THE HISTORY OF ST MARY'S, 
BURITON

This fine Church is set on high ground. On one side lies the historic Manor House, mentioned in the records of St. Swithun's monastery, at Winchester, in 1325. To the south are the hangers of the South Downs. The picture is completed by the village pond, and the Old Rectory which contains features dating back to the 14th century.

It is large for a village Church, having been the. mother Church for a parish of 6,000 acres including Petersfield and Sheet. Petersfield with Sheet became a separate parish in 1886, and St. Mary's, Sheet, was
built in 1869.

The Norman Church we see was built between 1150 and 1200, but a previous Church is listed in Domesday Book of 1086. Whether or not it was a Saxon building is not certainly known, but the manor of Mapledurham of which Buriton was the centre was Saxon. In the reign of Edward the Confessor it was held by Wulfgifu Beteslau, but at the Norman Conquest William deprived her of her lands and granted the manor to his wife, Matilda.

In 1877/8 the Church was closed for a year for extensive restoration which included a new roof, repairs to two Nave arches, and a new Chancel arch and Screen. The Chancel roof was raised, the East window and the windows of the North aisle were renewed. The Church was re-seated and general repairs were carried out which included removal of the Clerk's Desk and the Reading Desk. The work was done by Messrs. Lewis of West Meon under the supervision of the architect, Sir Arthur Blomfield. Other Blomfield Churches in the district are Chawton near Alton, Privett, St. Mary's Liss and St. Mary's Portsea. During the year in which the Church was closed Services were held .in the Church School, but a marriage took place " in the Church without a roof."

The Nave in Transitional Norman style is of four bays with typical rounded pillars and moulded capitals, the two western bays having earlier details than those towards the east. The finest capital, with detail of water lily leaves, is beside the Pulpit. This one was restored in 1877. The roof is of trussed rafter and crossbeams, supported between each arch by a stone corbel. The oak Lectern was given in memory of John Sumner, Rector 1845-86 and nephew of Mary Sumner who founded the Mothers' Union. The stone 'used in the Nave is largely of the local Greensand " Malm " rock which is variable in quality, and there has been a good deal of patching over the years.

The North Aisle fell and was rebuilt in 1764, the windows being renewed in 1877. The West End window is an 1877 addition, containing beautiful modern glass inserted in 1917 in memory of John Goodyer 1592-1664. John Goodyer is famous as one of the first great botanists. He lived in The Spain, Petersfield, his house being in the tithing of Weston. He lies buried in the Churchyard without a stone. He left his house and land to form the Goodyer Charity which still distributes the income to help young people within the old tithing of Weston who are starting out in life.

The Goodyer Window

The South Aisle was rebuilt in 1300, and widened to provide room for the Lady Chapel. The large window in Decorated early 14th century style was presumably added to bring light into the Nave. The glass is Victorian. At the east end stands the Jacobean Altar Table, almost certainly the Chancel Altar in its day. Above this the window of three trefoil lights is of the early 14th century period, but the stonework has been renewed when the glass was added. On the south side is a fine arched Piscina for the washing of the Communion vessels. The South Doorway dates from about 1300. The South Porch was rebuilt in 1860, and does no credit to the Church. For 800 years the babies of Buriton have been baptized in the Norman Font, said to be of Purbeck Marble of the late 12th century, standing on a round central shaft with four supporting columns. It would be interesting to know what symbols were so completely removed by chisel. It is suggested that the surfaces were varnished to reduce the effect of the scars. The wooden Victorian cover of the Font was a gift from Holy Trinity Church, Aldershot, in 19282.

The unusually squat font

 The Font originally stood at the west end of this aisle, now the Choir Vestry. It was moved to its present position in 1957, and surrounded by the floor of old London paving stones. On either side of the rim of the Font are the lead insertions which were designed to hold staples. An Order of 1234 directed that fonts should be covered and locked, to prevent the water being taken away for sacrilegious purposes.

The Chancel.
It is most unusual to find a wooden Chancel arch. The Chancel Screen is the work of 1877, and is an exact copy of the 16th century screen which preceded it.

