domesday book. The original church had a nave and a chancel, but in 1170 the chancel was removed, the nave was extended towards the east, and a very small chancel was added at the east end.^[2] The chancel was removed during the 17th century, the chancel arch was filled in with a wall and a window was inserted.^[1]

Architecture

The church is constructed in flint rubble with stone dressings. The walls have been rendered and colourwashed. The roof is tiled.^[1] Its plan is simple, consisting of a nave and a chancel in a single range, with a weatherboarded bellcote at the west end. At the east end, within the former chancel arch, is a three-light square-headed window, and above this are two lancet windows. In the north wall of the chancel is a 12th-century single-light window. To the west of this is a blocked door dating from the same period. Also in the north wall is a Saxon pilaster strip made in Binstead stone from the Isle of Wight. In the south wall of the chancel is a 13th-century lancet window. To the west of this are two single-light square-headed windows. Between these is a Norman round-headed doorway. The west window dates from the 14th century and has two lights with trefoil heads, and there is a quatrefoil window above it.^[4]

The plaster has been stripped from the interior of the walls, and the floor has been partly removed and replaced by flags. To the south of the chancel arch is a small round-headed niche. The font dates from the 19th century.^[1]

External features

In the churchyard is the grave of Thomas Sopwith, the pioneer aviator, who developed the Sopwith Camel, and died in 1989.^[2]

See also

• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South East England

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "All Saints Church, Little Somborne", The National Heritage List for England (English Heritage), 2011, http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1167714, retrieved 18 April 2011 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} All Saints' Church, Little Somborne, Hampshire, Churches Conservation Trust, http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/Ourchurches/Completelistofchurches/All-Saints-Church-Little-Somborne-Hampshire/, retrieved 25 March 2011 
3. ^ Little Somborne, Streetmap, http://streetmap.co.uk/grid/438114_132710_120, retrieved 22 March 2011 
4. ^ Page, William, ed. (1911), "Parishes: Little Sombourne", A History of the County of Hampshire, Victoria County History (University of London & History of Parliament Trust) 4: pp. 480–482, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=56860#s3, retrieved 25 March 2011 

External links

• Detailed architectural description
• Photographs of the exterior and interior
• More photographs