Tichborne Day walk 13th April 2016

Denis's walk from Cheriton recreation field car park to Tichborne Arms. Very pleasant walk over beautiful Hampshire countryside with clear chalk streams filled with trout. Very warm day and Tichborne Church was as special as ever. Lunch in the garden of the Tichborne Arms was delightful. Thanks to Marian and Jane for additional photos.

The Church of England church of St Andrew also contains the private Roman Catholic Chapel of the Tichborne family.

There is much to be written about the Tichborne family which must rank amongst the great families of Hampshire. They can claim a heritage that is documented as far back as the C12th. All through the Reformation, the Tichborne family clung to their Roman Catholic faith. So did many others and were persecuted for it. Any hint of Catholicism in parish churches was removed and that is why the Tichborne Family Chapel is an extraordinary thing. The chapel is a rare Roman Catholic chapel inside a pre-Reformation church. It’s survival is incredible and there are only another two in England.

To survive the Reformation, the family must have been in high favour with their monarch. Sir Benjamin Tichborne, High Sheriff of Hampshire 1579 – 1580 showed great loyalty to his monarchs and was granted a concession in 1621 by King James I, in appreciation of Sir Benjamin’s help in securing Hampshire for the king at his accession in 1603. Thanks to www.hampshire-history.com for this information.