The Chancel is exceedingly fine for a Hampshire Church, being wide, well proportioned and light. The stone used is of good quality and may well have come from Caen in Normandy, which was extensively used in good Church building at that time. This part of the Church was rebuilt and enlarged at the end of the 13th century, a time when the continental wool trade brought prosperity to this sheep growing district and before the Black Death, spreading from Southampton, decimated the population around 1348. It was also a time of military prowess under Edward the First and, with the introduction of the Long Bow, the menfolk of the parish would be obliged after Service to repair to the Butts for archery practice.

The East window is of 1877 though of Early English design. The nice Victorian glass commemorates John Bonham-Carter, Lord of the Manor, who lived in Sheet and died in 1884. It came from the Whitefriars Glass Factory who used cartoons by the artist Henry Holiday.

In loving memory of Guy Bonham Carter 3rd son of Mary & Alfred Bonham Carter CB Captain 19th Royal Hussars and Adjutant Oxfordshire Yeomanry Killed in action near Ypres 14th May 1915 aged 30 years Buried at Vlamertinghe		In loving memory of Arthur Thomas Bonham Carter Son of John & Mary Bonham Carter 1st Puisne Judge British East Africa and Captain Hampshire Regiment Killed in action at Beaumont Hamel 1st July 1916 aged 47 and buried near that place FEAR GOD HONOUR THE KING
		In memory of CHARLES BONHAM-CARTER 1876 -1955 General GCB CMG DSO Governor of Malta 1936 -1940 He loved chivalry trouth and honour, freedom and curtesie
Stuart Sumner Bonham-Carter Admiral KCB CVO DSO 9 July 1889 5 September 1972		In memory of Algernon Lothian Bonham-Carter DSO January 1 1888 September 26 1957

An unusual feature is the moulded String Course which surrounds the Chancel. To the south of the well-proportioned Altar of 1931 is a beautiful double piscina and rare threefold Sedilia with the arches twice stepped downwards. It will be noted how well the difficulty of this design has been mastered. Within the
canopies of the arches are traces of 13th century painting.

Set in the floor of the Choir are six encaustic tiles made about 1260. These, all that remain of the original floor, possibly came from the same local kiln as those found in the ruins of Dureford Abbey which are now preserved in Lewes Museum. Similar tiles are to be seen in Warblington Church and Winchester Cathedral. Two good Jacobean chairs of about 1680 stand against the Chancel wall.

One of the two ornately decorated Jacobean chairs

The Priests' Vestry on the north side is contemporary with the Chancel and is a rare addition for that period. The Vestry door and the Priests' door opposite show original stonework and are beautiful. To the right of the Vestry door is a recess which originally had locking wooden doors, and was probably an Aumbry.

On the jamb of the window behind the Clergy Stall are traces of 13th century painting of the Madonna and Child, below which are two lines of description, later work, which cannot now be deciphered. The preservation of this painting, and the scroll work on the opposite jamb, is due to the blocking in of the complete lower section in the 16th century. The sloping marks of the blocking can be seen on the jambs on either side. The glazed part of the section beneath the transom is an interesting example of a " low-side window." These
are to be found in many Churches in the south country, and usually in this position. They were originally closed with wooden shutters within and without, a surviving example being in Downton Church, Wiltshire. The reason for these openings is obscure and several suggestions have been made. They may have been Confessional openings used by the travelling Friars between the 13th and 16th centuries. At the time of the Reformation this practice was officially discouraged, which could account for the blocking of the opening. (Reference to Low-side windows is made in the Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club, Vol. X, Part 2 of 1928.)

Looking west from the Chancel the fine proportions of the Early English arch, 13th century, can be well appreciated. This arch stands upon stone plinths which are not central to the building. These are thought to indicate the west wall and entrance to an earlier Church, possibly with no tower. The fact that the Nave
is irregular, being 9 inches narrower at the east than at the west end, may indicate that the later building was adjusted to fit the earlier foundations.

