This is, we believe, one of our oldest photographs of Froyle and it is thought to have been taken somewhen around the mid 1860s - possibly at the same time as the Miller family photographs (see Families). As we hold the survey of monumental inscriptions of the Churchyard, some detective work might reveal the date of the grave under construction in the centre of the picture. A look at our plan of the graves, which was surveyed in 1983, shows burials around 1874 in this area.

This later picture shows how close Froyle Place is to the Church. The present Froyle Place was built in 1558, but there was a Church at FROLI (mentioned in the Domesday Book) in 1086.The present Church was built between 1300 and 1350, consisting of a chancel, nave and steeple. It was held by the nuns of St.Mary’s Abbey, Winchester, until 1540. They also held Liss, Leckford, Timsbury and Ovington. This probably accounts for “St.Mary’s Church” which must have been built on the site of an even earlier Church, for there was a Vicar at Froyle in 1274.

This photograph, by Alton photographer Varney, dates from about 1910 and shows St. Mary’s in its setting in Upper Froyle. The railings on the right belong to the vicarage - now “St.Paul’s”, a private house.

Back