Photograph of the Church of St John the Bapist, Itchen Abbas
Taken about 1870
The Victorian era witnessed much church restoration, both interior and exterior, and Itchen Abbas is an example of the complete rebuilding of an older church (in this case Norman) which was considered both structurally unsafe and too small for the needs of the parish.
The original Norman chancel and porch arches were incorporated into the new building, which also adopted the romanesque cruciform plan and style. The church was consecrated in 1863 although building work continued into the 1880s. The knapped flint work is typical of this part of Hampshire.
The photograph was taken by Winchester photographer William Savage (1817-87) and is found in an album entitled 'Hampshire Views of Churches, Country Houses and Public Buildings'.
