The church of St Nicholas

St Nicholas’ church has a nave of 55ft 6 ins long and 20ft wide and a chancel which comprises of many different dates of construction, with its walls being over 3ft thick and are probably of Norman origin. The arch that separates the chancel from the nave was rebuilt around the 13^th century. The walls are made up of flint rubble mixed with some Roman brick and originally would have had a covering of exterior plaster.

The bell tower frame and the oak supports

The roof is supported by large oak beams and at the west end of the nave there is an oak frame that supports the bell tower. Though the roof is tiled it is believed that it may have once been thatched or had wooden shingles.

SOUTH DOORWAY
The porch is of brick and was constructed during the 18^th century and today it is protection for the south door of the church. There are Norman beak heads carved in chalk decorating the doorway and is of Scandinavian styling. There is a similarity in the decoration of the doorway between this church and that of St Mary’s  at Iffley in Oxfordshire, and a bird window at St Cross in Winchester, which was also built by Henry de Blois albeit St Nicholas being far more modest. Two mass dials can be found on the south west quoin of the doorway and consist of a series of lines radiating from a centre point, the shadow thrown by the style onto the lines show what time mass was celebrated. The position of the sun over the seasons also meant that more dials were required and another can be seen on the south east quoin of the chancel just above a benchmark A Holy water stoup can also be found on the south east quoin of the doorway.

The mass dials on the doorframe with other "grafitti"
The Benchmark can be seen at the bottom with the mass dial above on the brick above the mass dial to the left are six or seven small holes the origin of which is unknown

THE NORTH DOORWAY
It was in 1882 that the vestry was added to the north wall of the nave in memory of Jane Parsons and this hides the Norman doorway, which is of a much plainer design.The ornamentation being a moulded wedge shaped projection. This doorway was locally known as the Devil’s doorway and was left open during baptism to allow the evil spirits to pass out.

THE NAVE
The upkeep of the nave was down to the parishioners and it retains its original Norman appearance with the proportion of the north and south doors being greatly emphasised by the two windows either side.

The font is unusually high and stands by the south door, it is 18^th century and replaces the original one. During 1807, the Rev William Bingley who was curate of Christchurch described the original font as “the ancient font (now thrown aside) is octagonal on a stand of niche work: the modern one, a clumsy square basin, on a cylindrical pedestal”. The wooden cover was donated in 1940 by the Mothers Union.

A decorated window in the west wall that is of 14^th century origin and above it is a narrow lancet that gives light to the second stage of the belfry.

There are also signs of a gallery built in the late 18^th century on the posts supporting the bell tower, which provided seating for the Waight family and William Faichen held a school here.

There were three bells cast  c1500, 1600 and 1672 that hung here until the end of the 19^th century, the earlier one inscribed “Sancta Thoma ora pro nobis” (St Thomas pray for us”, and was obviously evidence of pilgrims that journeyed here in the past, the church being on the Pilgrims way from Winchester to Canterbury. The bells were re-cast in 1893 by Mr Arthur Yates in celebration of his horse, Cloister, in the Grand National. The bells were also re-hung in memory of a Mr C. E. Padwick.

It was in 1660 that the setting up of the Royal Arms in churches was brought into being and above the north door is the coat of arms for William III and dated 1700 when he reigned alone, it motto reading “Je main tien dray” (I will maintain the right). The shield of Nassau which is a lion rampant on a billeted background can be seen over the centre.

There is a widely splayed lancet window at the east end of the south wall of the nave and this was added during  the 13^th century, the piscina in the sill suggests that extra light was needed to illuminate a side altar.

The capitals of the chancel arch have a decoration of chevrons and are similar to those of the south doorway those supporting the idea they are of the same date, The slightly pointed arch indicates reconstruction had been carried out during improvements in the chancel.

THE CHANCEL
The chancel was under the support of the clergy and many changes can be seen here. There is an east window that has three trefoiled lancets that are below an enclosing arch which seems to have spread. The east side of this window has a consecration cross. Normally in a mediaeval church three such crosses would be found on each of the four walls, with each cross lit by a candle. The twelve candles represented the lighting of the world by the work of the twelve apostles.The dedication crosses are above to either side of the altar and in 1891 a report by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings mentions two other circles above the crosses that contain three heraldic lions, these like most over mural paintings have since been covered in plaster.

The piscina

The south wall has a single trefoiled lancet and to the east of it a trefoiled piscina with three drains. Probably the two outer drains are the original and this reflects the 13^th century practice and that the middle drain superseded the pair. Also on the south wall is a small doorway where the priest entered the chancel and west of this is a widely splayed 14^th century window.

The squint

A blocked squint can be found to the left of a trefoiled lancet on the north wall, which would have given a view of the high altar from the side chapel or vestry which was once attached to the north wall of the chancel.

The Communion rail which separates the sanctuary dates from the 17^th century and within the sanctuary there is a small oak credence table of the same era.

 MEMORIALS
The floor of the chancel contains a number of marble memorial slabs from one of which can be seen the brass figures of an armed man and his wife, both are in the dress of c1500 and have now been removed and placed within the sanctuary.

On the north wall of the chancel is the brass war memorial which remembers those of  the village who gave their lives in both world wars and below is another for the Korean War.

The memorial to Jane Venables and her father James		Tablet to Dr Cowper

 Jane Venables 1727, who was owner of Western Court is also remembered here as well as tablets to the Waight and Yates families. There is also a tablet to Dr Cowper who “ruined his constitution by sever labour” and died of overwork, is found on the south wall.

THE CHURCHYARD
 

The gravestones in the churchyard are now very weathered and William Faichen, who was a schoolmaster in the village lies near the southwest door. Ethel Rhoda McNeile, the daughter of the REV. Hector McNeile who was vicar of the church 1907 -1923 is remembered on her fathers grave. She relinquished a seat on a lifeboat so a mother whose children would not be orphaned when the “Egypt” sank in 1922.