New Forest churches – Beaulieu, Exbury, East Boldre, and Fawley
Summary
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www.beaulieuchurches.org
New Forest Churches
Exbury, East Boldre, Fawley and Beaulieu
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved New Forest National Park Authority. Licence 1000114703, 2014.
New Forest churches
- St Katharine, Exbury
- St Paul’s, East Boldre
- The Blessed Virgin and Child, Beaulieu
- All Saints, Fawley
Not to scale N
Images left: Exbury graveyard, right: Fawley church boundary marker.
‘D’ is for the Drummond family, marking the former boundary of their Cadland estate.
Beaulieu Church of the blessed Virgin and Child
Former Abbey refectory
The building started life as the refectory to Beaulieu Abbey and dates from around 1230. As a consequence the altar is at the south rather than the east end of the church. The building was dedicated as the parish church in 1538 when the monastery was suppressed during the reign of Henry VIII and most of its buildings were demolished.
- Contains a stone reading lectern or pulpit used during monastic meal times when the chosen monk would read improving literature to those assembled eating in silence
- To commemorate the founding of the 84 Squadron of the RAF their standard is laid up in the church and reminds us of the Royal Flying Corps based on Beaulieu Airfield in 1917 during World War I
- Memorial to Tubby Clayton (Reverend Phillip Thomas Byard Clayton) one of the founders with Neville Talbot of ‘TOC H’ - a Christian charity dedicated through action not preaching, to promote reconciliation. The memorial attracts visitors from all over the world.
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Call: 01590 646600
Write to: New Forest National Park Authority, Lymington Town Hall, Avenue Road, Lymington, SO41 9ZG.
Email: enquiries@newforestnpa.gov.uk
Visit: www.newforestnpa.gov.uk
Cultural heritage services at the New Forest National Park Authority
The National Park Authority has specialist advisors including archaeologists, building conservation, building design and landscape staff.
We seek to conserve and enhance the special character of the New Forest by encouraging the sympathetic management and use of historic sites, buildings and areas and protecting them from decay or damaging change. We ensure that architecturally sensitive sites and areas are properly identified, treated and integrated into their environment to best effect.
Some of the work is required by law, but emphasis is also placed on offering guidance to communities so that the special places and features of the National Park are safeguarded for future generations.
Printed on FSC environmentally friendly paper. NPA 00279. September 2014.
New Forest Churches
Exbury, East Boldre, Fawley and Beaulieu
There are seven medieval churches in the New Forest which often started as chapels attached to the local manor.
Some have been replaced with later churches and many new ones were built to serve the increased population and different congregations, particularly in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Many of the churches have fascinating historical, artistic and literary associations. Find out more
www.beaulieuchurches.org
Find out more
www.beaulieuchurches.org
Find out more
www.fawleychurch.org.uk
Cultural Heritage
The New Forest and its coastline have a rich cultural heritage thanks to a complex and unusual social history and environment.
We can see this in archaeological sites, domestic and agricultural buildings, historic houses and designed landscapes, settlement patterns and the character of the Forest landscape itself.
More difficult to see are the traditional craft skills, building techniques, dialect, artistic and literary achievements, and the people and events of the past which are remembered in fact and legend.
Come and discover the fascinating New Forest National Park.
Exbury St Katharine’s
Example of an ‘estate’ church
A simple brick chapel was built on the site in 1827. Burials took place on the site from 1810. The church was completely remodelled, re-cased in stone and extended in 1908 to designs by J Oldrid Scott and son in a traditional mixture of Gothic styles. This church replaces an earlier medieval one demolished in 1827 near the mouth of the Beaulieu River. Many items and some stonework from the medieval church have been used in the present building. The tower and the war memorial chapel were added between 1927 and 1928.
- Church is dedicated to St Katharine of Alexandria, patron saint of the medieval Wheelwrights Guild. She was martyred on a spiked wheel in about AD 300
- 13th century font bowl
- Church bell dates from 1508
- Original 1892 oil lamps survive though converted to electricity
- East window glass depicts nativity.
Fawley All Saints
A classic rural village church
A typical example of a village church with many fine architectural details. Unusually the late 12th century tower is placed in the middle of the south side. The chancel was extended in about 1300. The south and north side chancel chapels date from the 14th century. The church suffered some bomb damage in World War II that resulted in the loss of stained glass. The church was restored in 1954.
- Churchyard contains grave of the flying ace Samuel Marcus Kinkead. He died at Calshot whilst attempting to break the world speed record
- Much fine late 12th century carved detail
- 17th century Jacobean pulpit
- World War I and II memorials.
East Boldre St Paul’s
Typical early 19th century New Forest church
The church built in 1839 was designed by Wimborne architect John Tulloch and largely funded by public subscription at a cost of £900. It is a very plain brick building with tall lancet-style windows typical of many early 19th century churches in the New Forest. The chancel was added in 1890 and reflects the changes in fashion for Gothic architecture and style of worship. The church was damaged in World War II and lost its original windows.
- The east window of the risen Christ was provided in 1948
- Oak panelling behind altar contains fragments of 17th century workmanship
- Graveyard contains several Royal Flying Corps war graves of personnel from the World War I Beaulieu airfield.
Image on front cover- Beaulieu former abbey.
