COUNTRY CHURCHES

72. St Mary Portchester

This impressive Romanesque church was founded as a priory c.1133, soon after the Normans began building the castle, the charter being given to the Augustinian monks of Normandy. It lies within the castle walls in the southeast corner of the grounds.

When the monks moved to Southwick c.1150 the church served both as the parish church and the castle chapel but it gradually fell into disrepair. The south transept was demolished and the stones used for repair of the castle and building houses. In 1577 Sir Thomas Cornwallis, governor of the Castle, persuaded Queen Elizabeth to finance some repairs. The chancel was rebuilt and the south transept blocked off. In the 1660's during the reign of Charles II Dutch prisoners of war were held in the church and they tried to set fire to the building causing much damage. A petition was made for a grant from Queen Anne's Bounty in 1705 and following restoration the church re-opened in 1710. A hundred years later during the Napoleonic Wars French P.O.W.s were held in the church for several years. Further restoration took place in the 1880's.

The lych gate at the entrance to the churchyard was built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. A large yew tree, planted by the French prisoners in 1816 partly hides the church from view. Entrance to the church is by the west door, a magnificent example of Norman craftsmanship. Above the capitals are two signs of the Zodiac, Pisces on the left and the master bowman of Sagittarius on the right.

The interior is fortress like in its size and grandeur. There are no pillars, just massive walls, a high timbered ceiling and a long nave stretching down to the sanctuary. The font in the north west corner is probably contemporary with the foundation of the church and is carved out of a solid block of Caen limestone. Rounded in shape the floral design of the upper part is believed to represent the Garden of Eden whilst the lower section is carved with interlaced semi-arches.

Hanging on the wall above is the pendant of Vice-Admiral Humphrey Hugh Smith D.S.C. who was killed whilst a convoy escort commander in the Atlantic in September 1940. A very large painted wall panel in the centre of the north wall is dated 1710 and commemorates the restoration funded by Queen Anne's Bounty. Another memorial plaque relates to James Lind, a physician of Haslar Hospital who died in 1794. A blocked up doorway in the same wall may well have been a former Royal entrance to the church. Just beyond the First World War memorial is a squint window with stained glass commemorating Capt Alfred Russell D.S.O., R.N., who died in 1914. Looking back, the west window over the entrance door portrays the Good Shepherd and presumably dates from the 1880 restoration.

The south wall of the nave has the Royal Coat of Arms dated 1577 relating to the restoration ordered by Sir Thomas Cornwallis. There are also a number of 19th century memorials. The most interesting one, unfortunately hard to read, is a rare one referring to the Indian Mutiny. It honours Lt Henry Avton who was killed in November 1857 whilst serving under General Havelock at the siege of Delhi. It was placed there by his fellow officers in memory of his bravery.

The north transept still has its Elizabethan roof whilst the arch on the east wall is known as the Mouse Arch since two mice are carved on its stonework. The sanctuary is quite small. The east window showing a Crucifixion scene was placed there in memory of Lt John Sturgees Eldred of the Leinster Regiment who died, aged 19, of wounds received at Ypres in November 1914. To the right of the window is the bust of Cornwallis. The piscina in the east wall is Norman, the communion rails Elizabethan whilst the oak reredos dates from this century.

On the floor are older relics such as a Roman stone coffin and some 12th century grave slabs. One may relate to a Crusader and the other with its Abbott's staff may relate to the first abbott who died in 1140. On the floor near the rails is a 17th century tomb slab commemorating Thomas and Mary Loader (d.1684). Other 18th century tomb slabs can be seen in the transept.

There is a peal of three bells. The oldest bell (1589) has the inscription 'Obey God and the Prince' and the others date from the reign of Charles I. A modern touch is provided by the many embroidered kneelers made in 1983 to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the foundation of the church. A modern annexe was built on the south side in 1974 to serve as a church hall.

JOHN SYMONDS