"In this year Birinus preached
Christianity to the West Saxons"
Anglo Saxon Chronicle AD. 634.

The story of Christianity in this country really starts in the mid fourth century though it is more than probable that it existed in an unofficial way long before this time. In the early part of the century Constantine made Christianity an official religion of the Empire. He himself only became a Christian on his death bed.
After this time the Empire remained Christian, despite a brief pagan revival under the Emperor Julian. The success of Christianity was not mirrored in the military field. The Empire was unable to withstand a number of barbarian invasions. In 410AD the Legions left Britain and the land was left to its own defences.

Germanic immigrants had been moving into the Empire for years. Indeed they served first as Legionaries and then as mercenaries. They settled over large parts of the south. History tells us that they used the absence of a strong Roman central authority in Britain to rebel against local British leaders who were
employing them. It may well be that in some areas the Germanic occupation was peaceful. Never the less by the 6th. century the composition of much of England had changed. The Romano British Celts had been pushed into the West and North. The Germanic tribes. Angles and Saxons occupied most of the rest of
the country.

The south of Hampshire seems to have been settled by the Jutes, a tribe from Denmark, while Saxons seem to have moved down the river valleys of the Test and Itchen. The Angle Saxon Chronicle written much later says that a Saxon chief
Cerdic landed along Southampton Water and founded the kingdom of Wessex. Whatever the history the world of the Saxons was far different to that of the Romans. The Saxons were farmers, living in small communities. Theirs was a tribal society, loyalty owed to the chief. Their culture was oral at first with no written laws or history. Their religion was that of the Germanic Gods and it was deeply entwined with their farming customs. Christianity had been pushed far to the West with Celtic refugees.

Slowly over a hundred years or more small kingdoms emerged. In the south that of Wessex became dominant with its capital first at Wilton and then at Winchester. By the early 7th. century Christian missionaries including the great St. Augustine were working in Kent. In 634AD. Birinus was sent to preach the
gospel to the West Saxons. In 635 AD. he baptised King Cynegils of the West Saxons. No doubt with royal sponsorship Christian preachers spread the gospel all over Wessex. What the ordinary people thought is no known. It may well be that the faith they followed publicly was far different to the faith they followed
privately.

There were few churches at first. Settlements were served by travelling preachers operating from local ministers. It was not until the 9th. century that King Aethelwulf of Wessex started to endow churches on a large scale. It may well be that Eling Church was founded at this time. Certainly there was a church at Eling at the time of the Domesday Book. Evidence of the Saxon Church is however very scanty. Inside the Church there is small window to the left of the high altar which some have suggested is Saxon. It is certainly early Norman.

The real surprise came when the Church was re ordered in the 1990s. While an archaeological dig was being done as part of the work some inscribed stones were found. These are now thought to be Saxon. Some seem to be part of a window frame. Some have inscribed crosses. There is a body of opinion that thinks that they may be the consecration stones of the church. If so this was a very rare find. These stones represent the very beginning of Christianity
in this area.

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