Church of St Lawrence, Alton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Lawrence, Alton |
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Church of St Lawrence from the north-west
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 Location in Hampshire
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| 51°09′04″N 0°58′34″W / 51.15118°N 0.97624°W | |
| Location | Alton, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | c. 1070 |
| Dedication | St Lawrence the Martyr |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Listed building – Grade I |
| Designated | 12 April 2005 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Early English, Perpendicular |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Parish of the Resurrection |
| Diocese | Winchester |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St Lawrence, Alton is a historic Anglican church located in Alton, Hampshire, England. It's a very old building, known for its mix of different architectural styles. The church is also famous for being the site of the final part of the Battle of Alton during the English Civil War. It's considered a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
History of the Church of St Lawrence
The Church of St Lawrence, like many ancient churches in England, shows a mix of building styles. This is because people kept adding to it and changing it over many centuries. It's like a puzzle made of different historical pieces!
How old is the Church of St Lawrence?
People started settling in Alton around 500 AD. There was definitely a church here back then. We don't have any parts of that first church, except for its baptismal font. This font is a large stone basin used for baptisms. It was carved from one huge stone block. You can still see rough axe marks on it from when it was made!
In 1868, during a big renovation, the font was thrown out. It ended up in another town, Cirencester. But in 1934, someone bought it back for £10! Now it stands in the church on a mill wheel. This wheel reminds us that Alton was once a big center for making paper. The font has been used again for baptisms since 1950.
The Norman Church (around 1070 AD)
The church we see today began in the Norman period. Building probably started soon after 1066, when William the Conqueror took over England. The church officially celebrates its founding in 1070.
The first Norman church was shaped like a cross. You can still see four large Norman arches inside. These arches were built around 1100 AD. The stone probably came from nearby places like Selborne. If you look closely at the top of the pillars supporting the arches, you'll see cool designs. French artists carved these with axes. There's a wolf eating a bone, a pelican, winged angels, a demon, and even two donkeys!
This early Norman church became the property of William the Conqueror. In 1087, William traded it with monks from Hyde Abbey in Winchester. He wanted their burial ground to build his new palace.
Alton became richer in the 1100s because it was on a main road to London. So, the church needed to be bigger. The southern part of the church was extended. An old west door was built around 1140, but it was later walled up. The first known vicar of Alton, Richard Turstin, served here from 1161 to 1170.
Growing Bigger: 13th to 15th Centuries
Even with the earlier additions, the church was too small by the 1200s. So, the Lady Chapel was built to the east of the Norman tower. This chapel had special spots in the wall for statues. These once held statues of St Lawrence and the Virgin Mary. Today, they hold painted wooden statues of St George and St Michael.
The famous Alton Fair began in 1307. For a while, the church grounds were used for markets and parties! But in 1317, the Bishop of Winchester came and stopped the fairs. He said they shouldn't be held in churches or cemeteries. This is also the first time we find written proof that St Lawrence was the church's patron saint.
The 1400s saw many more additions to St Lawrence's. A new northern part was built, making the church much wider. The old north wall was taken down, and seven arches were put in its place. You can still see three paintings of saints on one of the pillars. New roofs were added, and the windows were changed to the Perpendicular style.
The outside of the church, except for the spire, also dates from the 1400s. It's made from local flint stone covered with plaster. A chapel was also built in the southern part of the church.
Changes in the 16th and 17th Centuries
After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the church came under the care of the Dean and Chapter of Winchester in 1541. It seems the church was also a place of learning back then. A report from 1548 mentions a priest in Alton who taught children grammar.
More building work happened in the 1500s, like the south door and porch. But the church really comes into focus in the 1600s. Parish records, like registers of births and deaths, started in 1615. Churchwarden accounts began in 1625 and continue to this day. These accounts mention that the church had bells in 1625. These bells rang when King Charles I visited the town. The church's pulpit, a beautiful piece from the mid-1600s, also dates from this time.
The Battle of Alton (1643)
The Church of St Lawrence played a big role in the Battle of Alton on December 13, 1643. This was part of the English Civil War. Alton was a town that supported the King (Royalists). On December 1, 1643, a large Royalist force occupied the town.
Parliamentary forces, led by Sir William Waller, attacked Alton. The Royalist commander fled, leaving a smaller force led by Colonel Richard Boles. These soldiers were pushed back through the town and into the churchyard. They then barricaded themselves inside the church. They even built platforms to shoot from the windows!
The fighting was fierce. The Royalists fought bravely, but they were trapped. The churchyard filled with Parliamentary soldiers. They used axes, swords, and even threw hand grenades through the church windows. Finally, the Parliamentarians broke through the west door. Colonel Boles, who had told his soldiers not to surrender, was killed. People say he died on the steps of the pulpit.
You can still see bullet holes in the church's south door, and in the walls and pillars inside. When the church was restored in the 1860s, many bullets were found in the ceiling. Soldiers who died in the battle were also found buried in the churchyard. Today, you can see relics from the battle in a display cabinet in the church. These include a key, a uniform button, bullets, and a pipe.
