The foundation of Cheriton as a distinct Parish and Manor appears to have originated with the erection of the Church of St. Michael during the time of Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester 1129-1171 and the earliest parts of the building date from that period. Brother of King Stephen and grandson of William the Conqueror, Bishop de Blois was promoted to the Episcopal See of Winchester by his Uncle Henry I, after being Abbot of
Glastonbury, Somerset.

The appointment of the Rector of Cheriton was an important one in the Diocese of Winchester, the incumbent having additional oversight of the Chapeleries of Tichborne, Kilmeston and Beauworth. It once had the third
highest stipend in the Diocese and was regarded as a stepping stone for high office in the Church.

The Church Building

The Church is built on a small hill which was almost certainly a prehistoric burial mound or long barrow. The original dedication appears from old documents to have been to St. Michael the Archangel and this was the name in use until the sixteenth century.

It is a fine Early English Church with a large Chancel which, together with the broad tread of each step leading to the Altar, (which was necessary for the celebration of the full services in the older ritual with all their attendant
cermonial) is generally the characteristic mark of a mother Church. In his will of 1404 the Bishop of Winchester, William of Wykeham (whose friend and secretary was John de Campeden, the Rector of Cheriton) bequeathed to- the Church a full set of Altar vestments for priest, deacon and sub-deacon together
with «L cope and chalice.

The Church being built on a hill, the ground slopes away quite dramatically at the Eastern end of the Chancel, which until the Victorian restoration of 1879 had a crypt built beneath it. This was filled in and the memorial stones in the floor were removed and placed in the floor under the tower.

Among the memorials were two bricks one with the name Spencer incised on it and the other with the date 1396. The remnants of these are still in the tower floor where there are also some smaller vault stones with initials and dates.

The Porch

The porch entrance on the South side of the Church has plain Norman shafts or pillars and a pointed arch with several rows of ornamental moulding and is probably one of the oldest parts of the building. The pattern of the
ornamentation and the style of architecture seem to belong to the early part of the 13th century.

On the right and left sides of the entrance are two mysterious curved- sided triangles, the origins of which have puzzled numerous experts over the years. They probably originated as an embellishment to an arch. There are also two heads which adorn the wall above the triangles, the one on the left, the head of a man with flowing hair and a beard, wearing a plain cap, and the one on the right, the head of a woman with a veil or hood descending each side of her face. These were once built into the Western wall of the churchyard and were
reputed to have originally formed part of the old Church at Beauworth, which was out of use by the year 1517.

There is also a Norman scratch or mass sun dial on the right hand side of the porch entrance which was used to indicate the times of the Church services. The pin has long disappeared; below someone has cut the initials T.G. and the date 1697 in the stonework.

The Chancel

The Chancel was lengthened in the late 15th or early l6th century, the original position of the East end wall having been where the steps now lead to the Altar. When this work was done the large Perpendicular East window was moved to its present position. The original erection of this window was attributed to William
de Edyngdon, Rector of Cheriton 1335-1344 and Bishop of Winchester 1346-1366. It resembles in its general design the windows in Winchester Cathedral, which are also attributed to that prelate and the ones in the magnificent parish Church of Edington, Wilts, which William de Edyngdon also built. In the South wall of the Sanctuary is a trefoiled Piscina for washing the Communion vessels; there is a shelf and two brackets but the basin and drain have been removed. It is of 13th century work and would have been moved Eastward to its present position when the Chancel was lengthened. At the same time the two transomed l4th century Perpendicular windows were inserted in the North and South facing walls.

In the North window the lights below the transom are cinquefoiled but in the South window they are shouldered and have rebates for wooden frames. On the outer face of the North window the label stops or ends of the dripstones are fashioned as heads, the one to the East is of a man wearing a plain cap, the one to the West is of a beast's head which resembles a fox.

In the centre bay of the Chancel are two single 13th century lancet windows facing each other in the North and South walls, the one in the North wall being concealed behind the organ. At the Western end of the Chancel also facing each other, are two 13th century double lancet windows with low descending splayed cills. All the lancets have had their stonework refaced on the outside. There is a 13th century priest's door in the South wall.

