This lovely little Church is located in the South Downs National Park and completely surrounded by fields with just a footpath to link it to the road.
During Anglo Saxon times the land around the Church was owned by Earl Godwin of Wessex, father of King Harold who died at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It is believed Earl Godwin had this small chapel built sometime around 1030AD and it served the village of Idsworth.
Although the village dates from the 9th century it has long since disappeared. It is believed the population was wiped out by plague towards the end of the 14th century and the deserted buildings disappeared under the plough. However, the Church survived and it is still used for services with a very enthusiastic congregation.
It is a grade 1 listed building giving it legal protection from any alteration or significant change without prior approval of the Local Authority. On the day of our visit we were unable to go inside as the building was locked because of Covid restrictions. However, we were able to sit on the seat outside and have our lunch and enjoy total peace and quiet, apart from the sound of birds singing.
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