From — Some Ancient Churches in North East Hampshire
St Lawrence Church stands on rising ground a little to the north of the
present High Street - the old highway between Farnham and Winchester.
It is probable that the site has been a place of worship from very early
times. The Saxons built a church here, though only a font now remains.
This old font has had an adventurous history: it was discarded in 1868 when
the Victorian one was installed, and was found in Cirencester. It now rests
on a millstone from one of Alton's water mills.
Construction of the present building was begun by the Normans in about
AD 1070, and seems to have been a cruciform structure, possibly erected on
the earlier Saxon foundations. Of the Norman period, outstandingly, are
the wonderfully preserved and remarkably under-restored arches of the former
crossing under the tower. Their powerful capitals have robust carvings of
animals.
Within a hundred years, Alton had grown and its church was extended, both
to the east and to the west, so that the tower is now in the centre.
By the 15th century, the population had greatly increased and the church
was again enlarged, this time by adding the north aisle and providing a new
combined nave and chancel. The Tudor south porch was added later.
The pillars which replaced the original north walls were decorated by
craftsmen employed in the alterations, though only one pillar retains
decoration.
In the south wall of the south chancel is an aumbry, beside which is a
double piscina, still in use today. This is situated next to a priest's
door on which are carved the initials 'R.H' (Ralph Herriot, 1521-1540).
The north chancel possesses a set of misericord choir stalls. These are
generally associated with a monastic church, and are thought to have been
brought from Hyde Abbey at the time of the dissolution of the monastries
in 1536.
The fine Jacobean pulpit bears marks of the Cavaliers' stand against the
Roundheads during the Battle of Alton (1643) in the Civil War. On the
south door can be seen the marks of pikes and musket balls that relate to
the story of Col. Bolle (or Boles), the Cavalier leader who was killed in
the pulpit.
