St Mary the Virgin's Church, North Stoke

The village of North Stoke, now much smaller than in previous centuries, Access is also possible along a downland path from nearby Burpham. A church here was mentioned at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086. It is likely to have been a Saxon wooden church. Later in the 11th century the present nave may have been built over its foundations. The tall, wide structure has a single window on each side (north and south), and lacks side aisles. The next addition was a mid 13th-century Early English Gothic chancel; its north and south lancet windows In about 1290 the building was made cruciform by the addition of north and south transepts. That on the north side was built so it could bear a…

from about 1200, carved from local stone.]] St Mary the Virgin Church is a simple two-cell structure built during three periods. Its nave is 11th-century; a chancel was added early in the 13th century; and transepts were built on the north and south sides later in that century. Above this, two blocked archways rise and meet at a corbel carved with a sheep's head. although three with carved crosses have been identified as late 13th-century. The oldest fixture is a "tub-like" stone font with a lead bowl, dating from between 1200 and 1250 and standing at the west end of the church. The wide bowl is supported on a thin pillar and has little decoration. Its shape is reminiscent of a chalice, and…