St. John the Baptist, Boldre, Hampshire

Description

The church of St. John, built about 1100-1106, and situated, like almost every church in Hampshire woodlands, on rising ground, is an edifice of stone, in the Norman and Early English styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch, and a low embattled tower on the south side, partly rebuilt in 1697, and containing 3 bells: the fabric of the church belongs chiefly to the 12th century, the oldest portion, including a Norman arcade of three arches, being on the south side: in the belfry is a piscina, in good preservation, also a fine monumental bust, in alabaster, of John Kempe esq. who represented the borough of Lymington in Parliament in the reign of Charles I.: the stained east window was erected by Mrs. J. Lane Shrubb, of Boldre Grange, in memory of her husband: the west window is a memorial to Charles Winston esq. author of several standard works on painted glass: the church was restored in 1855, and has sittings for over 200. The churchyard is a picturesque and secluded spot, surrounded with stately forest trees and underwood: here was buried William Gilpin M.A. sometime vicar of Baldre and prebendary of Salisbury, and well known as the author of "Forest Scenery"; he died 5 April, 1804.

Church Records

The registers date from the year 1596, and are currently preserved at the Hampshire Archives. It contains the entry of the marriage of the poet Robert Southey to his second wife, Caroline Anne Bowles, 4th June, 1839.