Tour of the Church

Begin at the west end of the church entering the porch under the tower by the Early English pointed west door probably reused as the tower is largely fifteenth century. Above the door notice the remains of the ancient preaching cross which was found in the churchyard in 1915 and which has now been inserted into the western wall of the church.

Taking the eye further upwards, notice the fine perpendicular window, lighting the ringing chamber above the porch. This has four blank shields in its spandrels.

The Nave

As you go through the inner door you will enter the nave under the organ gallery, supported on six twisted cast iron columns without caps. This gallery was strengthened and largely rebuilt in 1886. The nave is probably fourteenth century.

As you proceed towards the crossing you will notice on the north side the font (possibly thirteenth century) which stands on a single step. The octagonal bowl of purbeck marble is ornamented on each face with two trefoil arched niches, its underpart moulded to unite on a plain stem on a moulded base. It has theremains of iron fastenings by means of which its lost cover was locked against the theft of the holy water by witches.

Beyond the font on the north-east corner between the north chapel and the chancel is the oak pulpit of 1865 given by Mr. St John Coventry.

The North Chapel

The north chapel itself was once a porch, and then a vestry before being converted into a chapel during the reordering of 1865. This chapel contains two stained glass windows as well as a number of monuments. The first depicting St. Hubert and St. George is a memorial to those who died in both the 1914-18 and 1939-45 wars. This was dedicated on February 4th 1951.

The other window, depicting Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is dedicated to the memory of James Craik, Lieutenant Colonel, who died on 2nd July 1942 and to Margaret Elizabeth Thompson his daughter who died on 6th June 1947.

There are also memorials in this part of the church One in memory of St. John Coventry RN of the Knoll (1828-71), of Mary Elizabeth his wife (1841-1919) and of George Soltau-Symons, Mary's second husband (1831-1916) was erected in memory of their parents and step father by St. John Halford Coventry and Mary Louise Parke.

Another commemorates Henry John Mills, Captain of the 6th Iniskilling Dragoon Guards, who was a worshipper at the church for 39 years before his death at the Knoll in 1923.

A plaque on the back bench, in memory of Lucy Stevens, a Sunday School teacher who was laid to rest on November 15th 1933, testifies to the fact that this part of the church used to serve as a Children's Corner.

It now houses the Memorial Book given by Kitty Stone and Cyril House.

The South Transept

Opposite the north chapel is the nineteenth century brick built south transept also with a gallery although this one is supported on plain columns.

This gallery sports three shields on its face. These are the Coats of Arms of the County of Dorset, the Diocese of Salisbury and the See of Canterbury.

On the eastern side there is a Table of the Rectors of Sturminster Marshall with Corfe Mullen listed since 1162. Below it is a memorial to Sergeant Perry Horace James Ellis, a bellringer at the church between 1911 and 1913, presumed dead as a prisoner of war in Turkey in 1917.

On the south wall is a painting of the stag with a cross between its antlers, which is reputed to have appeared to St. Hubert. The painting is by Debbie Poynton. Finally on the west wall of the south transept is a copy of the Virgin and Child by Bartilomeo Esteban Murillo.

Choir and Chancel

This is undoubtedly the oldest part of the church, probably dating from the thirteenth century. The chancel is divided from the choir internally by a timber arch cased in plaster and springing from round corbels in the walls each side and externally by an upstand of the choir roof which is about two feet higher than the chancel roof. A step in the floor corresponds approximately with the chancel roof above it. In the choir stand the Glastonbury Chair and reading Desk both of 1865. There is also a Royal Coat of Arms of George Ill.

Special mention needs to be made in this part of the church of the wagon roof, divided into compartments by moulded ribs with carved bosses at the intersections. This form of roof was also copied in the south transept. In the choir and chancel the ceiling contains a number of fine bosses some of them probably much older than the roof itself. Amongst these, on the north side, is a representation of the Passion carved with a Crown of Thorns together with a pierced heart, with top and bottom the wounded hands and feet of Christ.

It has been suggested that this might even be Saxon in origin - it is certainly very old - much older than the roof of which it now forms a part. Next to this boss is one depicting the Victory of Christ where the thorn is shown in full blossom.

There is also a boss showing three rabbits with three ears between them, yet each rabbit still possessing two ears. This is a common medieval symbol of the Trinity. Until cleaning and repainting in 1979 the bosses were virtually indistinguishable but they have now been restored to their former glory.

Beyond the choir but before the communion rails there are two Victorian painted glass windows one on the north side representing Mary at the Lord's feet and the other on the south side the Good Shepherd.

The first of these was presented by the parish in 1878 in memory of Mrs. R. W. Plumptre and executed by Messrs. Lawes, Barnard and Westlake of Bloomsbury. The second was given in memory of the Plumptre's infant daughter Amy Annabella Plumptre who died in 1864. It was designed "by the infant's aunt" Mrs. Murray Cookesley and executed by Heaton, Butler and Co. of Covent Garden.

Moving to the chancel proper note the brass communion rails depicting the stag of St. Hubert which were given in memory of Emma Sara Gloster who was born on August 14th 1842 and who died on October 2nd 1909.

Of the memorials the oldest in the chancel and in the church as a whole is the brass set into the north wall of the chancel. This commemorates Richard Birt and Alicia his wife who died on 25th February 1437. This has been lifted from the floor of the chancel in front of the altar. Other memorials in the chancel include lists of those who died in the Two World Wars and also a memorial to the Powlett Lane family of Glendon, another large house in the parish.

In the chancel there are also two fine stained glass windows. Behind the altar is a window depicting the Ascension with Christ in the central light flanked by his mother and the apostles. The inscription reads "And while they beheld he was taken up". This is dated August 1893 and was given in memory of Fanny Susanna Plumptre.

Finally on the north side of the chancel is a window in memory of Sybil Margaret Craik (1923-52).

New Toilet Extension

The long awaited extension to the old Parish Room providing a disabled toilet, foyer and kitchenette is now completed. This has been made possible largely thanks to a legacy left to the Parish by Betty Bailey. The Friends have contributed both funds and manpower and our thanks go to Barry Wilcox who has over-seen the work spending many hours down at the church and to Norman Wall for his painting skills.

New Notice Board

The new notice board given in loving memory of Derek Gardner by his wife, Mary, is a very welcome addition to our church. It is a beautiful wooden structure with a place to pin our own notices. Thank you, Mary and your family. Their son, Charles Gardner, is the artist who painted the picture of St Hubert's Church on our home page.

Careful examination of the southern wall of the chancel will also reveal the outline of the ancient "priest's door" which once led from the chancel into the churchyard. This was blocked up when the vestry was added to the south wall in 1865. Its original outer face is now a cupboard in the vestry.