The Tiles

Beneath the 17th century oak Altar Table are some specimens of medieval encaustic tiles which were placed in their present position during the restoration of 1879. They are believed to be of Flemish manufacture and while the majority have patterns fairly common in this part of Hampshire there are two which are particularly noteworthy. One carries the head of Our Lord and is unique to Cheriton; the other carries the head of the Blessed Virgin Mary and there are three other known specimens, one of which is in Holland and is dated
1250-1300.

The Nave

The Nave is the same width as the Chancel and has arcades of three bays each side; it preserves the width of the older and probably aisle-less Nave to which the former Chancel belonged. The arcades of the three bays are dated about 1220, the date at which it may be presumed that the aisles were added. The arcades have pointed arches of two chamfered orders which spring from short thick pillars with moulded capitals and bases with spurs on the corners; they are of the same period as the lofty arch which separates the Chancel from the main body of the Church.

The Tower

At the West end of the Church is a high 13th century arch beneath which a door leads to the tower. This is transitional Norman style, but externally shows no medieval work, being faced with 18th century brick and flint work. The South and east doors in the tower are of that date and are of no particular merit.

The Fire

On Tuesday 29th May, 1744 the Church suffered a terrible fire. In the Church Register is the following entry by the Curate, Charles Moody:

"On Tuesday ye 29th May 1744 a very sudden and terrible fire broke out in
this parish which in the space of two hours burnt down and consumed several
houses, outhouses, barns and stables belonging to the Parsonage and
communicated itself to the church which being shingled was immediately all in
flames, the roof and seats entirely destroyed, ye bells melted, the windows
demolished and nothing left standing but ye walls...."

Before 1744 there had been four years of drought in England and the series of dry years was not broken until the last quarter of 1744, the fifth year of drought. One can imagine how tinder-dry everything would have been. Such a degree of drought has never since been surpassed in this country.

Mr. Moody goes on to relate that the Rector had the Chancel repaired and that the Bishop gave the timber needed to repair the damage to the building; but apart from their generosity the charge of the work involved amounted to the sum of £630 and upwards. This sum was raised and the Church restored within two years.

The Font

Victorian Restoration

In 1879 the Church suffered a typical Victorian restoration. As was the fashion of the times it involved removing most of the surviving old fittings. The new work included the re-pewing of the whole Church, the retiling of the floors, the removal of the old font and replacing it with a new font of Caen stone, new brass communion rails for the Sanctuary and a new oak lectern, a gift from the Rector's daughter. The works were carried out by Messrs. Dyer, Builders of Alton.

In February 1892 the pulpit of Caen stone was installed in place of the previous wooden pulpit which was then taken to Tichborne Church and is still situated there.

In the North aisle wall directly opposite the South entrance is the North doorway which has been blocked on the interior by masonry although the 18th century exterior door is still in position.

By the blocked-up doorway stands a 17th century oak chest. In the wall above are two ancient stones, one bearing an incised consecration cross, and the other part of a shelf to carry an image. Both were probably moved there during the 1879 restoration.

The Bells and Clock

The number of bells in the tower before the fire is unknown but it would appear that a new five bell pea! was cast after the fire, so in all probability the original peal numbered five.

The new peal was cast by John Stares in 1746 at the village bell foundry of Aldbourne, Wiltshire; four of the peal still carry his initials. In 1837 the fourth bell of the peal was recast at Meares, the Whitechapel bell foundry in London; its original markings (if any) were not replaced.

In 1887 the bells were recast and a sixth bell (the treble) was added to celebrate Queen Victoria s Golden Jubilee. Owing to to the poor condition of the wooden bell frame an appeal was launched in 1971 to finance the rehanging of the bells in a new steel frame. This work was carried out by the firm of John Taylor and Co. the Loughborough Bell Foundry.

To celebrate Queen Victorias Diamond Jubilee in 1897 the parishioners erected a Church clock. This is recorded by an inscription on the clock case.

Stained Glass

In 1881 the stained glass in the East window of the Chancel was installed by Messrs. Cox and Sons assisted by Buckley and Co. of The Strand, London, it was given by the Rector, the Rev. Alexander Orr, principally in memory of his son and depicts the four Evangelists with their Symbols. This was the only stained glass in the Church at that time.

