St Hubert
Idsworth, Hampshire
A beautiful Grade I, Saxon-Norman church with important medieval wall paintings, set in the very attractive, natural landscape of the South Downs.
Christchurch was built in 1852 by Charles Dixon, a wealthy Victorian philanthropist and the owner of nearby Stansted House, to serve his estate workers and the village of Forestside. The parish was formed from parts of Stoughton and Up Marden, and has now been combined with them again as part of the parish of the Octagon.
The church is of flint masonry with Caen stone dressings. The east window is a Jesse Window with an unusual dragon in the bottom right hand corner, whose origin is unknown. The heads on the chancel arch are a young Queen Victoria and a Bishop of Chichester, possibly St Richard. The adjoining school has been closed for many years and is now a private house.
The churchyard is a haven for wildlife with regular sightings of unusual birds, orchids and glow worms Memorial Index Residents produce a comprehensive guide to the churchyard. This is a searchable listing by name of all those buried in the churchyard with memorial images and location information.