 St
James, Hunton
Hunton is a pretty little hamlet to the east of Sutton Scotney, near the
River Dever. It consists of farms, several substantial brick and timber
cottages, Hunton Manor, and the church. What is particularly memorable is
the fact that it is situated away from any major traffic.
 The
church lies to the south in a fenced off area within a large field. It is a
wonderfully tranquil spot, feeling open and yet also enclosed by the trees
which line the field. Despite renewals, the church is attractive and simple,
consisting of nave, a very small and intimate chancel, thin west tower with
wooden bell turret above, and a south porch. The churchyard is pleasant,
with yews to the east, and a group of low table-top tombs and old
gravestones immediately south
 .
There are also some old gravestones to the north, and a tablet on the nave
east wall (on the north side) which is dated †1728.
Chronology of the building
The church is medieval, but much is renewed and altered so that few original
features remain, and dating of the church's architectural features is
difficult. However, there exists an undated early illustration of the
church, a copy of which can be seen inside the nave, which assists in making
sense of the church's development
.
It was originally a chapel attached to the church at
Crawley, and hence explains a reference in 1291 to the church of Crawley
"cum capella" (1).
 The
nave south doorway has an arch with a simple hollow chamfer which looks
original, and may date from any time from the 13th to the 15th centuries
.
The imposts are mostly of later brick, but below they are of stone and look
original. They both have a plain chamfer.
Also original and difficult to date is the chancel piscina
.
It consists of an approximate square headed recess which was simply cut out
of the wall, and a protruding bowl.
Decorated:
There are no remaining decorated features, but an illustration of the
church, which probably dates from the late 18th or early 19th centuries,
shows the building from the south east with what appears to be two Y tracery
windows in the nave south wall, where straight headed Perpendicular style
windows now exist
.
If this is correct, they would date from c.1300.
 Perpendicular:
Although renewed, the chancel east window is of three lights with panel
tracery
,
and is shown in the illustration. Similarly, the chancel south window, which
is of two lights with a straight head, is also shown in the illustration, so
they appear to be faithfully renewed
.
Both windows contain very few mouldings. The crudeness of the piscina
suggests that these windows were probably inserted into earlier walling.
The chancel arch, which is small and four-centred, contains a continuous
chamfer for approximately two thirds of its height
.
It is plastered, and may or may not represent a late medieval alteration.
Such features as these make the church a prime candidate for detailed
archaeological investigation.
 18th
Century: The nave was remodelled in brick and this can be seen on
the south side
.
The bricks were laid in Flemish bond, and some of the ends were burnt to
produce a haphazard chequer pattern. The brick walling lies on a chalky
stone base of approximately two visible layers, which could represent the
original medieval walling. The west jamb of the nave south doorway has the
date 1785 incised into one of the bricks
.
The illustration of the church shows a small stumpy west tower with a low
pyramid cap, so the base may date from the 18th century or earlier. The
drawing shows the tower in the same position as it is now, half within the
nave and half without. The west wall is of flint with brick quoins, and the
tower also starts off in flint with brick at the angles. Near the top, where
it meets the nave roof, the tower is entirely of brick. On the south and
north faces the bricks are generally, like the nave, laid in Flemish bond
(using burnt ends), although this is less consistently applied. The west
face is not so much Flemish bond as a haphazard mix of long and short brick
work. The Victoria County History says that it is topped with a battlemented
parapet, but the later double pitched wooden cap now obscures this.
 19th-20th
Centuries:
The porch appears to be 19th century and later than the nave walling.
It may date from 1865 (see below). The bricks look lighter and newer and are
no longer laid in Flemish bond. There is also a joint where the porch meets
the nave wall, and the layers do not generally correspond. The porch has a
collar beamed roof and an open timber framed front. The nave also posses a
collar beamed roof, and the chancel roof is scissor beamed.
 White's
directories of 1859 and 1878 report that repairs took place in 1834, at the
cost of £150. The 1878 directory also reports repair work in 1865 "at an
expense of £700". According to the book
Dever and Down. A History of the Parish of Wonston the church was
"substantially rebuilt in 1865 at the expense of Robert Pitter of Hunton
Manor..." (2). Restoration is
obvious, particularly concerning the windows. They were all renewed in
smooth, clinically exact stone. The nave has three straight headed two-light
windows in both north and south walls, and were apparently restyled to match
the chancel south window. This is suggested by the illustration, although
only two nave windows are shown.
Other stonework was renewed, including the chancel east quoins, and the
flint walling was probably tidied up as well. The internal walls are smooth
and plastered, including the window splays, which all point to substantial
renewal. The nave north wall is rendered
,
the render having been mixed with small flint chips
.
No floor tiles were laid, so the church retains its stone flooring.
The wooden bell turret on top of the tower is probably early 20th century,
and architectural drawings detailing its design are shown on a board inside
the church. It has a double-pitched roof and two louvre windows in its
east and west faces. The drawings show the turret capped with a prominent
cross, which is now simply a stump.
Furnishings
They are virtually all 19th-20th century, and are for the most part not
particularly attractive. Simple pulpit
,
simple open chancel screen
,
and nice wooden reredos which also adds to the church's simplicity
.
The chancel screen was erected in 1919 "as a thanksgiving offering for
victory and peace after the First World War" (3).
The font, which is of stone, looks 18th century
.
It has a small circular bowl on a column with diagonal fluting, and the base
is moulded.
 Monuments
In the north wall of the nave, below the north-east window, is a recess with
a flat four-centred arch, and what appears to be a low, partially submerged
tomb chest, all apparently dating from the late 15th or early 16th century
.
The Victoria County History says that it is by tradition part of the tomb of
Thomas Hunton, prior of St Swithun, Winchester (from 1470-1498), but
Pevsner suggests that it couldn't have been part of a tomb chest, though it
may have belonged to a cresting. Although the detail is no longer sharp, the
front still exhibits a frieze consisting of quatrefoils, foliage, and the
initials of Jesus and Mary.
Otherwise, there are just three dark tablets in the nave (†1801
,
†1987 & †1997
).
Stained
Glass
The east window depicts Jesus with the children, signed by
Cox & Sons, London 1885
.
It is darkly shaded with unconvincing figures, and is of average quality.
Notes
1. This information is given in the
Victoria County History, which gives the following reference:
Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 210. Back
to "Chronology of the building"
2. From Dever and Down. A History of
the Parish of Wonston by Peter Clarke.
Back to "Chronology of the building"
3. From Dever and Down. A History of
the Parish of Wonston by Peter Clarke.
Back to "Furnishings"
Sources
used
- Clarke, P L. Dever and Down. A History of
the Parish of Wonston. Dever Publications, 2002
- Page, W. (ed). The Victoria History of
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: Vol.3. Constable, 1908
- Pevsner, N & Lloyd, D. Hampshire and the
Isle of Wight. Penguin, 1967
- White, W. History, Gazetteer, and
Directory of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 1859
- White, W. History, Gazetteer, and
Directory of the County of Hampshire including the Isle of Wight, 1878
Questions
for further research
1. What is the date of the tower's wooden
bell turret?
2. What is the date of the south porch?
3. What is the date of the font?
4. Where is the original illustration of
the church, and can it be viewed?
Location
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