The stained glass in the four stone windows in the North and South aisle walls of the Nave was installed by Mrs. Mary Augusta Phipps Egerton in memory of four nephews killed in the First World War. They depict the knightly virtues with figures of Duty, Courage, Loyalty and Honour each bearing the face of one of her nephews. Accompanying the figures are scenes from the Bible, the Saints and the legends of King Arthur, with the badges of their schools and regiments.

The corbels on the exterior carry the names of the battles in which they laid down their lives. The stained glass in the East window of the South aisle was installed in 1946 to the memory of Mrs. Egerton "who went about doing good". It is medieval in conception though modern in execution for the benefactress herself appears in the right hand light, while in the left is a delightful Madonna and child; the background has views of the village. The window was a gift from Mrs. Egerton's sisters and is the work of Martin Travers, as is that of the other
stained glass windows in the Nave.

Memorials

For a Church as old as St. Michael's there are relatively few memorials; some have been destroyed in the 1744 fire or during the Victorian restoration. The oldest memorial, which is in the floor of the tower, is to the Rev. Morgan Jones M.A. Rector of Cheriton 1694-1720 who left an educational charity to the village. Other memorials in the Church are to the Rev. Edmund Ferrers M.A, Rector of Cheriton 1780-1825 and his family, the Rev. Harold Brownlow B.A, Rector of Cheriton 1904-1942 and the Rev. and Mrs. Lionel Corbett of Hockley House. In addition the organ was donated by Mrs. Egerton in memory of her husband Rear Admiral F.W. Egerton who died in 1909. There are also two war memorials, one commemorating those parishioners who died in the South African War of 1899-1902, and the other those who died in the Great Wars of 1914-1918 and 1939- 1945. The oldest known memorial in the churchyard is to John Cozens who died in 1680.

Registers and Plate

The registers date from 1557 and the early ones contain Beauworth as well as Cheriton entries; the account books date from 1816. The oldest piece of plate is the silver chalice with London Assay marks for 1621 and RB for the maker.

The paten has the London Assay marks for 1698 and CH with crown over which indicates the maker, James Chadwick; it has the inscription 'Cheriton Parish 1699'. The flagon was given in 1911, and the wafer box in 1967 in memory of the Rev. Arthur Skene, Rector of Cheriton 1943-1966. A modern silver chalice was given in 1973 by Lady Templar-Smith.

General

The name Cheriton means Church Village and appears to have originated with the building of the Church. Prior to this what is now known as Cheriton was part of the large Saxon Manor of Tichborne which embodied what are today the two distinct Parishes and part of the present Parish of Beauworth. In due course the
Bishop of Winchester became Lord of Cheriton Manor and of the three sub-Manors, the Tichborne family Manor, Beauworth Manor and the Manor of Cheriton Rectory. In the nineteenth century the Church Commissioners took over as Lord of the Manor. The United Benefice of Cheriton with Tichborne and
Beauworth was created by Her Majesty's Order in Council of 6th September 1974.

Before the Reformation in 1538 the Bishop of Winchester was Patron of the Livings in his Diocese including Cheriton but after this event King Henry VIII assumed the Patronage. It was not, however, to be long before the King restored the patronage to the Bishop of Winchester. This position continued until 1874 when the patronage of the Living of Cheriton again passed to the Crown who still presents the Rector to the Parish.

The Reformation brought turmoil to the Church and John White the Rector of Cheriton and an opponent of the Protestant Faith was, for a time, imprisoned in the Tower. When Mary Tudor came to the throne he was made
Bishop of Lincoln and later Bishop of Winchester. When Queen Elizabeth succeeded to the throne, White was again imprisoned in the Tower but he was a sick man and died a few months later.

on 29th March 1644 the Battle of Cheriton was fought to the East of the village between the Parliamentarians and the Kings Army. This resulted in a great victory for the former, and marked a turning point in the Civil War.

Through all this turbulent history St. Michael's Church has remained the centre of Christian worship in the Parish of Cheriton. In spite of fire and changing practices the Church has been faithfully maintained and, when
necessary, restored by the local community and for over 800 years has borne constant witness to our eternal and enduring Christian faith.