Introduction

The gloriously unspoilt ancient church of St. Mary and St Michael is a treasure house of beautiful and ancient objects. The building dates mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries, the Norman nave and chancel perhaps being added to a small Saxon church which then formed the north aisle of the enlarged church. The nave was lengthened westward and the south wall rebuilt in the early 14th century. The side chapel, which has a portion of a 13th century wall painting, was rebuilt in the 15th century.

The church contains tombs and monuments from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, a rare 15th century sculpture depicting the Mass of St. Gregory, some 15th century stained glass, 14th century floor tiles and a 12th century font. Much of the old work remains almost as it was when first built, having escaped any major restoration in the Victorian era. Its preservation can be attributed to the fact that throughout the 19th century there was no manor house and no one of any great wealth lived in the parish. William Cobbett in his travels on horseback in the middle of the 19th century visited Stoke Charity, as he relates in his "Rural rides", and damns it as a half-starved place, with only two well-fed families: those of the fanner, who lived in the house to the east of the church, and of the curate, who lived in the Rectory. Such work as was done in Victorian days included the installation of the present pews and the re-plastering of the nave and chancel, In the latter process some fine medieval wall paintings w^ere undoubtedly destroyed. Major conservation work on the fabric and furnishings of the church was undertaken in the years 1991-1997.

The church stands by itself in a field, where once also stood a manor house. The configuration of the church field suggests that the house stood to the west of the path that now leads to the church. Near the river Dever were the manor fishponds, and the artificially levelled stretch of land to the west of the church was probably laid out in medieval days for archery and jousting practice. The manor house fell into ruin and was demolished c. 1730. The house had been vacated by the last lord of the manor of Stoke Charity, Sir James Phelyppes. The Phelyppes supported the Royalist cause in the civil war and Sir James subsequently went to Ireland, where he died in 1690.

The exterior

In its picturesque setting, the charm of the simple flint and brick building with its oak-shingled bell-tower and spire is self-evident. Of particular interest are four mass-clocks carved on two pieces of stone which form part of the surround of the window on the south wall of the nave. Such mass-clocks, which are in reality vertical sun dials, were in use until the start of the 16th century. The small Norman doorway in the north wall shows a superb example of chevron decoration on its external arch.

The south porch was probably built in the mid-19th century: it is present in a photograph taken about 1870.

New drainage was laid around the church in 1991. Excavation outside the west end disclosed a skeleton under the wall, confirming that the nave had been extended to the west on to an existing burial site.

The weather vane at the top of the spire was designed and made by Mr. R. P. Harknett, a steeplejack of Petersfield. incorporating in the design features of two previous vanes (1993). The lanterns at the churchyard gate and in the porch were made by Mr. Richard Bent, a master blacksmith of Braishfield(1994).

The churchyard contains the grave of Joshua Reynolds, Rector from 1716 to 1734, who was an uncle of the great portrait artist Sir Joshua Reynolds. the first president of the Royal Academy.

The interior

A surprising feature of this small Norman church is the impressive arcade of two bays which separates the nave from the north aisle. The explanation of this unusual feature propounded by Dr. J. C. Cox in his book on Hampshire churches is that the Normans added to an existing small Saxon church, constructing into its south wall the arcade, thus converting the Saxon church into the north aisle of the larger Norman church. This theory suggests that the small arch which leads from the aisle into the chapel would originally have led into a tiny semi-circular apse. Pevsner leaves the date and purpose of this arch as unresolved questions.

The fine chancel arch with its ornamental moulding dates from the second half of the 12th century. Note the rare double squint, the aperture in the wall to the north of the arch. which enabled someone standing by the prayer desk to see both altars.

The Memorials

The church is particularly well-endowed with tombs and memorials, the most significant of which may best be described in chronological order.

(i) Against the south wall of the chancel is a 12th century tomb-lid, doubtless brought in at some date from the churchyard. Note the cross which is carved on its surface, which suggests that it was used for a priest.

(ii) Tomb-chest. On the north side of the nave is a large raised Purbeck marble tomb-chest, unmarked but with plain shields carved in relief on its sides. It is thought to be the tomb of John de Hampton, the first of that name who owned the manor (died c.1350). Attached to the north side is another small tomb-chest. The tomb was conserved in 1993, the cost being met by a generous donation by the Hon. Angela Baring to commemorate her brother, the 6th Baron Ashburton, who had lived at Hunton Manor.

