After our visit to Portchester Castle, we made our way over to the Ancient Priory Church of St Mary, situated in the far corner of the Roman enclosure.
Built in the 1120s of Isle of Wight stone by Normans. It was given by Henry 1 to a small community of Augustinian or Austin canons/monks. Their seats in the chancel with arched recesses may still be seen. The priory buildings that once stretched south to the Roman wall have completely disappeared. The canons moved some four miles away to Southwick for a more quiet life after some 20 years, but sent a canon until the Reformation in the 1530s to serve this parish.
The Norman west door is a wonderful example of Norman stonework with a variety of patterns.
The building is of outstanding simplicity, a nave with traditional Norman arches and rounded windows in the north and south wall.
On the South wall is an Elizabethan plaque, dated 1577, the oldest of this type in the county and a note of the royal grant. The flowing photos will take you on a tour of this interesting church.
Echoes of the Past 
You know I enjoyed this post from beginning to end! Thank you for all the great photos to pour over!
It is a wonderful church, the camera had a mind of its own 🙂
What a lovely place
Yes it is, we did get in on the end of service, but they kept to one end, while I took my photos, bless them 🙂
Lucky!
It looks so pretty in the sunshine – and of course, all the interior shots too. What an amazing history. 🙂
Thank you, it was lovely to photograph. Oh the subject of weather we have had lovely sunny days here, missed the high winds that Scotland had, just hope it stays nice for the weekend 🙂
It’s about time you had a proper summer in UK! 😀
Ha ha, we went to Yorkshire this weekend, so did the rain, never mind we had one lovely afternoon. Stayed at Bolton Abbey caravan site, beautiful place 🙂
I’ve been to Bolton Abbey.
And I think All of Yorkshire is lovely! 😀
I knew you would have been there, it’s very beautiful even in the rain. But we didn’t go in as the rain was too heavy for photos, but we are going back 🙂 Love the look of Skipton, again too wet to explore, but we will return 🙂
Yorkshire has some beautiful places to visit – and lots of nice pubs to refresh yourselves in! 😀
I did manage to take a few photos in-between the rain, so hopefully you will enjoy them…..when I get to them 🙂
Oh I’m sure I will, Thank you 🙂