At first sight, St Mary's looks like a classic Hampshire Victorian church, many in the area around Basingstoke having been rebuilt in the early to mid-1800s, as local landowners replaced older buildings.
However, a few external clues show that, while the Victorians did rebuild (mostly in 1853, though the tower underwent further work in 1909), the interior retains much of its mediaeval form. This includes the handsome late Norman arcade of around 1180, the chancel of around 1250, and the tower (and west bays of the arcade) in the late 1400s. The roof beams may also date from the same period.
The furnishings are less noteworthy, although the East Window by Kempe is worth a look and in the inner sill of the north east chancel window has a memorial inscription reading: "Hic jacet do. Willms Savage quondam rector istius ecciesie". (Here lies Dominus (Master) William Savage, formerly rector of this church.) It dates from around 1400.
The Church today is the centre of a lively parish life (and they have an excellent and sympathetically designed parish hall, behind the church) of regular services catering for all ages and different styles of worship.
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