(iii) Thomas Wayte, died 1482. A plain tomb-chest topped by a casement with brasses, set against the south wall of the nave. The brass at the head of the slab depicts the crucified Christ rising from a coffin. Beneath is a figure in full armour, with an inscription panel at his feet and a prayer scroll above his head. A shield at the top right comer of the casement is charged with the arms of the Wayte and Skilling families.

(iv) Thomas Hampton, died 1483, and Isabella Hampton, died 1475. A large raised tomb placed between the chancel and the Hampton chapel. Thomas Hampton married Isabel Dodingfield. The brasses on the slab of the tomb depict the couple, with their eight children - two sons, four married daughters wearing elaborate head-dresses and two unmarried daughters with loose hair. Prayer scrolls with appeals for mercy issue from the lips of the parents to an emblematical representation of the Holy Trinity, with God the Father shown as an old man with a beard sitting on a throne holding in his hands a cross on which is stretched God the Son. while on the right arm of the cross is a dove representing God the Holy Spirit. The heraldic shields at the four comers of the slab are charged, alternately, with the single coat of Hampton and Hampton impaling
Dodingfield.

The four shields on the north side of the tomb are charged with the arms of (i) Frost (William Frost of Avington married a Hampton daughter, Juliana); (ii) quarterly Wallop and Valoynes (Richard Wallop of Farley married a Hampton daughter, Elizabeth); (iii) Hampton impaling Dodingfield: (iv) Hampton. The two shields on the west end of the tomb are (i) quarterly Waller and Lansdall (John Waller married a Hampton daughter, Joan - see tomb (v); (ii) Withed (Morris Whithed of West Tytherly married a Hampton daughter, Anne).

(v) John Waller, died 1526, and Joan Waller. An altar tomb and reredos set against the north wall of the Hampton chapel. John Waller married Joan Hampton, who inherited the manor on the death of her father, Thomas Hampton. John survived Joan, and was succeeded by his grandson Richard. The three shields at the top of the reredos display the arms of (on the left) Waller quartering Lansdall, (on the right) Hampton, and (centre) Waller and Lansdall quarterly impaling Hampton. The two oil paintings on the outer panels of the tomb depict St. Thomas of Canterbury (Thomas a Becket) and (on the right) the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus. John Waller requested in his will that he be buried in Oldstoke Church before the altar of St. Thomas. During conservation wwk in 1995 the tomb was dismantled and a small jeton (a reckoning counter) was dislodged. The British Museum identified the jeton as the work of Hans Krauwinckel II of Nuremburg, who was active 1586-1635. The conservator could see no sign that the tomb had been previously dismantled, and it appears that the jeton was placed in the tomb at the time of its construction, i.e. at least 60 years after the death of John Waller.

(vi) Richard Waller, died 1551. A brass memorial plaque laid into a Purbeck flagstone in the Hampton chapel floor. It has four lines of memorial inscription, below which are two separate brasses of heraldic shields, both similar, charged with the arms of Waller quartering Lansdall, impaling Hampton. Richard Waller inherited the manor on the death of his grandfather John Waller in 1526, aged 11 years. The inscription plate has been identified as a palimpsest (a re-used plate, having an inscription on its reverse engraved in 1490), one of a series produced by a London workshop known as the Fermer workshop during the years 1546-55.

(vii) The Phelyppes Altar Tomb, 17th century. A large Jacobean altar tomb in the north west of the Hampton chapel. The sides have three panels separated by fluted pilasters surmounted by a strapwork frieze. The shields on the south side are tinctured, the left and right shields bearing the arms of Phelyppes, that of the centre Phelyppes impaling Waller. The shields on the north side are all of Phelyppes. The heraldry indicates that the tomb commemorates Sir Thomas Phelyppes (1590- 627), 1st Baronet, who married Charitie Waller, eldest daughter and co-heir of William Waller Esq., lord of the manor of Old Stoke. A floor slab (undated) at the base of the tomb marks the burial place of the eldest daughter of Sir Thomas and Lady Charitie.

(viii) Lady Charitie Ogle, died 1645. A wall tablet on the south wall of the north aisle. The arms on the heraldic shield are of the Waller family. Lady Charitie and her sister Susan were co-heirs of their father, William Waller. Charitie's first husband, Thomas Phelyppes, was created a baronet in 1619-20, and held the manor by right of his wife until his death in 1626. Charitie's second husband, William Ogle, was the guardian of her
eldest son, Thomas. Ogle was in charge of the Royalist garrison during the siege of Winchester castle, at which time Charitie fell ill, and was allowed safe passage by Cromwell to leave the castle and journey to her
home at Olde Stoke. She died en route. Her son Thomas had died earlier in the Civil War, shot in the head at Marwell in March 1644, and the estate passed to her surviving son. Sir James Phelyppes. Viscount Ogle
died in 1682 and is buried in Michelmersh church.

