The civil parish of Hawkley has 3 churches and two ecclesiastical (or church) parishes. 

Visitors are very welcome. Hawkley and Empshott Churches are open everyday during daylight hours. Visits to Priors Dean can be made by appointment. Please contact the vicar, Ven Peter Sutton [email protected]

Church Histories

Hawkley - The Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, dating from 1865, is a fine example built in the Norman style in local stone. The architect was Samuel Sanders Teulon (1812 – 1873).

 J.J. Maberly, of Hawkley Hurst commissioned Teulon to build the Church and replace the 13th Century chapel which was, until Hawkley became a parish in its own right, a chapel of the Parish of Newton Valence.

The tower is a ‘Rhenish Helm’, common on the continent but very rare here. There is a fine medieval example at Sompting in Sussex. The reasons for the design being used here are not known.

In the south wall of the chancel there was a particularly fine carved alabaster panel, of English work, depicting the betrayal of Christ by Judas. This was stolen in the 1980's, but we are fortunate to have a carved wooden replica of it. It is suggested in the Victoria County History of Hampshire that it originally formed part of the reredos of the old Church, but this is not certain. The stone pulpit was removed in 1996, and its base now forms the Altar in the Maberly Chapel (to the north of the Chancel).

At the east end of the south aisle you will see  the Hawkley Mural, installed in 1991, and the work of local artist, Sally Maltby. Above the words ‘ will lift up mine eyes unto the hills’ Psalm 121) it depicts the cycle of life in the countryside.

In the belfry there are nine bells, three of them from the old church, two from about 1450 and one from 1624. The bells were completely restored in 2023.

 

Empshott - The Church of the Holy Rood, dates from the 13th Century though much rebuilt and reordered in successive centuries.  The oldest part is the chancel from which there were once north and south chapels.

The shingled bell turret is dated 1624 and the remainder of the nave roof and that of the chancel are modern. There is much interesting old woodwork: the porch screen is also from 1624; the lectern and pulpit are 16th century and the pews possibly considerably older.

 

Priors Dean Church. Priors Dean Church once belonged to Southwick Priory near Fareham and stands on a Saxon foundation. The Church has a nave and chancel with a timber bell turret carved on four large posts at the west end. It is entered by a fine Norman door ornamented with billet and zigzag mouldings. The nave is Norman but the windows and chancel arch are modern reproductions, as is the font. There was a restoration in 1857, but roofs of both nave and chancel are old.

The chancel includes some beautiful 17th century memorials and a 16th century brass.