The Arle Valley Benefice : History of St. Mary's

History of St. Mary's

St Mary the Virgin Church, Old The present Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Old Alresford, constructed of brick and flint dates from the 18th century. The Church appears in the Doomsday census and there is much to suggest that there was a place of worship on the site from the 9th century.

As the living was well endowed and in the gift of the Bishop of Winchester there have been many historically interesting Rectors, among them:- Revd. Peter Heylin, appointed 1637 who was also Chaplain to King Charles I: Dr. John Hoadley, appointed in 1737, was instrumental in the building of the present Church: Revd. Francis North, appointed in 1797 who became notorious after becoming Master of St. Cross, a position he abused, and it is said the Trollope’s book ‘The Warden’ was based on the happenings there. Revd. George Sumner came in 1850 and his wife Mary founded the Mothers’ Union here. It is now a world wide organisation with over 4 million members.

Click here for more information about the history of The Mothers' Union.

The Church was declared to be of special architectural and historic interest in 1956 and was listed grade II*.
St Mary the Virgin Church, Old
In 2004 the Parish joined the Benefice with All Saints, Bighton, St. Peter’s Ovington and St. John’s, New Alresford.

Further information on the History of the St. Mary’s can be found in a leaflet on sale at the Church.

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here

Planning your Visit

New to Church?

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Here is some information about our benefice and its constituent churches, designed for those who are new to our community.

What is The Arle Valley Benefice? We are four Church of England churches, serving the town of New Alresford and the villages of Old Alresford, Ovington and Bighton.

What is your vision and mission?

Our Vision
Rooted in God
Inspiring Community
Engaging Through Love

Our Mission
We seek to be a welcoming, thriving and growing Christian family, working to discern God’s vision for us whilst witnessing to, and living out, Christ’s message in our community with a relevance that resonates in the 21st Century.

Individual Churches
Where are benefice churches located?
St. John the Baptist is the main Anglican church for New Alresford
St. Mary the Virgin Church is in the village of Old Alresford
St. Peter's is in the village of Ovington
All Saints is a church in the village of Bighton

How do I find out more about each church?

The webpage of each church has sections on:

About us: the identity and values of each church
Services: detailing service times and worship styles

Do any of the churches have mid-week events or study groups?
We offer many groups for fellowship and spiritual growth, including social events, bell ringing, prayer groups, and more. See our Benefice Groups & Activities.

Is there a welcome or newcomers’ program?
Each church has its own system of making newcomers welcome.

Do I need to be a member to attend services regularly?
Not at all. All are welcome to attend any service.

General Enquiries

Who can I contact if I have further questions?
Please email the Parish Administrator, Penny Forbes on 01962 733545 or email the office.

How can I keep updated on events and services across the benefice?
Visit the What's On page on this website or subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter.