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Church Interior. The Church
is entered through the doors of the
church rooms, a modern extension
sympathetically erected on the north side
of the building and hidden from
photographic views by the closeness of
the trees. This brings you into the
church via the north door to the north
aisle. There are handy church guides and
postcards available here. The door itself
is the only survivor of additions made
the building in the 13th century. It has
a curious wooden bar built into the
church wall. The door appears to have
been moved to this position in the early
16th century when this aisle, probably
along with the nave and south aisle were
all rebuilt by Sir John Paulet, Lord of
the Manor and resident at nearby Basing
Castle (later House). A Latin
There is a blocked squint, of uncertain date, in the north wall just as you enter the chancel around which careful searching will reveal some Civil War graffiti. The squint gave a view of the altar to parishioners sitting in the lost north transept. The former must have once been much further forward than at present and may possibly have stood before an eastern apse. The beautiful east window is of 15th century date, though the glass commemorates Canon Hessey who died in 1911. His memorial is on the wall adjoining.
The
Chancel is dominated by the massive tombs
of the Paulet family, some of whom were
Marquises of Winchester. They form
enormous stone screens on either side of
the altar, with doorways between leading
to the north and south chapels. Each has
beautiful arcading above and all are
adorned with richly carved armorial
bearings, though there are no effigies or
brasses (and almost certainly never
were). The first tomb monument on your
left as you enter the chancel is to Sir
John Paulet and his wife (and 2nd
cousin), Alice, the rebuilders of the
nave and western aisles. Their memorial
has the added feature of an angelic boss
holding their arms within the arcade
above the tomb. Sir John died in 1519. At
the time, plans were in place for the
erection of his monument with the
adjoining north chapel as a chantry with
a priest to pray for his soul, but they
were not actually constructed until a few
years Through to
the other side, you enter the South or
Bolton Chapel. It was constructed at the
same time as the adjoining Paulet tombs
as a chantry Down the
steps, you enter the south aisle of the
main church. There are further angelic
corbels here, not all holding shields.
One has a musical External
Tour of Old Basing Church |
inscription records
his beneficence high up over the eastern
arcade of this aisle: "To praise
Christ and Mary, his mother, by John
Paulet, Knight, this work was completed
AD 1519". This area of the
church is highly decorated. The corbels,
supporting the original high-pitched
Tudor roofing timberwork, are carved in
the shape of angels holding blank
shields. Originally they would, no doubt,
have been brightly painted. The north
wall here is covered with memorials to
the Booth family. The name of Booth was
added to that of Sclater, by their legal
heirs, the Lords Basing of Hoddington
House (Upton Grey), in 1856. Other
memorials are to the Russells, Apletrees
and Burleys. High above are two
hatchments to the latter two families.
These armorial boards were carried before
the funerary cortege of the deceased
before being displayed over the entrance
to their home. They were often later
removed to the local church.
Stepping between
massive octagonal columns, you reach the
nave, from where you can appreciate the
full effect of this spacious and
dignified building. The architecture
immediately draws you forward towards the
chancel, but stop a while to examine the
beautifully decorated Jacobean pulpit. It
was carved in 1622 for St. Michael's
Church in Basingtsoke and records of its
commissioning are still extant in the
Basingstoke Churchwardens' Accounts.
Basing's original pulpit was destroyed
during the Civil War, but this
replacement was not acquired until the
1840s. Passing the pulpit, you step below
the tower crossing. The arches on either
side are Norman and betray the fact that
Basing Church has a history stretching
back many centuries. The northern arch
frames the elegant church organ, built in
situ at a cost of £405 and unveiled
by the Bishop of Ely in 1878. In his
childhood, the Bishop had been a pupil of
Basing's curate, Mr. Appleton. A previous
smaller organ stood on a singing gallery
at the west end of the nave. Prior to the
installation of such instruments, the
church would have echoed to the sound of
medieval wind instruments. The minstrels
would have sat upon the old rood-loft
across the eastern tower arch. The
entrance stairs can be seen in the south
chapel. It would have surmounted a ornate
and highly coloured rood-screen featuring
a huge crucifixion flanked by St. Mary
and St. John. It was probably destroyed
by Puritan Reformers in the reign of King
Edward VI, though it may possibly have
survived until the Civil War.
later. The
arrangement included a memorial to Sir
John's parents, Sir John and Lady Eleanor
(Roos), whose tomb monument lies
alongside (nearest the altar). There are
niches for lost saintly statues between
the two, but these were almost certainly
destroyed during or before the Civil War.
