Chilcomb Church

Chilcomb Church

This wee beauty is Saxo-Norman but officially known as Norman. It is a lovely simple church nestled into the scarp of the south downs and sits on a network of paths travelling up and over the Downs interacting with the lines of Roman Roads just over the hill. It lies south of the River Itchen valley, another key transport route.

Rumour has it that the body of William Rufus was carried via here from where he was killed in the New Forest to Winchester Cathedral, but even accounting for the high ground in the dreadful weather of that day it is a topographical ‘stretch’. [UPDATE: The route known as King's Way runs through Chilcomb, which is a confusion with that path taken by Rufus's body. This path, however, is to honour a Hampshire Rambler called Allan King!)

Just above the church on the top of the downs is a no-go area of an army/navy shooting range which regularly has red flags waving for when it isn't a good idea to go wandering.

For now this card comes cellophane wrapped, but this will alter as stocks change. They are blank to allow you to say whatever you would like to say. The accompanying envelope is white