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Leland 1535-43
[Some thin]ke that the great suburbe [standing yet with]out the est gate of
New-[Hampton and jo]yninge to S. Marie [Chirche is part of
Old-]Hamptoun.
Minns says:- Camden, the first edition of whose work appeared in 1586, heard
the same account that the town did not originally stand where it does, but in
the immediate neighbourhood of St. Mary's Church, and excavations made go to
prove the truth of the tradition. Vide - Davies, J S, Rev:: History of
Southampton.
Ther is a chapel of S. Nicholas a poore and smaul thing yet stonding at the
est end of S. Marie Chirch in the great cemiterie, wher constant fame is that
the old paroche chirch of Old-Hampton stoode. One told me there that the
litlenes of this chirch was cause of the erection of the great chirch of our
Lady ther now stonding by this occasion: one Matilde, Quene of England, askid
what it ment, that a great numbre of people walkyd about the chirch of S.
Nicholas, and one answeryd; it is for lak of rome in the chirche. She then ex
voto promisid to make ther a new; and this was the originale of S. Marie Chirch.
Thys Queene Matilde, or sum other good persones folowing, had thought to have
made this a collegiate chirch; but this purpose succedid not fully. Yet
nevertheless S. Marie Chirch at thys day [in] token of the auncient[nes of
Old-Hampton is] mother chirch [to all the chirches in New-Hampton]. And yn
testimonie of thys the commune sepulture of New-Hampton ys the cemiterie of S.
Marie Chyrche.
And there be many fair tumbes of marble of marchauntes of New-Hampton buryed
in the chirch of S. Marie, as yn their mother and principale chirch.
Minns says:- Matilda, the 'Good Queen Molde,' died 1118, so the first
building of St. Mary's on a large scale must have taken place in the early part
of the 12th century, and the church existing in the first half of the sixteenth
century was substantially was the fabric of Queen Matilda. Leland, who presented
his report to Henry VIII. in 1546, must have seen nearly the last of the great
Church. In 1550, the church had disappeared, for in the Court Leet Book is an
order that the rubbish of St. Mary's Church should be carted away to mend the
highways. The people of Southampton had pulled down their church in order to
remove from French cruisers the direction of its lofty spire. This destruction
was perpetrated in 1549 or 1550, and instead was erected a small and unfinished
chapel. Subsequent mean and badly constructed fabrics gave place to the present
noble church, a memorial to Bishop Wilberforce erected during the incumbancy of
his son, the Archdeacon of Westminster, but lacking the spire. The completion of
the tower and spire, begun by Canon Durst, has been happily accomplished by the
present Rector, the Rev. Neville Lovett, on Monday, January 5th, 1914.
Ther is on the south side of the cemiteri a fair mansion place of stone
longging to the person of St. Maries.
Minns says:- The parson at that time was Dr. W. Capon, the founder of the
Southampton Grammar School. He was the first appointed master of Cardinal
Wolsey's Grammar School, at Ipswich, and was either by the Cardinal or by his
successor, Bishop Gardiner, presented to this benefice. His brother was at the
time Abbot of Hyde, and from him he obtained the adjoining rectory of North
Stoneham. When his brother, for his ready compliance with the King's (Henry
VIII.) wishes, in obtaining from his monks their signatures to the surrender of
the abbey, was rewarded with the bishopric of Salisbury, he was appointed by him
to a prebendal stall in that Cathedral. He died in 1550.
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