About Us

St. Hubert’s is a Grade 1 Listed Building which dates from at least 1053. It is situated on a hillside and in the middle of a field in the attractive natural landscape of the Idsworth Valley within the South Downs National Park. The features of the building and its fittings are remarkably unspoilt and include important medieval wall paintings.

Services are held every Sunday at 9.30 am (unless advertised otherwise) and Morning Prayer is at 9.00 am on Fridays. Particular highlights of the year include a candlelit Midnight Mass at Christmas and a Dawn Vigil at Easter.

The church is open to visitors every day - 9 am to 6 pm from 1st April until 30th September and 9 am to 4 pm from 1st October to 31st March. Many people comment on its special quality of peace and tranquility.

St Hubert's has a regular congregation of about 20 who meet at 9.30 am on Sundays.  The usual pattern of worship is as follows:

1st Sunday of the month        9.30 am Mattins  (Book of Common Prayer)

2nd Sunday of the month       9.30 am Parish Communion

3rd Sunday of the month        9.30 am Mattins  (Book of Common Prayer)

4th Sunday of the month        9.30 am Morning Prayer (Common Worship)

5th Sunday of the month        9.30 am Parish Communion

Fridays  weekly                          9.00 am Morning Prayer

Please see the Benefice website  www.bcichurches.org.uk for seasonal and other occasional variations.

A programme of 'Quiet Evening Prayer' services and 'Mindful Drawing' is ongoing.  See Services & Events page.

     Share our quiet time.

     Take time to be observe and reflect.

     Be mindful in this quiet and spiritual place.

     Join in mindful drawing and meditation.

     Find balance and peace

St. Hubert’s is a Saxo-Norman church. The history of the present building goes back to at least 1053 when, in the last testament of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and as part of the Manor of Chalton, it was granted to his son, Harold Godwinson (later King Harold). However, archaeological evidence indicates that there may have been a much earlier stone structure on the site which would not be surprising given it is known that there has been human activity in the Idsworth Valley since prehistoric times.

The church is renowned for its beautiful simplicity and a distinctive feature is the legibility of its development over the centuries. The 11C nave has a small Norman window and a blocked Norman doorway and there is an incised medieval sundial on the exterior. The chancel was added in the 12C or 13C; the nave was widened on the south side in the early 16C and first evidence of the porch was in the 1860’s. The vestry and the organ gallery were added in 1912-1913 during a major restoration under the direction of the Architect H S Goodhart-Rendel when the intricate plaster ceiling in the chancel was also formed.

Among the historical features within the church are the medieval wall paintings which have been dated to the 1330’s and which are considered to be the most important series in a Hampshire church outside Winchester. Other notable features are a C14 octagonal font, a C17 pulpit and C18 canopy and C18 box pews. On the walls, there is a list of the Rectors of Chalton and Idsworth going back to 1305, a record of a meeting which was held in March 1795 to agree seating arrangements within the church and, on the inner face of the chancel arch, there is reference to repairing work having been undertaken in 1793 and 1824 with a painted Royal Coat of Arms of George III.

The church was originally dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul but the dedication was changed when the medieval wall paintings were discovered in the 1860’s and it was thought, then, that the upper panel referred to the life of St. Hubert. It is now considered that it depicts the life of St. John the Baptist with the addition of the medieval legend of the “Hairy Anchorite”.

A new fresco in 14th century style, was commissioned and painted in 2000 to celebrate the millennium. This depicts ‘Christ in Majesty’ together with images inspired by the vision of St Peter and also a rich variety of other symbols and contemporary images.

St. Hubert’s is beautiful, fascinating, peaceful and well worth a visit. There are leaflets about its history both in the church and in the dispenser alongside the gate at the bottom of the footpath and there is also a quiz for children to complete. We look forward to seeing you and to reading your comments in the visitors’ book.

Repair and Conservation

The PCC of St Hubert’s, Idsworth is bringing forward a four-phase programme of repair and conservation work to ensure that this lovely church is properly maintained for future generation to enjoy. For further details, please see the “Repair and Conservation” page of this website or pick up a leaflet at the church.