The Tower,
48 feet 6 inches in height, is a replacement. It is probable that the original tower was a 13th century structure, built at the same time as the arch noted above. It was considerably higher than the present tower and must have looked well from the village street. The Churchwardens Book records:—


" Munday morning between 4 and 5 of the clock, the 17th day of November anno 1712, Berriton Steeple, being shingled and about SO foot high, took fire by a very terrible tempest of thunder and lightning nigh the top, and was burn'd down. The foure bells were brak down and melted. The new tower was rebuilt in anno 1715 at the expense of the parish and by several good benefactors. The barnes at the Manor House oft caught fire but the people prevented the damage and saved them."


The cost of pulling down and rebuilding amounted to £320 .15.7, which included casting and rehanging the five new bells. A clock, with face towards the Manor House was erected at a cost of £20. The present clock was the gift of Mr. J. R. Bennion, of Nursted House, in 1906.

" Ye carrage of ye bigest bell " from London amounted to £1 . 12.0.

The cost was defrayed out of the Church Rate, and by the proceeds of a Brief which was advertised with authority of the Bishop. Before the age of Insurance these Briefs provided a good means of mutual help in times of sudden financial need.

The Belfry.
On the walls of the Ringing Chamber are two painted inscriptions coeval with the tower. One records the rebuilding of the tower, the other being a rare " Ringers' Rule :—

Advice to ringers and to such
That delight in bells and love ye Church
Beware of oaths and quarrelings
Take heed of clams and janglings
There is no musik played or sung
Like unto bells if the are well rung
Do you keep silence and forbear
Of smoking of tobacco here
If you your bell doth overthrow
It is your four pence before you go
If you ring in hat or spurs
Be sure you pay make no demurs.

Bells.
In 1552 there were " three great bells "; by 1712 there were four, which were replaced by five in the new tower. The present Treble was given by Mrs. Seward of Weston in 1935 in memory of her daughter. This completes a melodious ring of six bells, the Tenor weighing 8 cwt. 3 qtr. 12 Ib.

Memorials.
In the Choir Vestry, on the south side of the tower, is an altar tomb with black marble cover, surrounded by wrought iron railings. It is in memory of Thomas Bilson, Susanna his wife, and their children. Thomas, who died in 1692, was a grandson of Bishop Bilson of Winchester. Above, upon the wall, is a particularly fine white marble monument to Leonard Bilson and Elenor his wife, which reads:—

"In hopes of a joyful resurrection, in the vault
adjoyning this pillar doth rest the body of Leonard
Bilson of West Mapledurham Esqr who having
lived an excellent example of Piety, Loyalty,
Hospitality and Charity, departed this life the tenth
day of Dec 1695 and in the yeare of his age 81.

" In the same vault doe lye the bodys of his two
only sonns viz, of Thomas Bilson Esqr who died
the 1st day of July 1692 in the year of his age 37.
And of Lewis Bilson who died the 24th day of Janr
1695, and in the year of his age 36.

" Elenor Bilson daughter of Sir William Lewis
Bart. and only wife to Leonard Bilson (but now his
sorrowful relict) erected this monument to the pious
memory of her late beloved husband."

Elenor Bilson died on December 12th, 1700.

This family acquired the manor of West Mapledurham from the Shelley family in 1605 as a result of the persecution of Roman Catholics, and the lands remained in the family until 1966.

The Hanbury Memorial Brass

Near by are several brass memorial plates to members of the Hanbury family who were Lords of the paramount manor of Mapledurham and lived in the Manor House beside the Church in the time of Elizabeth I. These plates were removed from the ledger stones covering burials beneath the floor of the Church, which were transferred to the Churchyard when the floors were renewed. On the inside wall of this Vestry is a brass plate in memory of William Warne, Scrivenor and Citizen of London, who died in 1697. His signature is on parish legal documents of the period and so we have his handwriting recorded. As a Scrivenor, or Scribe, he would be one of the few in the whole community who could read and write, and he must accordingly have been a man of some importance. Incidently this plate appears to have been used at some time for target practice. Another memorial plate with a history is the small and finely scribed brass to Anne Bilson, 1644. This was dredged from the Village Pond in 1925.

