Originally the site of a manor mentioned in the Domesday Book, in 1201 Mottisfont was founded as an Augustinian priory by William Briwere (or Brewer). It held a valuable relic: the forefinger of St John the Baptist, which made the Priory a place of pilgrimage. Important pilgrims include Eleanor of Castile and Edward I.
After dissolution in 1536 by Henry VIII, Mottisfont was granted to the Lord Chancellor, William Sandys, who already owned The Vyne. Sandys converted the priory into a country house: little of the original Tudor priory can now be seen. One exception is the two stairwell blocks either side of the central pedimented facade in this picture. The windows in these two blocks are noticeably smaller than the Georgian sashes elsewhere in the picture.
Mottisfont was remodelled yet again in the 1740s by the Mills family, adding Georgian wings onto the front facade (seen at the extreme left and right in this picture).
In the 20th century, following a period where the house was unoccupied, the house was bought by Gilbert and Maud Russell who renovated the interiors, including the commissioning of Rex Whistler to redecorate the front drawing room with an entire trompe l'oeil scheme.
The house is now a National Trust property.
Tags: Hampshire Mottisfont National Trust Tudor
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Despite looking like a deliberately carved profile of a head, this is really just the result of random erosion in the cliffs above Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England.
Viewed side-on, as in this picture, it strongly resembles a face. But in fact the cleaving rock strata have very little depth and so viewed face-on it just looks like the edge of a sheet of rock.
Tags: Hampshire Alum Bay rock Isle of Wight
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This lead-lined stone sink with a hand-pumped water supply is in the kitchen with the Brethren's Hall at the Hospital of St Cross, Winchester, Hampshire, England.
The Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty is a medieval almshouse in Winchester, England, founded between 1133 and 1136. It is the oldest charitable institution in the UK.
The founder was Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, grandson of William the Conqueror, half brother to King Stephen of England.
The Hospital still provides accomodation for a total of 25 elderly men. These men belong to either of two charitable foundations. Those belonging to the Foundation of the Hospital of St Cross (founded in about 1132) wear black robes with a silver cross and trencher hats: these are called the "Black Brothers". Those belonging to the Order of Noble Poverty (founded in 1445) wear claret red robes and trencher hats: these are called the "Red Brothers".
Tags: Hampshire Winchester St Cross Hospital of St Cross hand pump sink
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This graffiti is scratched into the wooden choir stalls of St Cross Church, a 12th century Norman church in Winchester, Hampshire, England.
The year 1575 can be seen on the left hand side of this picture, dating the graffiti to the 16th century, as well as various names such as Richard Shere (top middle) and Sir Willyam Ley (top left).
Tags: Hampshire Winchester St Cross Hospital of St Cross graffiti 1575
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This bust of the poet John Milton is one of several marble busts in the Oak Gallery at The Vyne, a 16th-century country house outside Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. The Oak Gallery is part of the original Tudor building and is decorated throughout with linenfold oak panelling (as seen in the background of this picture).
The Vyne was built for Lord Sandys, King Henry VIII's Lord Chamberlain, and later passed to the Chute family.
Tags: Hampshire Vyne bust marble Milton National Trust John Milton
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