12th century Church of St Mary, Little Burstead (EHER 26785)

The church consisting of Chancel and Nave is probably of early 13th century date. The south wall of the chancel is probably of a later date. The south porch and the bell-turret were added probably in the 15th century. The church was altered in the 16th century, when the south-east angle of the nave was rebuilt, and has been restored in modern times when the South Porch was rebuilt and the North Vestry added possibly on the site of an earlier building. Excavations in 1991 confirmed the late 12th to 13th century date for the chancel.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Church of St Mary. A small church of Norman origin. Grade B (see list for details). Designation changed from B to II* on 3/12/04. Parish Church of St Mary stands a short distance south of the village. The walls are of pudding-stone and ragstone-rubble, with limestone and brick dressings. The roofs are tiled. The church consisting of chancel and nave is probably of early 13th century date. The south wall of the chancel is probably of a later date. A south porch and the bell-turret were added probably in the 15th century. The church was altered in the 16th century, when the south-east angle of the nave was rebuilt, and has been restored in modern times when the south porch was rebuilt and the north vestry added possibly on the site of an earlier building. <1> - <5> 'Roman building materials in church'. <6> 15th century wooden belfry. Norman nave-one north window. Also in nave north wall-small 13th century lancet. The chancel has early 16th century windows. The nave roof is 15th century with king-posts. The chancel roof is a little later. <7> 1991. Test pitting. Three test holes were inspected in 1991. In the area of the south chancel wall, it was observed that the original ground level could be as much as 600-700mm below the existing ground level. The chancel walls built of coursed conglomerate indicate that this is probably contemporary with the nave and datable to the 12th -13th century. The south chancel wall, and the west wall of the church, have been refaced or rebuilt. This is consistent with the conclusion of the RCHM which believed that the south chancel wall was of a later date. <8> Small, isolated church approximately 600m south of the village, Norman in origin. South door is 14th century, has unusually heavily iron barred inspection opening, probably from the time when there was a resident priest. Two windows have good 17th century glass, probably Flemish workmanship. <2> Just south of the village. Walls are pudding-stone and ragstone-rubble, limestone and brick dressings, tiled roofs. The chancel and nave are probably early 13th century, the south wall of the former is probably later. The south porch and the bell-turret were added, probably in the 15th century. The south-east angle of the nave was rebuilt in the 16th century. Features and fittings: windows of the early 13th, early 14th, 14th or late, 15th, early 16th centuries, doorways of the early 13th and early 16th centuries, 15th century nave and south porch roofs, early 16th century chancel roof, doors of early 16th and 16th century date, 15th-early 16th century font, 14th and 15th century stained glass fragments, panelling of the early 16th century, early 13th century piscina, 15th century screen (part incorporated in modern reredos), part of a moulded oak beam, against the nave east wall, south of the chancel, probably part of a nave altar reredos. Outside the south porch are 2 octagonal stones, possibly part of a cross base. <3> The church was altered in the 16th century when the south east angle of the nave was rebuilt. The church was restored in 'modern' times-the south porch was rebuilt then and the north vestry added, possibly on the site of an earlier building. The nave west wall was heightened and buttressed in the 17th century with brick. Features and fittings: 2 17th century bells, brasses of 1617, 1634 (inscriptions only survive), a chair in the vestry is early 18th century probably, 17th and 18th century floor slabs, 17th and late 17th or early 18th century glass, plate includes a cup and cover paten of 1624, 17th century inscriptions on vestry south wall, illuminated on vellum and framed. <3> <9>