A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



ments in Braishfield formed part of Michelmersh 

 manor. 51 



Kimbridge water-mill on the Test on the borders of 

 the parishes of Mottisfont and Michelmersh probably 

 marks the site of the water-mill belonging to the prior 

 and convent of St. Swithun in I248. 53 



The church of OUR LADY, 

 CHURCHES MICHELMERSH, consists of a chan- 

 cel, north transept, nave with south 

 aisle, and wooden south porch, and wooden tower at 

 the south-west. A former south transept has been 

 destroyed. 



In 1847 a great deal of repair, not all judicious, 

 was carried out, and as a consequence the history of 

 the building is to some extent conjectural. The 

 chancel is large in proportion to the nave, being 

 38 ft. long and 17 ft. 2 in. wide as against 48 ft. and 

 1 8 ft. 2 in. The north transept is about as wide as 

 the nave, 1 8 ft. by 12 ft. deep, and it seems probable 

 that both transepts and the chancel were additions of 

 the middle of the thirteenth century, the former 

 chancel having been smaller and narrower than the 

 present, and co-eval with an aisleless nave whose 

 general dimensions are preserved in that now existing. 

 The south aisle may have been added in the four- 

 teenth century. 



The chancel has an east window of three lancets 

 under an obtuse pointed arch, a north window of two 

 similar lancets, and on the south a like window, all 

 being contemporary with the chancel. To the east 

 of the south window is one of c. 1330 of two lights 

 with net tracery under a square head, having in 

 its west jamb a small arched recess. The chancel arch 

 dates from 1 847, dying into the wall on both sides. 



The arches to the transepts are segmental and 

 round-headed, of a single order edge-chamfered ; on 

 that to the north transept are remains of red colour- 

 ing, and part of the cross-slab of a stone coffin is built 

 into its eastern jamb. In its western jamb is a lozenge- 

 shaped panel containing a shield, c. 1520; the arms 

 are a crescent between three human heads impaling 

 three fleurs-de-lis. The north transept has a square- 

 headed east window of three trefoiled lights with roll 

 cusps, and a north window, also square-headed, of 

 three uncusped lights. In both the stonework is 

 old, but much patched, and its date is difficult to 

 fix. Over the transept arch is a brass plate record- 

 ing the repairs of 1847. The arch to the south 

 transept is blocked, and a three-light window, perhaps 

 from the south wall of the destroyed transept, is set 

 in the blocking. The south arcade of the nave is of 

 two bays, and of the same date and character as the 

 chancel arch. 



The nave has three tall square-headed north win- 

 dows, each of three cinquefoiled lights, the western 

 window of the three being entirely modern, while the 

 other two retain a little fifteenth-century stonework. 

 In the west wall is a plain doorway of uncertain date, 

 and over it a window of two uncusped lights. The 

 south aisle is lighted by three single trefoiled windows 

 of fourteenth-century style with ogee heads, retaining 

 a little old masonry, and the south doorway of a 

 single edge-chamfered order is apparently an insertion, 

 though its masonry may be old. 



In the south wall of the nave near the west end is 



an opening at some height above the floor, probably 

 a doorway to a former west gallery. At the west end 

 of the south aisle is the font of thirteenth-century date, 

 with human heads and well-carved foliage on the 

 bowl and a round moulded base. There is some 

 good early seventeenth-century panelling on the walls 

 here, but no other woodwork in the church is old 

 except the timbers of the chancel roof, a chest in the 

 north transept, and the seventeenth-century altar 

 table. The tower is old but of uncertain date, 

 covered on the outside with weather boarding. In 

 the south-east window of the chancel is a little 

 fifteenth-century glass, with the heads of St. Paul, 

 an archbishop, &c. 



On the north side of the chancel is a fine freestone 

 effigy of a knight in mail, c. 1320, with a mail cap, 

 a long surcoat beneath which the quilted gambeson 

 shows, and knee cops of leather or plate. The sur- 

 face of the arms and legs is smooth, and perhaps the 

 mail was here shown by painting instead of carving. 

 The pommel and guards of his sword remain, hung 

 to an ornamental belt, and on his feet are rowel spurs. 

 On the left arm is a shield bearing two cheverons, the 

 head rests on two cushions with seated angels on 

 either side, and under the feet is a stag. 



On the north wall behind the effigy is a very pretty 

 little mural tablet with an inscription between the 

 small kneeling figures, carved in low relief, of 

 ' Trustram Fantleroy, Squyre,' 1538, and his wife, and 

 at the west end of the south aisle is the monument of 

 Sir William Ogle, Viscount Catherlough, 1682, a 

 black marble tablet with a pediment on which is the 

 coat of Ogle, Argent a fesse between three crescents 

 gules impaling Tame, Argent a lion azure crowned gules 

 fighting with a dragon vert. 



There are three bells inscribed ' R. Wells of Aid- 

 bourne fecit 1769.' 



The plate consists of one silver chalice inscribed 

 'For Michelmersh Church, 1635,' and one modern 

 (1807) silver chalice and cover; one silver paten 

 dated 1721 and a silver paten cover ; two flagons, one 

 plated, one pewter ; one pewter almsdish dated 

 1 674, one wooden almsdish with a plated edge, and 

 one glass cruet. 



The first register contains mixed entries from 1558 

 to 1648 ; the second baptisms and marriages from 

 1717 to 1754 and burials from 1718 to 1773 ; the 

 third marriages only from 1754 to 1812 ; the fourth 

 baptisms and burials from 1773 to 1812. 



The churchwardens' accounts begin in 1774. 

 The church of ALL S4INTS, AWBR1DGE, 

 consecrated in 1876, is a building of brick faced with 

 Swanage stone, in the Gothic style, erected at a cost of 

 2,800, the greater part of which was subscribed by 

 the late Rev. T. H. Tragett. The register dates 

 from the year 1877. 



The church of ALL SAINTS, BRAISHFIELD, 

 was built in 1855, of red brick with tiled roof, 

 in Gothic style, with belfry at west end containing 

 three bells. 



The advowson of the church of 

 AD70WSONS Michelmersh was from an early date 

 in the hands of the bishop of Win- 

 chester," and was confirmed to him by Edward I in 

 1284." The living is at the present time a rectory 



SJ Chan. Enr. Dec. R. 106, No. 9. 

 48 Egerton MS. 2031, foL a I. 



64 Cal. of Pat. 1272-81, p. 398 ; 

 Wyktbaafi Reg. (Hants Rec. Soc.), i, 35, 

 115 ; Hainan. Efts. Reg. (Hants Rcc. Soc.), 



426 



94 ; Pat. 1 6 Jas. I, pt. 14, m. 22 ; Inst. 

 Bks. (P.R.O.). 



" Chart. R. 12 Edw. I, m. 5. 



