Flashback: St Nicholas' crypt found by men ferret hunting

AS THE trees shed the last of their autumn leaves there is nowhere better to see the carpets of colours than in the woodlands of the Hampshire countryside.

One area that can boast of a colourful display is in the woods of the Candovers, some eight miles south of Basingstoke, which comprises the villages of Preston Candover, Brown Candover and Chilton Candover, three typical Hampshire communities.

These lie in the open downland that sweeps down to the valley where one of the main tributaries of the River Itchen flows. The rising ground is interspersed with attractive woodland, where the trees shed their leaves so thick on the ground.

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Main Road at Preston Candover in 1955 (Image: Contributed)

Of the three villages, Preston Candover is the largest and is considered by many to be the most attractive.

The journey through the pleasant southern slopes of Farleigh Hill, through Axford, and into the park-like approach to the village is considered to be very impressive to those who enjoy the sights of nature.

Preston Candover is a typical rural community with many shaped and colourful cottages that front the main street.

The village is of considerable antiquity, for a Bronze Age urn was found there, while Roman remains have also been uncovered.

A manor under the name of Preston Candover first appeared in the reign of Edward III where the Hoyville family lived.

In 1368, the manor was handed over to William de Wykeham, who was Bishop of Winchester. He later granted it to Thomas Warenner. After his ownership, it became the property of the Sandys family until the early 17th century.

In 1638 the manor was sold to George Long, but during the English Civil War, a few years later, his house and land were destroyed while he was staying in London.

In 1720, the mansion Preston House was built, then later remodelled in more recent years with a side entrance and a new interior.

Two other outstanding residences are North Hall and South Hall, which are opposite each other but built in different centuries.

The South Hall gardener’s cottage is now known as Tiggywinkle Cottage.

The Church of The Virgin Mary was erected in 1884 and is built of flint and dressed stone. In the church are various items from a previous church of St Mary which was burnt down the previous year, leaving just the old chancel in one piece.

Like most villages, there were wells in the area to obtain water, and two were said to have been used to store goods brought up from the coast by smugglers.

Preston Candover has changed very little over the years and this includes its population. In 1951 it was 359, and then 10 years later it was... 359. And the latest figure, which was issued in 2001, is 352.

Of the other villages in the area, Brown Candover is also a picturesque community. It has a spired church built in 1845 after a fire destroyed the original one in the previous year. The new church has relics from an old church at Chilton Candover, which is close by.

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At Chilton Candover, an underground crypt belonging to an ancient church was found, in 1928, by two local men out hunting with ferrets.

They made enquiries and found out about its history and set about restoring the crypt, during which they found a tomb inside.

The original church was built in the 11th century AD, then destroyed four centuries later. A later church was built on the site, dedicated to St Nicholas, but this fell into disuse and was demolished in 1876.

In more recent years, two other local men, Major Ball and Colonel Saville, carried out further restoration in the late 1950s.

Annual services were held on the roof of the crypt by the 1960s and the “Buried Church”, as it became known, was the meeting place for large numbers of local people at gatherings.

In June 1962 a congregation of 130 people assembled there, with the Basingstoke Silver Band, while the Rev J Rudd, Dean of Alresford, led the service.

The Candovers have a rural uniqueness of their own with a great deal of history attached to the area. Let us hope that it stays that way!

This article was written by Robert Brown and first published on November 26, 2004