On the wall beneath the tower there are two funeral hatchments. These were hung over the front door of the deceased during the period of mourning and then laid up in Church. They represent, on the left. Lee of Shropshire who married Costomer of Yarmouth, and on the right. Lee of Shropshire who married Pym of
Sidford in Devon. The family of Lee lived in the parish during the whole of the 18th century. From the registers we cannot gain much information but Thomas Lee who died in 1716 was a Bencher of Lincolns Inn, and it appears that they may have lived in Sheet. It has been suggested that these hatchments would look well if fixed to the walls of the Nave.

Near the Font, high up on the wall, is a stone memorial to Jesse Ayling, Mason, who died in 1710, aged 45. He lived in the parish and perhaps he died as a result of an accident whilst working on the Church. Farther up the aisle are memorials to members of the Seward family of Weston, who served the parish as Churchwardens for ninety-five years successively.

In the Chancel, on the south wall, is a beautifully scribed slate memorial to " Anne Layfield, Virgo pie ", the daughter of the Rector of 1688-99. On the north wall is a fine black marble memorial engraved with the figures of Thomas Hanbury, 1617, his last wife Elizabeth Grigg, together with six sons and two daughters. High on this wall and easily missed is a memorial in slate not to be overlooked. William Lowth, Rector from 1699 to 1732, leaves his epitaph for the good advice of succeeding generations of Buriton people:—

" Near the outside of this wall lyeth the body of William Lowth, late Rector of this Church, who died May ye \1th 1732. And being dead desires to speak to his beloved parishioners, and sweetly to exhort them constantly to attend public worship of God, frequently to receive the Holy Communion and diligently to observe the good instruction given in this place, to breed up their children in the fear of God and to follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see God.

" God give us all a happy meeting at the resurrection of the just."

Rector and Mrs. Lowth lie beneath the two altar tombs outside the Priests' Door.

When the Church was restored a number of burials were removed from beneath the floor. One remains, at the west end of the Nave, to Hillard and Jane Hely, 1761. The following1 are known to have been removed:

a. Thomas Lee, Bencher of Lincolns Inn. (To which family the hatchments refer.)

b. Edmund Barker, D.D., Rector, 1688, aged 67, and Isabella his wife.

c. Mrs. Roberts, wife of Wenman Roberts. Jan. 1, 1744/5, aged 28. (Ledger Stone in South Porch}.

d. Mrs. Margaret Turner, wife of Thomas, 1748, aged 31. (Ledger Stone in South Porch}.

(These two ladies were sisters of the ffugonin family of Nursted House).

e. Thomas Hanbury, son of Thomas, gt. grandson of Auditor Hanbury, 1668.

i. Susanna Hanbury, wife of Thomas, 1661.

g. Thomas Hanbury, son of Thomas and Susanna, 1686, aged 28.

h. Katherine Hanbury, relict of Thomas, daughter of Sir John Jeffrys of Southampton. 1678, aged 71.

i. Emme Hanbury, wife of Thomas, an Auditor of the Queen's Court, 1595.

j. Susanna, wife of Samuel Palmer, Prebend of Winchester, daughter of Thomas Hanbury. 1687, aged 29.

k. Hic jacet Sam. Palmer, AM. Ecclesiae Cath Winton Canonicus, qui obiit Oct 30th anno dni 1701, act sui 55.

l. Mrs. Mary Lowth, mother of William Lowth, Rector. 1721, aged 88. On her right hand lieth the body of her sister Mrs. Elizabeth Dowse, 1725.

m. This marble to Margaret, wife of Richard Holt Esq. (of Nursted House). 17 Aug. 1685, lieth buried in the seat belonging to the family. Eighth daughter of Richard Whitehead of West Tuderlie, Southampton. (West Tytherley.)

n. Anne Bilson daughter of Sir Thomas Bilson, 1644.

The Vestry Book quotes from the Hampshire Telegraph of 1838: " A daring outrage. The hardened wretches broke open the vault of Gen. and Mrs. Hugonin and stole the brass handles off the coffins." It would seem that this was also a vault within the Church.

