TITCHFIELD HUNDRED 



WICKHAM 



The chancel has a three-light east window with net 

 tracery, and two square-headed north windows, each 

 of two cinquefoiled lights, all the stonework being 

 modern. Between the two latter windows is a 

 doorway which appears to be of late date on the 

 inside, but externally, as already noted, shows twelfth- 

 century masonry. Over the east window is a ver- 

 tical rib of stone, springing from a horizontal band 

 at the level of the eaves of the roof, after the manner 

 of pre-Conquest work, but in this instance its date 

 is doubtful. 



The south chapel opens to the chancel by a pointed 

 arch of two chamfered orders, with a moulded half- 

 round capital and half-octagonal abacus to its western 

 respond, c. \ 300, probably giving the date of the chapel, 

 which has no other ancient features, but contains 

 parts of two fine Uvedale monuments, moved here in 

 1863. The chancel arch is modern, as are all the 

 details of the transepts and nave, both of masonry 

 and woodwork. The south transept was built in 

 1803, the tomb of John Swan, 1781, and his son 

 John, who died in the same year, being moved to 

 make place for it, and built into its south wall as it 

 now appears. 



Before 1862 the church had a wooden bell-turret, 

 the present three-story masonry tower then taking its 

 place. Its re-used west doorway is a good piece of 

 mid-twelfth-century work, with a lozenge ornament 

 on its label, and zigzag on its arch. The jambs have 

 nook-shafts, and on the capital of the northern shaft is 

 carved a centaur shooting at a lion (as on the tym- 

 panum at Stoke sub Hamdon, Somerset), the southern 

 capital having a foliate ornament. 



There is old stonework also used up in the two 

 lancet windows in the south wall of the tower. 



The font is modern, with an octagonal panelled 

 bowl. 



Of the two Uvedale monuments in the south 

 chapel, the older is part of a large monument to 

 William Uvedale, 1569, mutilated in 1863. It had 

 a panelled base, and a cornice carried by female 

 figures, the scrolled panel bearing the inscription being 

 at the back of the recess beneath the cornice. The 

 second monument, which is better preserved but 

 badly put together and in rather shaky condition, is 

 that of Sir William Uvedale, 1615, and has recum- 

 bent effigies of Sir William and his wife, the lady 

 being on a lower level, under a semicircular panelled 

 arch flanked by obelisks and surmounted by a coat- 

 of-arms with crest and supporters, the open scroll- 

 work on either side of the heraldry ending in 

 clumsily treated lions' heads. On the base of the 

 tomb are kneeling figures of four sons and five 

 daughters, and the whole monument is very elabo- 

 rately worked and worthy of study, though the detail 

 is not quite first-rate. 



In the chancel floor are two fourteenth-century 

 coffin-lids with crosses in relief, and two blue marble 

 slabs, dated 1692 and 1696, the latter in memory of 

 Elizabeth countess of Carlisle, the heiress of the 

 Uvedales. 14 



There are six bells, the second, third, and fifth by 

 Wells of Aldbourne, 1767, and the tenor by the same 

 founder, 1772, all having inscriptions on the sound- 

 bow ; the fourth was also by Wells, 1767, but was 



recast by Taylor of Loughborough, 1897; and the 

 treble, of 1 890, is also by Taylor. 



The plate consists of a large, plain commu- 

 nion cup, a standing paten, a flagon and an alms 

 dish, all of 1639, and there is also a modern 

 plated dish. 



The registers begin in 1556, the first book being a 

 copy made in 1606, with a fine title-page. The 

 births, marriages, and deaths are entered together till 

 1609, and then separately in the following order : 

 baptisms, 1611-29; marriages, 161226; burials, 

 161224; baptisms, 163554 (some pages are here 

 missing); marriages, 163154; burials, 1629-54. 

 The second book begins in 1695 and runs to 1783, 

 the marriages stopping in 1761. The third and 

 fifth books continue the marriages to 1812, and the 

 fourth does the same for the other two headings. 

 In the third book is a list of briefs for 170651, 

 and in the second book a note of the population 

 of the parish in 1695. There were 413 parishioners, 

 300 of whom were communicants, ' two papists, dis- 

 senters not one.' There were 97 families, and 

 50 seats in the church. 



The churchwardens' accounts from 1777 are 

 preserved. 



The advowson of the church at 

 ADrOWSON Wickham followed the descent of 

 the manor until 1764." It was a 

 rectory, and in the Taxatio of Pope Nicholas it is 

 valued at l2,' e out of which a pension of 2Os. was 

 paid to the abbey and convent of Titchfield," while 

 in the valuation of Henry VIII it is returned as 

 worth <) lit. 5<^. M On the sale of the manor to 

 George Gamier in 1764 the advowson was retained 

 by the Rashleigh family, the present patron being 

 Mr. Jonathan Rashleigh of Menabilly, Cornwall. 



Sir William Uvedale granted land in Wickham to 

 found an obit, the yearly rent of which amounted to 



3- n 



The Wesleyans have a chapel in the parish. 



By an order of the Charity Com- 

 CH4RITIES missioners of 24 May, 1867, the 

 charities existing in this parish were 

 consolidated : 



Honor Waite's Charity : by will dated 1599, con- 

 sisting of 2O/. yearly, issuing out of her manor of 

 Denmead in the parish of Hambledon, now paid by 

 Mr. G. B. Gale of Denmead Mill. 



John Pierson's Charity : by will dated 1702, con- 

 sisting of a rent-charge of 2O/. a year out of his 

 copyhold lands in the parish. 



Elizabeth countess of Carlisle, by will dated 1696, 

 gave l oo for the use of the poor of Wickham. In 

 1758 George Gamier, by deed in respect of this sum 

 which had come into his hands, charged a farm known 

 as Pye's Farms with 10 lo/. annually for the bene- 

 fit of the poor. These two annuities are now paid 

 by John Carpenter-Gamier, Esq., of Rookesbury Park, 

 Wickham. 



John Swann, by will dated 1778, gave 100 

 consols increased by accumulations 10^153 is. yd. 

 consols for the poor, or for the instruction of the 

 children of the poor. 



Poor's Money : Subscriptions raised in 1801 for 

 the relief of the poor during the then severe winter, 



84 For the Uvedale family see Surrey 

 Arch. Call. 1865, p. 63. 



85 Egerton MS. 2032, fol. 17 5 Chan. 



Intj. p.m. 27 Edw. Ill (lit Nos.), No. iz ; 

 Feet of F. Southants, Hil. 5 Jas. I. 

 86 Pope Nick. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 211. 



235 



87 Egerton MS. 2034, fol. 69. 



88 Vahr Eccl. (Rec. Com.}, ii, 23. 



89 Chant. Cert. 52, No. 28. 



