Christchurch Priory

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There are two medieval legends surrounding Christchurch Priory.

In the first, the inference is that Jesus Christ personally took a hand in her construction:

A vital beam had been cut too short. A mysterious carpenter laboured deep into the night to rectify the fault while others around him slept. In the morning the beam was not only fixed but also was in place. The mysterious carpenter was never seen again.

The other legend involves the selection of the site of Christchurch Priory by divine intervention:

According to the legend the build was started on faraway St. Catherines Hill, but the foundation stones weighing many tons, kept being moved to the Christchurch site while the builders slept. In the end the builders relented and built the Priory where it is today.

Fanciful imaginings of simple folk. Maybe. But nobody can doubt the sheer skill and dedication of these far away people. Perhaps with our sneering skepticism we lack something they kept close and held as precious. Look at the walls of the Priory. You will see a patchwork quilt of masonary where bits have been changed and carefully repaired over almost a millenia. Internally this is a place to be experienced with other people, and also, as a silent solitary pilgrimage.
Externally it requires time and observation to appreciate its scale. Marvel at the dedication and skill of folk who had but the simplest tools.

This was a holy place before 800AD. The Priory was built under the direction of the Normans in and around 1094, which makes this magnificent church just short of one thousand years old. Today it is is the longest parish church in England.

The main entrance is just to the left of the West Tower, (which is prominent in the last photogragh). The huge Oak doors lead you though into rear of the church near the Bapistry.

A view of the Eastern end of the Christchurch Priory, which contains the Lady Chapel. We can thank the brave people of the late 16th century that we still have this place. Henry VIII wanted to tear it down. Unusually, he amended the destruction order after the local folk petitioned him to save the Priory.

Peaking through the trees, the massive form of the West Tower looms over the car park. Find a space through the trees. From here you can look down the South side of the Priory and get a feel of its size.

As you walk along the outside of the Northern wall, from the West Tower up towards the Lady Chapel, look at the masonary. A thousand years of changes, modifications and repairs can be seen

The Priory is an active church and is open to the public. The official site http://www.christchurchpriory.org has a virtual tour of this wonderful church. The official website also has details of services and a host of activities associated with this C of E church.