In the late fifteenth century the western chamber was added
to the nave as in our own day the south porch. The best treasure of the
church is, however, the great spoilt Rood, with figures of our Lady and
St John, upon the outside of the west wall of the Saxon nave, to
preserve which, in the fifteenth century, the western chamber was
built. The western chamber was originally in two stages, the lower
acting as a porch to the church, the upper as a chapel with an altar
under the Saxon rood. It is needless to say that the Reformers, Bishop
Horne of Winchester it is said, the accursed miscreant who ordered the
destruction of all crucifixes in his diocese, defaced this glorious
work of art and religion, cutting the relief away to the face of the
wall so that only the outline remains. Nevertheless it is still one of
the most imposing and notable things left to us in southern England.
Headbourne Worthy, granted to Mortimer after the Conquest, was the most
important of the three little places grouped here in a bunch which bear
that name. King's Worthy, where the road first turns eastward and where
the church, curiously enough, stands to the south of the way,
[Footnote: According to Mr Belloc (_The Old Road_) this modern road
does not exactly represent the route of the Pilgrim's Way which ran to
the south of King's Worthy church] was but a hamlet and of Martyr
Worthy, Domesday knows nothing.
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