MAINSBRIDGE HUNDRED 



nave to tower is tall and of a single order, with a semi- 

 circular head and a chamfered string at the springing ; 

 it is to be noted that it is entirely in the nave wall, 

 and that there is a taller arch built against it on the 

 west with a straight joint, which carries the east wall 

 of the tower. There can be but little difference of 

 date between the two, but the tower and nave are 

 separate buildings, and the east wall of the tower is 

 much thinner than its other walls, presumably for the 

 reason that the support of the west wall of the nave 

 made an equal thickness unnecessary. 



A site at a little distance to the south-east is pointed 

 out as that of the monastic buildings of the priory, 

 but no vestige of them remains above ground. It 

 would be natural to suppose that some part of them 

 adjoined the church, but there is little to suggest that 

 this was the case, and the building of the new south 

 chapel may have destroyed some evidence. The 

 western part of the south wall of the nave has no 

 window in it, and on the outer face is an arched 



HAM B LL CHURCH 



] li^cenfurj/ 



C3larerl2*cent. ^g W^ccntury 

 I I modem 



recess, 6 ft. 7 in. wide, which has somewhat the 

 appearance of the wall-rib of a vault running in a 

 southerly direction, but there are no other traces 

 of the abutment of a building here. Excavations 

 would doubtless throw light on the matter, and until 

 they are undertaken the question must remain 

 unanswered. 



The timbers of both nave and chancel roof are 

 old ; they are of the trussed rafter form with tie- 

 beams, king posts, and pole pieces. The north door 

 of the nave is also old, but within the church are no 

 ancient wood fittings. If there was anything in the 

 nature of the pulpitum of a monastic church between 

 the chancel and nave it has left no trace, but that 

 some substantial division existed there can be little 

 doubt. 



The arrangement of the doorways at the east angles 

 of the parochial nave is interesting, and it may be 

 that a passage ran between them, with the parish altar 



HAMBLE-LE- 

 RICE 



immediately to the west, the stalls of the monastic 

 quire being returned against the east side of the 

 passage. 



The font, which stands under the tower, is modern 

 and of the same design as that in Littlemore Church, 

 Oxfordshire. 



There are three bells, the treble and second bj 

 Clement Tosier, 1715, and the tenor, a fifteenth- 

 century bell inscribed 'AveGracia' in Gothic capitals. 

 The inscription on the treble, like that on the treble 

 at Chilbolton, is a model of bad spelling : 



Tho I ham but lettel and small all (sic) 

 I will be hard above tham all. 



The plate consists of a cup of 1651, inscribed 

 ' For the church of Hamble, James Carter church- 

 warden ' ; a standing paten of 1710, another of 1873, 

 and a flagon of 1863, given 1865. 



The oldest register book contains the entries for 1 660 

 to 1715 and 1760 to 1763 for the parishes of Hound, 



Sachell, Netley, and 

 Sholing ; the second 

 contains the Hamble 

 baptisms and burials, 

 16741717; the third 

 the same entries for 

 Hamble, Hound, and 

 Bursledon, 1720-60; 

 the fourth the mar- 

 riages for the same 

 parishes, 1754-95 ; 

 the fifth the Ham- 

 ble marriages, 1759- 

 1801 ; the sixth the 

 baptisms and burials 

 for Hamble, Hound, 

 and Bursledon, 1760 

 91 ; the seventh the 

 Hamble marriages, 

 1792-1812 ; and the 

 eighth the same for 

 Hamble, Hound, and 

 Bursledon, 1795- 

 1812. 



The church of Hamble-le-Rice 

 ADVOWSQN was confirmed to the abbot of Tiron 

 in 1147 by Pope Eugenius III, and 

 again in 1175 by Pope Alexander III." The church 

 was held from this date by the Benedictine monks of 

 the priory of Hamble until the year 1391, when it 

 was sold with the other possessions of the priory to 

 William of Wykeham, to assist in the foundation of 

 his college at Winchester." 



From this time the advowson has always been held 

 by the wardens of St. Mary's College." 



In 1854 Mrs. Margaret Lind 

 CHARITIES Henville by her will bequeathed to 

 the vicar for the time being a legacy 

 for the poor to be applied in clothing. The trust 

 fund consists of 1 66 7/. 6d. consols with the official 

 trustees. The dividends, amounting to 4 3.1-., were 

 in 1905 expended in warm clothing among seven 

 poor persons. 



U-V.C.H. Hants, ii, Z2ii ; Merlet, 



Carmlairc de TAbbaye de Tiron, Charters 

 182, 262,291, 292, 326, 328. 



" Cal. of Pat. 1388-92, p. 433. 

 13 Innt. Bk. P.R.O. 



471 