Of the Church memorials the most important and historic is the War Memorial on the right within the west door. It commemorates 39 men of Buriton who fell in the First World War. Apart from the human side, and few village families were not affected, such a heavy loss of men in their prime from a small community altered irretrievably the pattern of village life which had been maintained through the centuries.

Church Music.
The old Church orchestra was succeeded by a barrel-organ until 1897 when the Organ was given by Mrs. Bennion. The organ was set back within the new arch in 1911, when the Lamp Room behind the organ was built. The Choir was first robed in 1937.

Heating.
The central heating system was presented by Mr. J. R. Bennion in 1896. This replaced a stove which stood in the north-west corner at the back of the Nave. It is said that the men took up the back seats at this time.

Registers.
The Register in possession runs from 1678 to the present day. The early books are written on parchment which was possibly made in Buriton. The Tithe Map of 1840 shows that Parchment Yard was situated adjacent to what is now at Beriton Court". The earlier entries of burials include the affidavit that the burial was in sheep's wool. This was by Act of Parliament to protect the wool trade which was at this time decreasing, The name of Edward Gibbon (father of the historian) occurs in the Register when he became Churchwarden. He was Lord of the Manor in his time.

The Churchwardens Book starts in 1727. It records the accounts of the Churchwardens through the years. Poor Relief is the greatest expense. Poor Rate at 2d. in the £ in 1727 amounts to £10 . 17 . 6. Laurence
Patrick was the Churchwarden making the account. Pest destruction is a frequent item. The Constable received £1.1.0 per annum. Following are extracts:—

1727 Gave 22 por seamen tacken by the Turcks 3/-. (Poor Relief given to many seamen passing through.)

1728 The Constabel £1.1.0 A gate for the Church liten 2/- For minden the Church windas 8 /6 To Nicklas Houncom (Nicholas Hounsham) 1 /8 5 bell ropes 15 /-

1729 For 14 foxes and brocks 14/- 43 doz. birds 7 /3 (sparrows) A new surplis and making him £5 . 15.9 A new bear 12/6 (bier)

1730 41 Edge Hoggs 13/8

Mr. William Lowth and others sign a statement saying:— " Wee hose hands are heare to subscribed do A low nickloas Lufe Churchwarden for ye year in sewing and do a low him to pence in ye pound for ye year in suing." (This admits Nicholas Luff as Churchwarden and makes the church rate of 2d. in the £ for freeholders.)

1733 Oyl for the bels 1/4 Foxes and Polcatts 12/-

1737 " The acting Church Warden Thomas Wichard haveing repaired the Parish Churchyard wall did also repaired a part toward the Manner House a different make from the rest which they old inhabitants doe remember that the said wall belongs to the Manner House in particular Farmer John Reden who did declared at the Publick Vestry that the said wall was kept in repair by the Predesseser of the Manner House, and wee hope that the Present Lord of the Manner will be so good to return to the Parish the charges bestowed on his wall (not without nessessity being bed) being tweife shillins. Included in the sum of four pound sixteen shillins and one penny." (In 1969 this wall was buttressed. Notice the fine Flemish Bond brickwork.)

1739 pd for horse hyear 7/6 (to the Visitation) pdfor a letor from the Belfoundr 3d

1744 To 25 prisoner es releste 5/- For mending the Chourch windores 3 /2 For lockinaffor the cloack and washin the linon and mendin the cloath £1 . 18.9 (the clock was the one installed in 1715, in the new tower)

1792 A Baseviol by order of Vestry £1.16.0

1802 For chaises to the Visitation 15/10 (Country roads improving)

1807 For a violincello and case £6 . 13.0

Plate.
The Church Plate includes a silver flagon, the bequest of Mrs. Mary Lowth, daughter of the Rector, and a fine silver chalice and patten dated 1669 and regularly used since that time.

The Terrier of 1552, reads:-

Imprimis Pix silver gilt-Box silver gilt-Cope Blew silk, Ij (2) vestments greene silk, white vestment of silk-white fustian-three great bells in steeple-saunce bell-holy water pot-pair of sensors, brass -Illy (4) small sacring bells. All the rest stollen almost 1j years past.