There's a brass memorial to Colonel Boles on one of the church pillars. It says:
Alton will tell you of that famous Fight
Which y man made & bade this world good night
His verteous Life fear'd not Mortalyty
His Body must, his Vertues cannot Die
Because his Bloud was there so nobly spent
This is his Tombe that Church his Monument.
When King Charles I heard about Boles's death, he reportedly said, "Bring me my mourning scarf; I have lost one of my best commanders in this Kingdom."
The Great Thunderstorm of 1686
On December 19, 1686, a powerful thunderstorm hit Alton and badly damaged the church. An eyewitness described it:
On Sunday when the Reverend Minister of the parish was towards the latter end of Prayer before Sermon, it grew on a sudden so exceeding dark that the People could hardly discern one another, and immediately after happened such flashes of lightning that the whole Church seemed to be in a bright flame; the surprise of the Congregation was exceeding great, especially when two Balls of Fire made their entry at the Eastern Wall, pass'd through the body of the Church, leaving behind 'em so great a Smoke, and Smell of Brimstone as is scarce able to be expresst.
All the church windows broke. The roof and steeple were set on fire and badly damaged. The tower had a hole blasted through it. The weathercock was blown away, and parts of the clock fell down. Luckily, no one was hurt, though the vicar's eyebrows were singed! The churchwarden's records show many repairs were done in 1687.
18th Century Additions
During the 1700s, many galleries were built inside the church. These were like extra floors or platforms. There was a singing gallery, and others for people to sit, some of whom paid for their seats.
In 1724, work began to change the church roof from tiles to lead. This was finished in 1758. The church also got a new, brighter window in 1742. The church records from this century are very detailed. They show money received for seating and even small items like "a pound of soft soap."
The church also did a lot of charity work. In 1741, John Fisher gave £8 every year. This money was for three sermons and for giving bread and money to the poor people of Alton. The church was also in charge of the town's fire engine and kept records of its maintenance.
John Murray, who later founded the Universalist Church in the United States, was born in Alton in 1741. He was baptized in St Lawrence's. His book, Life, describes the baptism customs there.
19th Century Renovations
More galleries were built in 1810 and 1824. In 1817, Francis Austen, the brother of famous author Jane Austen, helped manage the church's affairs. In 1829, the church bought a "barrel organ," which could play music automatically.
Major Restoration (1860s)
In 1862, a big effort began to restore the church. The church was too small for Alton's growing population. It only had room for 899 people, and many couldn't find seats. Especially, there wasn't enough room for working-class families.
The plan was to remove all the old galleries and add a new aisle. This would create space for 200 more people. The cost was estimated at £2,500.
The renovations were finished, and the church reopened on April 16, 1868. New items included a new font, a lectern (a stand for reading), new windows, and new seating. The most important addition was a large organ, which cost £850. It was powered by a gas engine bought from Winchester Cathedral. A permanent choir was also started.
Other changes included adding a window to the tower and a staircase to the bell tower. The old west door was filled in. Overall, the church was carefully restored to look much like it did in the 1400s. After the changes, the church could seat 816 people. A new church, All Saints' Church, was also built to serve Alton's larger population.
Tower, Steeple, and Clocks
In 1874, the church's steeple was covered with oak to replace the old lead. A weather vane was placed on top. This is the steeple you see today. The church has had clocks on its tower for a long time, at least since the 1600s. The clock used today was installed in 1890.
There have also been sundials at the church for centuries. One on the east side might be from the 1300s or even earlier. The one in the churchyard today is from the 1700s.
Stained Glass Windows
All the beautiful stained glass windows in the church were added in the Victorian period (1800s). The large east window was made in 1870. The Mary window, next to the pulpit, was added in 1873. The window in the Lady Chapel was installed in 1884.
The window north of the main altar, from 1899, shows the archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. It was dedicated to Henry Hall, a local brewer. When his wife died, a mosaic showing Faith and Charity was added around this window in 1906.
20th Century Updates
Chapel of St Michael and St George
After World War I ended in 1918, the Lady Chapel was turned into a war memorial. The vicar had kept a list of soldiers from the town who died in the war. This list was put on a special tablet. The chapel was dedicated in 1920. In 1927, statues of St Michael and St George were added to the chapel. Other additions included new tablets and a grand piano.
More Changes
In 1920, money was raised for more work on the church, mainly on the tower and roof. The western gallery, added in 1868, was taken down. In 1926, a new set of eight bells was made for the church. The old wooden bell frame was replaced with a steel one.
In 1932, cracks were found in the tower, partly because of the bells' vibrations. So, the bell area was strengthened with steel and concrete. In 1939, the church switched from gas to electric lighting. This was done in memory of Dr E. J. L. Leslie, who was a church warden for many years.
More work was done on the organ in 1993. The church also has a parish center, St Lawrence Hall, built in 1970, about 100 meters south of the church.
Vicars
- John Neuport, active in 1399
- John Shavyngton, active in 1501
- William Tyndall, active in 1630
Images for kids
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From north
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From west
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From south-west
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From south-east
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From north-east
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Clock and tower