A burial chamber was discovered in 1997 under the floor below this memorial containing remains of Lady Charitie's coffin. There was no trace of lead which should have sealed the burial, possibly because lead was at a premium during the war for making shot. The coffin seems to have been made of small pieces of planking, expertly fitted together, with an inscription lightly incised inlaid with a bright material, possibly tin foil.

(ix) Sir James Phelyppes, died 1652. A standing wall monument set against the west wall of the north aisle. Sir James inherited the manor on the death of his mother. Lady Charitie Ogle, in 1645. The arms displayed on the lower part of the monument are: on the left, Phelyppes; on the centre, Phelyppes and Waller impaling Tichbome; on the right, Phelyppes impaling Tichbome. James' wife was Elizabeth, third daughter of Sir
Richard Tichbome.

(x) Charitie Phelyppes, died 1674. A floor slab under the altar of the Hampton chapel marks the burial place of the daughter of Sir James and Dame Elizabeth Phelyppes. The slab is inscribed with the Phelyppes coat of arms.

(xi) Elizabeth Phelyppes, died 1693. A memorial tablet on the north wall of the north aisle. Wife of Sir James and mother of the last lord of the manor of Stoke Charity, also named James. Note the archaic term "realick" in the inscription, denoting her state as a widow.

(xii) Lieut. Gerald Hinton Bailey, died 1915. A memorial cross on the north wall of the north aisle. Encased in bronze, the wooden cross was removed from the officer's grave in Flanders.

Other notable items may best be described by location: -

The East Window in the chancel dates from 1907 and was dedicated on 19 January 1908 in memory of the Rev. Charles Balston, Rector 1846-84. The work is attributed to N. H. j. Westlake, and replicated what was believed to be the original design, incorporating what remained of the 15th century glass. The letters T. H. which are a feature of the window commemorate Thomas Hampton. The pillar piscina which is fixed to the east wall of the chancel was placed there in 1997, having previously been loose in the Church.

In the nave, situated above and to the north of the chancel arch, is part of a stone arch which formed the entrance to a rood loft. The stonework was left exposed following its discovery when plaster was removed during the renovation work in 1994. It was ordered in 1561 during the reign of Elizabeth I that rood lofts should be removed from churches. The churchwarden's accounts for 1562 record a payment of xxii d. to "Strowde and his man for 1 day's work and meate and drink when he took down ye rode loffte". The double squint, at the side of the chancel arch, is reputedly one of only two in the country.

The font, in the north aisle, is 12th century, and was relined with its original lead in 1908. A rare feature is its iron staple on the top on the east side: the west rim has a corresponding hole for a second staple. It was the custom in medieval days to put fresh water into the font on Easter day and bless it, to be used throughout the year. To guard against theft of the holy water the Church in 1236 ordered that all fonts were to be locked. Iron staples were driven into the font, to which a wooden cover could be padlocked.

The Hampton chapel contains the finest of the church's treasures. The piece of sculpture depicting the Mass of St. Gregory dates from the late 15th century, and was discovered during the replastering of the nave in 1849 embedded in the wall near the pulpit. It had undoubtedly been hidden during the reign of Edward VI to preserve it from destruction. It is the only well preserved medieval sculpture of the subject left in the country, even though the subject was a popular one. Only two others remain, one in Exeter Cathedral and one in Paignton parish church, and both are very small and much damaged. The story depicted in the sculpture is based on the legend that Pope Gregory the Great, A.D. 590-604, who sent St. Augustine to England in 597, one day knew that there was in his congregation someone who did not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and prayed for a vision to convince the unbeliever. Christ then appeared. Pope Gregory is shown in a cope. with his mitre on the altar, and in his right hand he holds the bread and in his left the chalice. A deacon assists him. Behind Pope Gregory Christ appears, revealed by an angel on each side holding back a curtain. The piece has traces of the paint with which the sculpture was originally illuminated, most having been roughly scraped off, leaving some of the fine detail distorted. The figure of Christ is unusual for Masses of St. Gregory in that it is a post-resurrection figure showing the stigmata.

The remnant of a medieval wall painting on the south wall of the chapel dates from about 1200. It shows parts of two figures: one, probably a saint (having a nimbus), stands before a bearded, enthroned crowned figure (almost certainly a king or emperor), whose left hand is extended towards the saint. The painting was uncovered by a workman removing plaster during restoration work in 1963. Conservation work was done then and in 1991. It is believed the painting was executed by the team of artists responsible for murals in Winchester cathedral.