Through the passage beneath - note the
squint - is the North Chapel. Now largely
used as a vestry and robing room, and
half taken up by the Victorian organ,
this area still has a few notable gems.
The Latin inscriptions above the Paulet
tombs can be seen from here. The four
windows along the north wall are
particularly unusual for having tracery
of chestnut wood instead of stone. The
angel corbels high up on the north wall
hold shields featuring badges of the
Paulet ancestry: the Peacock of Roos and
the key of the Poynings. The crowned
Poynings' key gained a circular cord in
the time of the Paulets, possibly through
William, the first Marquis of
Winchester, with whom it was particularly
popular as he held the office of Lord
High Treasurer of England. There are also
a few medieval tiles to be sought out: a
hunting scene, a bishop and William's
crowned initials. Across the chancel are
two further matching tomb monuments to
Sir John Paulet's son, the first Marquis
of Winchester and, it is presumed, his
grandson, John, the second Marquis
(though the western tomb is lacking in
armorial evidence). Sir William Paulet
had them erected in the early 1530s,
within his own lifetime, some twenty
years before he became Marquis of
Winchester. 
His own monument
(nearest the altar) is the most elaborate
of the four. It includes coats of arms
within the Royal Garter to whose order he
belonged and a delicate renaissance
floral frieze. Over the doorway between
the two monuments are highly carved arms
supported by the Paulet Pantheons (purple
antelope with stella markings). They are
particularly impressive and, though
faded, their colouring is still clearly
visible. Attempts by Roundhead
soldiers to destroy them during the Civil
War were only partially successful. The
family motto, Aymes Loyaulte meaning
'Love Loyalty' is also displayed here. It
was resoundingly confirmed during the
Royalist 5th Marquis' three year defence
of Basing House during the Civil War.
chapel for the
whole family. It covers a huge area for
such a chapel and its light open space is
an ideal setting for village exhibitions.
The vast Paulet burial vault lies below
where numerous members of the clan are
buried. Its entrance was discovered in
1977 inscribed "Sealed by Order
of Lord Bolton, January 1903".
The names of thirty-six of those interred
there since the Civil War are recorded on
a large brass plaque on the chapel's
south wall. Alongside are further Paulet
memorials and imitation gauntlets and
helms, some with crests, which were
carried in various family funerary
processions. The fine alabaster monument
is to Harry Paulet, the 6th and last Duke
of Bolton. Charles, the 6th Marquis of
Winchester, was created Duke of Bolton in
1689. Hence the chapel's name. Though
Basing House 
had been destroyed
after the Civil War, the family continued
to live on in the parish at Hackwood
Park, a hunting lodge which was
transformed into a grand mansion. Charles
was also resident at his wife's family
home at Bolton Castle in Yorkshire and
was buried in the parish church of
Wensley nearby. Harry was his great great
grandson. No expense was spared for his
memorial when he died in 1784. His
widow employed the greatest sculptor of
the day, Flaxman, to design and execute
the work: a bust of the Duke above a grieving maiden. He also produced Admiral Lord
Horatio Nelson's monument in St. Paul's
Cathedral. Harry died without a male heir
and the title of Duke of Bolton died with
him. The Marquisate of Winchester passed
to a distant cousin, but the Bolton title
did survive in Basing. It was invested,
as Lord Bolton, on the husband of the
illegitimate daughter of Harry's elder
brother, Charles the 5th Duke. The
hatchment of the latter is displayed to
the 
left of the last
Duke's memorial. The first Lord Bolton's
is to the right, with that of the second
Lord Bolton opposite, above the entrance
to the blocked rood-loft stairway. Before
leaving the chapel, note the carved
wooden panelling at the east end. It is
said to have originally come from
Abingdon Abbey (Berkshire) after the
Dissolution: via a round about route it
ended up at the Vicarage in Basing.
instrument, another
a book. The purbeck marble font is 15th
century in date, but may have been
acquired during a nineteenth century
restoration. On the wall above are the
Royal Arms symbolising the union of the
church and state in England. These began
to appear in parish churches during the
reign of King Henry VIII. However, Tudor Arms
are rare as it was not until the
Restoration that the display of the Royal
Arms was made compulsory. Royalist Basing
was, of course, one of the first to
comply and these arms are clearly dated
1660. At the west end of the aisle is a
bright and beautiful window, designed in
1970 by John Hayward in memory of the
local Vickery family. It depicts the Angel
of Peace and brings a tour of Basing
Curch full circle from ancient to modern.
