Church History

The old church was probably built by Sir Richard de Herrierd about the year 1200  and was dedicated to St. Mary, the Blessed Virgin. Until the mid 1800’s there was a square wooden turret at the west of the Nave with external brick steps leading to a square-headed door. The turret became unsafe (and reputedly collapsed), following which the church was substantially rebuilt and restored by Francis Jervoise, with the addition of the new stone tower, being completed in 1878.

Externally, the Ashlar Clasping buttresses of the south angles of the Nave are preserved with a considerable number of incised sundials, but the Chancel has added diagonal angled buttresses.  The south entrance is through a fine oak door within a Norman arch comprising of two moulded orders with a dog-tooth label.  On the left is a stone inscribed with the restoration date.

	Chancel
	Nave
	North Aisle

Chancel

Chancel

In 1966 the chancel roof and floor under the family pew (choir stalls) were entirely replaced by J L Jervoise.  The east windows, depicting the offering of gifts to the baby Jesus and the Wise Men, are fifteenth century perpendicular.  The reredos above the altar is of Caen stone (dedicated in memory of Henrietta Cordington, sister of Francis Ellis Jervoise by Archdeacon Sumner, husband of Mary Sumner who was founder of the Mother’s Union).   The work is based on Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of The Last Supper.

There are a group of three lancet windows on either side which are thirteenth century.  Under the first window in the south wall is a round-headed piscina recess with a modern bow; its nearness to the ground shows that the levels have been raised in modern times.  Just to the east of the lectern is a square-headed, low-sided window of fourteenth century; it now contains a few pieces of old glass, including a pretty fifteenth century figure of St Margaret of Antioch in white and gold glass, formerly in the Tracery of the east window.  This picture of St Margaret is comparable with the statuette in King Henry VII’s chapel in Westminster Abbey.

The oak chair on the south side of the sanctuary is dated 1621.  The Chancel Arch, which before repair in 1876 had spread dangerously, is a fine feature with three moulded orders and a dog-tooth label.  The three brass tablets on the walls record the names of the holders of the Manor of Herriard from pre-Conquest until R. S. Jervoise, a cousin of the present patron.

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Nave

Nave

The Nave is 47ft by 20.2ft with a modern North Aisle and West Tower.  The two large windows in the south wall are fifteenth century: the eastern windows depict the Crucifixion of Jesus (erected in memory of Francis Michael Ellis Jervoise).  The other larger windows to the west replaced the original south doorway in 1876 (before that is was ath the north-east of the Nave).  The two lancet windows in the south wall are thirteenth century (originally there were three on either side of the Nave).  Under the eastern  lancet window are two wall tablets in memory of Edwyn Jervoise (younger brother of F. H. T. Jervoise) which were designed by Hugh Powel, a cousin, and recall Edwyn’s love of ancient bridges.

The west wall window represented Simeon and Anne at the presentation of Christ in the temple (in memory of George Purefoy Jervoise who died in 1847).  In a state of disrepair, it has been replaced by a window donated by Mrs J Loveys in memory of her father, Arthur Jervoise, brother of F. M. E. Jervoise and grandmother of the present owner of the Manor.  Nearby are the War Memorial Tablets recording the names of the parishoners who gave their lives in the two World Wars.

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North Aisle

North Aisle

In the west window is a little old heraldic glass with the arms of Popham (two harts heads – there was a Cowdray/Popham marriage is the fifteenth century).  At the end of the north aisle is a one manual Holich organ (in memory of Mary Louise Ellis Jervoise who died 1881) which was repaired and electrified in memory of  F. H. T. Jervoise by his widow M Jervoise.

There is a Jacobean carved oak screen is dated 1635 around the organ. On the heads of the posts are recorded previous owners of the manor of Herriard, all old Hampshire families: Being Peter & Dorothy Cowdray, Richard & Elizabeth Paulet, Sir Thomas & Lucy Jervoise and William & Anne Young. This screen was formerly part of a fine pew that used to stand in the southeast angle of the Nave. On the north wall is a black marble tablet believed to be in memory of Anne Paulet, daughter of Sir Henry Wallop.

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