CROFTON OLD CHURCH

Saxon Times - Church on present site

1087 Domesday Book records church on present site called Holy Rood

1232 Church came under Titchfield Abbey

1331 Charter given to Elias De Charleton & his wife Benedicta church recorded as St Edmund's. Enlargements and repairs to Church

1534 Recorded as Holy Rood in Liber Regis (Kings Book)

1537 Abbey surrended to Henry VIII.

Church became Chapel of Ease to St Peter's Titchfield. Patron Thomas Wriothesley Earl of Southampton

1611 Meon Estuary closed off - allowing land to west of church to be drained.

1662 Samuel Pepys journeying from Gosport to Southampton said "He observed a little graveyard where the graves are accustomed to be sowed with sage"

1710 Bell inscribed "+++ John Pafford Churchwarden Clement Tosear cast mee year 1710"

1725 Thomas Missing rebuilt south transept for family pews and mausoleum

1812 Decalogue painted by John Smith

1841 R.H.C.Ubsdell Water Colour Painting showing south transept with a Dutch gable.

1848 It is reported that there was major restoration to the church

1866 Lectern Bible was given to mark major refurbishment in 1865.

1871 Crofton with Hill Head, Stubbington and Lee on the Solent became a separate Ecclesiastical Parish in the Diocese of Winchester

1878 New Holy Rood Church built in Stubbington. The old church was re-dedicated to St Edmund's

1923 Picture of St Edmund's was used for postcard to
Misses Funnell, "Woodcrofts", Stubbington, Nr Fareham Hants

1928 Lee on the Solent separated from Crofton etc parish. Crofton became a Parish in the newly formed Portsmouth Diocese

Circa 1960 Interior of St Edmund's in poor decorative state.
Heating was by small stove at entrance to North Transept

1963 Electricity installed. Overhead electrical heating installed

1970 Most of the pews replaced using pews not affected by the major fire in Holy Rood

1981 Crofton Old Church Appeal (COCA) as the PCC could not afford to repair the roof. Only 8 am BCP Holy Communion on first Sunday of Summer months

1982 Friends of Crofton Old Church (FOCOC) formed to raise
funds to maintain fabric and building, organise cleaning
and flowers and to foster interest in St Edmund's.

1985 First FOCOC Strawberry Fayre held on Lychgate Green (the last one was held in 2011)

1986 Hassock Scheme started.
Last Hassock made in 2000 to mark the Millennium.
Over 180 completed.

1988 Circular St Edmund Window installed at West End

1994 Major floor repairs carried out

1995 Services increased to 8 am BCP Holy Communion on first and third Sundays in each month

1997 Services increased to include 9.30 Morning Service on second and fourth Sundays in each month plus Holy Communion on fifth Sunday

1996- 2002 Repair work carried out on roof, windows and porch

2006 Toilet and Utility Extension added

2007 Wooden surround of West Window replaced by stone and Leper Squint opened up. 25th FOCOC Anniversary

2007-2008 Whole church roof stripped and refurbished

2012 Gas central heating installed

2013 North and south walls re-rendered