Description

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The churches of Hampshire are as varied as the landscapes they occupy. Remote rural churches that have changed little in 900 years are so far removed from those found in medieval market towns or bustling seaports that one might imagine that they have little in common. Yet the building materials of natural flint, imported stone from Normandy or the Isle of Wight and, later, local brick, hold these diverse buildings together.As an early regional capital Winchester attracted powerful individuals whose influence spread through the county. Monastic houses flourished and have left us grand churches. Courtiers and courtesans have left their marks across the county, as have eighteenth and nineteenth century industrialists, many of whom rebuilt or restored churches.This book looks at fifty Hampshire churches from former monasteries at Christchurch and Romsey through isolated buildings in the folds of the Downs like Idsworth and Wield to the grandest of nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings. Together with their rich memorials and furnishings there is something for everyone and Churches of Hampshire will encourage all those who live in the county or are visiting to discover the history on their doorsteps.

About the Author

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John E. Vigar is a retired university lecturer, public speaker and church historian. He has been a professional ecclesiastical historian for over 40 years. He is a Trustee of the oldest church conservation body in the country, a member of the Academic Board of the Centre for Parish Church Studies based in Norwich and he is also on the Advisory Council of the Norfolk Churches Trust. He leads tours to churches around England and has written guidebooks for hundreds of churches. He also runs the www.kentchurches.info and www.hampshirechurches.co.uk websites.