HAMBLEDON HUNDRED 



HAMBLEDON 



The eastern division of the nave has arcades of 

 three bays, the two east bays of that on the north 

 having round columns with moulded capitals and 

 bases of clunch, except the capital of the western 

 respond, which is in green sandstone, while the third 

 bay is of later date, a plain pointed opening with 

 Binstead stone strings at the springing and green sand- 

 stone dressings in its east respond ; it dies into the wall 

 on the west, and is cut through the pre-Conquest 

 masonry, the stone eaves course of which shows above 

 it, running eastward as far as the centre of the middle 

 bay of the arcade. The south arcade is continuous, 

 and has octagonal columns and capitals, the two 

 eastern capitals being modern ; its western arch dies 

 into the east wall of the pre-Conquest nave without 

 a respond. 



The north aisle has an east window of three lancets 

 with a foiled circle above and engaged jamb-shafts ; 

 in its north wall are two small lancet lights, and 

 between them a three-light fifteenth-century window. 

 The south aisle has an east window of the same date 

 and description as that in the north aisle, but the 

 central lancet is higher than the others, its head taking 

 the place of the foiled circle. Its three south windows 

 are : a pair of lancets with a trefoil over, a. three- 

 light fifteenth-century window with uncusped tracery, 

 and a pair of lancets. The first of these three win- 

 dows is set in a thicker piece of wall than the others, 

 and at the junction of the thicker and thinner walls a 

 change in direction is noticeable ; the latter is clearly 

 later than the former, and points to a widening of 

 this part of the aisle as already suggested. At the 

 south-east of the aisle is a locker. The roofs over 

 this part of the church are old, but have no details 

 from which a precise date might be assigned to them j 

 they have tie-beams with arched collars, and the trusses 

 of the middle span probably had king-posts at one 

 time. 



The western division of the nave has arcades of 

 two bays, c. 1 1 80, with round pillars and pointed 

 arches of different detail, those in the north arcade 

 having one square order and chamfered labels with 

 hatched ornament on the vertical face and rosettes 

 alternating with dogtooth on the chamfer, while in 

 the south arcade the arches are of two chamfered 

 orders, with dogtooth on the labels. The capitals 

 are scalloped in both instances, but the bases of the 

 north arcade are square, with angle spurs, and those 

 of the south arcade round. Above the arches on the 

 outer faces of the walls the upper parts of pre-Conquest 

 pilaster strips remain, two on each side, in Binstead 

 stone, and the walls are characteristically high. In 

 the south wall near the west angle is a wide round- 

 headed opening, splayed inwards, apparently a window 

 opening of the pre-Conquest church, which was 

 probably filled with pierced wooden boarding, but its 

 width makes it an altogether unusual feature. The 

 arch which takes the place of the original chancel 

 arch is a fine piece of thirteenth-century detail, of 

 two-moulded orders, more elaborate on the west face 

 than on the east, with three shafts in each respond 

 and moulded capitals ; it is abutted by arches of late 

 thirteenth-century date at the east ends of the old 

 aisles, that on the north having three engaged 

 octagonal shafts in the jambs, while the southern arch 

 is plainer, with half-octagonal responds. In the 

 north aisle is an early fourteenth-century doorway 

 between two three-light windows, one of the fifteenth 



century and the other an ornamental modern copy of 

 it, and at the west end a twelfth-century round- 

 headed light, which, as already noted, may have been 

 further to the south at first. The south doorway of 

 the nave is of good fifteenth-century detail, and opens 

 to a contemporary porch which formerly had an 

 upper floor, reached by a short passage or gallery from 

 the upper floor of the south-west vestry. There are 

 fifteenth-century windows in the aisle wall, on either 

 side of the porch, both square-headed, that to the 

 east having arched tracery under the square head, 

 with pierced spandrels. In the west wall of the aisle 

 is an original twelfth-century light, and to the north 

 of it a fifteenth-century door to the vestry, while at 

 the first-floor level, near the south-west angle, is a 

 doorway which formerly led by a gallery to the parvise 

 over the porch. The vestry, which is now of one 

 story only, was probably used as a living room in 

 former times, and has a south window in the upper 

 stage with a stone shoot through the wall below it. 

 The upper part of the tower is of flint with red- 

 brick dressings, dating from 1 794, and the west door 

 and window are modern. In the south wall is a 

 blocked thirteenth-century light, already referred to, 

 and the tower arch, whose north jamb is overlapped 

 by the north wall of the tower, is also of the thir- 

 teenth century, with half-octagonal responds, moulded 

 capitals and bases, and a pointed arch of two 

 chamfered orders. The tower stair is at the north- 

 east. In the south wall is a recess used as a cup- 

 board, and on either side of the west window is hung 

 a regimental colour. 



The roof of the western part of the nave is good 

 fifteenth-century work in four bays, with moulded 

 tie-beams, collars, and braces, but the fittings of the 

 church generally are modern. The altar table is of 

 the seventeenth century with baluster legs, and the 

 font, at the west end of the south aisle, is octagonal 

 and modern. 



There are six bells, the treble by Taylor of Lough- 

 borough, 1882, and the others by Robert Catlin of 

 London, 1 749, the fifth recording that the old bells 

 were cast into a ring of six in that year. 



The plate is modern, a fine set consisting of two 

 chalices, three patens, a flagon, two alms dishes, and 

 two candlesticks, made in 1876 and weighing in all 

 200 oz. There are also two patens, a cup, and 

 flagon of pewter. 



The first book of registers runs from 1601 to 

 1662, but one leaf of the paper register for 1596 is 

 preserved. The succeeding books date from 1662- 

 1706, 1708-1778, and 1778-1812, and there is a 

 printed marriage register for 1754-1798. 



Near the south door of the church is a fine yew 

 tree. 



The church of ALL SAINTS, DENME4D, built 

 in 1880, is of flint in the thirteenth-century style, 

 and consists of chancel, nave, south porch, and bell- 

 turret. The register dates from 1881. 



The earliest mention of a church 

 dDPOWSON at Hambledon seems to be about the 

 year 1155, when Hambledon church 

 and Meonstoke manor were granted to St. Swithun's 

 Priory. 11 ' In 1327, on the petition of John bishop 

 of Winchester, the king ordered that the keeper of 

 the temporalities of the see was not to interfere 



113 Add. Chart. 28,658 



243 