The windows of the chapel contain various pieces of fine ancient glass, notably the "Suns of York". The strange phenomenon of a triple sun in a clear sky was seen by Edward, Earl of March (subsequently Edward IV) before the battle of Mortimers Cross on February 2nd 1461. This was interpreted as an augury favourable to Edward and his two brothers, George (Duke of Clarence) and Richard (Duke of Gloucester/Richard III). The sun was adopted as a badge by Edward and was used until 1485, enabling the glass to be dated between those years. The incident is related in Shakespeare's Henry VI part III, Act 2 Sc.l. The figure in the left light of the window in the north wall is believed to be St. Margaret of Antioch. The centre light shows the Virgin and Child. The right light has a small figure of the child Christ giving benediction. The windows were conserved and re-leaded in 1993.

The late 14th century encaustic floor tiles were conserved in 1995, a few being repositioned to avoid further tread damage. There are tiles of similar age and pattern to some of these in Winchester Cathedral.

The carved head of a female or angel mounted on the west wall of the chapel was found inside the tomb-chest in the nave (number (ii) above) when it was dismantled for conservation in 1993. The head has an uncarved profusion at its rear which indicates that it was originally built into a wall. It has similarities to two carved heads in Rochester cathedral, dated about 1300.

The window headstone, mounted on the north wall of the chapel, had been used as a quoin stone built into the outside of the chapel wall, and was discovered during restoration work on the roof timbers in 1992. The headstone retains much of its original fresco paint. The pigments are the same red and yellow ochres as in the wall painting, with details in a blackish colour which is probably a discoloured red (lead or vermilion) and white. Further traces of the same decoration can be observed on the stones of the arch leading from the north aisle into the chapel, on the squint and on the remnant of a round headed arch which was replaced by the 15th century Hampton chapel arch. The combination of architectural style and decoration indicates a date of around 1200.

Note the elaborate decoration on the timber trusses and deep wall plate frieze on the north wall of the 15th century chapel roof.

The church possesses an early 16th century small wooden statuette of one of its two patron saints, St. Michael, showing him Victorious, standing on the belly of the defeated dragon. This statuette is currently deposited in the bank. At the time of writing this guide the P.C.C. were in the process of obtaining a faculty to commission and instal in the chapel a wooden carving of the Virgin Mary, to be carved by Alex Jones. The commission is intended to mark the completion of the major restoration programme, and to place in the church an object of art of the late 20th century at the time of the millenium. It will be funded from donations given to the church in memory of Fergus Hughes-Onslow, who lived at Lower Norsebury.

The Bells. The church has three bells. The treble bell bears the inscription "God be our Guyd RB 1606" An attribution to R. Beconsall of Hampshire is suggested, although R. Bond is possible. The second bell bears the inscription "Sancta Trini Tas ora pro nobis", a cross and a lion's face. and has a groat embedded in it. It has been attributed to the Chertsey Fraternity at the Wokingham Foundry in the early 15th century. The tenor bell bears the inscription "Sancta ca tari na ora pro nobis" and a coat of arms, either of Chertsey Abbey or of St. Swithun's Priory, Winchester. The attribution is the Reading Foundry, about 1500. either John White or
John Saunders.

The Communion Cup and Paten. The church has deposited in the bank a silver communion cup and paten with four hall marks identifying them as being by William Denham of London in 1568. The church warden's accounts record book for the year ended 26 June 1569 records "a communion cuppe" purchased for £3.-.6d. As part of the attack on "idolatry" the privy council had issued an order in about 1550 that medieval chalices and other plate should be incited down and replaced with plain communion cups, the surplus bullion to be confiscated for the use of the king. Some of the medieval trappings banished during Edward Vl's reign were brought out of hiding and reinstated following the accession of Mary (1553-8).

The church benefited from a major restoration programme during the years 1991-97 during the incumbency of the Rev. Tony Jardine, under the direction of the church architect, Mr. Keith Bennett. ARIBA. The project was awarded a highly-commended second place in the Historic Church Preservation Trust's King of Prussia Gold Medal award for 1995. Conservation of the tombs, tiles and the Mass of St. Gregory was done by Roger Harris: of the monument brasses by William Lack, the wall painting by Ann Ballantyne: and the window glazing by Keith Barley of York.

Apart from funds raised by the Parochial Church Council and private donations, the following bodies contributed grants: English Heritage; The Historic Church Preservation Trust; The Council for the Care of Churches; Hampshire County Council; Winchester City Council; The Hampshire and the Islands Historic Churches Trust: The Chase Charity.