Thomas Coke, Wyllyam Patrick.

Rectors.
It is considered that the parochial system came into being in about 1100 A.D., but the first known list of parishes, rural deaneries, and archdeaconries is in "Pope Nicholas9 Taxation" in 1291, which was drawn up to finance the French wars. By this time there was a settled order of Church, Parson and Tithe, and in most parishes the first known " persona " dates from about this time.

The list for this parish follows:-

Until 1886 Buriton was the mother Church of the district and John Sumner was the last Rector of Buriton-cum-Petersfield and Sheet. We know of Walter de Lichlad through his dealings with the Abbot of Dureford on the subject of tithes said to be due to the Abbey. Benjamin Laney became Bishop and left land to the parish, the income of which is used for the apprenticing of youths of the parish. During the reign of Charles II Edmund Barker had a dispute with Richard Cowper, lord of the manor of Ditcham, concerning the tithing of the beech woods of Ditcham Park. Richard " used threatings, lampooned and made scandalous and reflecting verses which did very much disquiet and discompose Dr. Barker.

The Churchyard.
No description of the Church is complete without reference to the graveyard. The entrance gates to the Church and Churchyard are of wrought iron, of similar design to the surround of the Bilson tomb of 1739. These gates are hung on Victorian cast iron pillars which used to support an arch on which was placed the oil lamp. The pathway is largely made of ledger stones from burials within the Church.

The Church from certain angles appears to be crouching. This is on account of the ground level having risen some 2 feet 6 inches. It will be remembered that this has been the resting ground for the people of the place for close on 1,000 years. It is indeed hallowed ground. The Records show that in 1830 the ground was moved from the walls of the Church down to the inside level and the brick gutters were laid. This shows how much the ground has risen through the years.

The Churchyard contains much of the personal history of the village. It must suffice to refer to one memorial stone whose simple inscription records so much in the life of a family:—

The following summary from the Burial Registers speaks for itself with regard to population increase, advance in medical knowledge, and expectation of life—

The Churchyard was enlarged in 1865 and the lower part was incorporated in 1906. The present Cemetery is in South Lane, formerly known as Toads Alley.

Historical Note.
Buriton is the eastermost of a line of ancient settlements situated on the Upper Greensand beneath the north escarpment of the South Downs. These settlements took advantage of the abundant natural springs, with downland pasture on the one hand and the light arable soils of the lower levels. Between the village and Petersfield runs a band of Gault clay. Petersfield stands on the Folkestone Beds of sand and sandstone, so in all there is a wide variety of soils within the parish. Within the village area are signs of Bronze Age and Roman occupation, so it may be that there have been people living here for at least 3,500 years.

At the time of the Domesday Survey of 1086 Buriton was included in the extensive Manor of Mapledresham. The chief manor house adjoins the Church, with its Dovecote and fine range of farm buildings. The Manor comprised the tithings of Weston, Buriton, Nursted and Sheet. Petersfield was awarded Borough status in the 12th century, but owed dues to the manor until relinquished to John Jolliffe in 1739. The lands of the sub manor of West Mapledurham lay chiefly on the west side of the Petersfield to Portsmouth road, but included Bolinge Hill Farm. The Elizabethan mansion of West Mapledurham was pulled down about 1829 and replaced by Mapledurham House. At the time of the Reformation West Mapledurham was a Papist stronghold and there are records of priests taking refuge there. "At Mapledurham there is a hollow place in the parlour by the livery cupboard where two men may well lie together, which has many times deceived the searchers

The name Buriton, pronounced " Berriton " has been variously spelt through the centuries. In the Charter Rolls of 1227 it is known as Buriton, and the Inquisition Post Mortem of 1229 gives Bergton. The Dictionary of Place Names gives the derivation of the name as Old English, either Byrgtun, "' the settlement by the ,fort " or Beorgtun, " the settlement by the hill." The fort might be the Stone and Iron Age encampment on Butser Hill.