St Huberts History
St Huberts - A Short History
St Hubert's Church is situated on the A31, at the corner of Blandford Road (B3074) and Knoll Lane. The south eastern part of this parish, formerly open heathland, is now a large conurbation, separated from the original much smaller settlement on the present A31 road some two miles west of Wimborne. In fact, this original part of the village was small and does not appear to have grown to any extent over the centuries, as the original 13th century church was not extended significantly until 1841 and remained a chapel of ease to Sturminster Marshall until 1857.
The 13th Century
The church is interesting for its basic 13th century structure and the transeptal enlargement of 1841, which created an unusual and strongly emphasised cross axis. Although now dedicated to St. Hubert, all three editions of Hutchins (1774, 1813 and 1868) state it to have been dedicated to St. Nicholas. The churchyard is also renowned for its ancient yew tree, reputed to be 1000 years old.
The original mid-13th century building appears to have consisted of a structurally undivided nave and chancel, contained within a simple rectangle - probably all roofed at one level. Although the roofs have been subsequently renewed at differing levels, the basic wall structure remains in situ, to form the present nave and chancel, and contains a restored graduated triple lancet east window and four of the original side windows, all of which are rare examples of trefoil headed lancets. One of them, the most easterly in the south wall of the nave, was re-used from its former position further west when the south transept was added and, of two former ones in the south wall of the chancel, one was blocked in adding the vestry and the other is a renewal. The south external doorway of the chancel, however, still remains but is now internal and gives access to the vestry. Another similar one has been re-used in the south porch of the transept and may have been the original south doorway.
14th Century
Early in the 14th century the west tower was added. It is of three diminishing stages with a plain parapet, with diagonal and square set buttresses to the ground stage only, and the tower arch is of two chamfered orders springing from moulded imposts.
The belfry windows are single pointed louvered lights and the west doorway is a simple pointed opening. Hutchins' editors (2nd edition: 1813) say "the west door has a pointed arch over it, four quatrefoils, in two compartments, with blank shields in the spandrils", but the latter part of this somewhat confused description may refer to the later west window above it. Late in the same century, a large north porch was added but it was subsequently converted to a vestry which, in turn, was adapted to its present form as a north chapel. Although so much altered, the east wall survives in situ and includes an original diagonal buttress and a wide, but shallow, plain pointed window. In the churchyard there is the stepped base of a 14th century cross and, shortly after the present shaft and cross head were added to it in 1925, the original buried cross was discovered and has been built into the west wall of the tower.
15th Century
During this period the two original small lancet windows in the north wall of the nave were replaced by larger two-light square headed windows, together with a third on the south side. This latter window does not now exist but is shown in the eastern part of the south wall of the nave, in an engraving of 1801. The octagonal font is also a 15th century feature and each of its sides is decorated by a sunken trefoiled panel. Late in the 15th century, the roofs of the nave and chancel were renewed in segmental pointed barrel form and still remain. That to the nave is somewhat higher, the junction being supported by an arch shaped timber beam springing from wall corbels with pendants. Both roofs are plastered and divided into panels by timber ribs with carved and painted bosses at the intersections.
The bosses over the chancel are all decorated with foliage and interlaced ornament, but those of the nave include additionally three linked rabbits or coneys, the five wounds of the passion and the crown of thorns, the sacred monogram IHS, a red rose and crowned initials ER. The latter two devices must, therefore, indicate that the roof was constructed during the reign of Edward IV (1461-83).
The 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries
Items from these centuries include the early 16th century west window with blind tracery, containing four blank shields under a square head; a bench seat with ends housed for a former back, carved with the date 1664 and three sets of initials IB, TC and AH; the 17th century communion table; a small oak table with a drawer, and the royal arms of George III (1760-1820).
The 19th Century
In 1841, the church was considerably enlarged by the addition of the south transept opening centrally off the nave and displacing a former south entrance porch. It is mainly of brick and the disposition of buttresses and windows, one of which has been blocked by a buttress, indicate subsequent alteration or strengthening. The ceiling matches that of the nave, with painted bosses, one dated 1841, and is skilfully connected to it in the form of a cross vault. A contemporary gallery with a straight front occupies almost half its area and an organ gallery at the west end of the nave, with a splayed front and supported on cast iron columns, is probably of similar date. The work of this period is likely to have included the conversion of the former north porch to a vestry, involving removal of the wall and replacement by the present braced beam to support the nave roof. The north window, together with a similar one of high level in the south wall of the transept, may have also formed part of this work. According to Kelly's directory the church was repaired in 1850 and 1865, the later involving more substantial work for which a faculty was obtained. It is dated 8 June 1865, the architect was T H Wyatt and the estimated cost of £125 was for repair and restoration of the walls, renewal of all seats in the nave, renewal of floors, removal of a partition between the former vestry and nave (to form a north chapel) and the addition of a new vestry on the south side of the chancel.
The 20th Century
Various works of this century have included the provision of a new shaft and cross to the mediaeval cross base in 1925, restoration of the tower in 1949, and internal redecoration in 1960, which included cleaning and repainting the roof bosses, one of which in the south transept depicts an open book with the date 1960. (Sadly this historic fact was painted out by the later decorators!) The church has remained structurally unchanged. However, it had to be closed in February 1997 for a period of just over two years to allow urgent restoration work to the roof and ceiling. Steel beams and trusses have been inserted into the roof space to take the strain off the existing roof timbers, new timbers have been installed replacing those that were badly decayed, all roof timbers were then treated to prevent further deterioration. General maintenance was carried out including upgrading the heating system and the removal of an old asbestos chimney flue. The cost of the project was £82,000 and the work was carried out by Ellis and Co from Shepton Mallet. 90% of this was paid for by grants from Beacon Environmental the balance being found by the parishioners. St Hubert's was reopened on 6th June 1999.
