All Saints' Church,
Botley
All Saints' Church is located on the High Street of Botley, a picturesque market town in Hampshire. The rector is Rev'd Gregg Mensingh, supported by a team including an Assistant Priest, Lay Minister, Music Director, Treasurer and Church Wardens along with retired clergy who take some services. The Parochial Church Council (PCC) oversees the management of the church, and our Parish Administrator ensures the daily running of the church.
Set back from the main road, with a front churchyard, war memorial and a large rear churchyard, All Saints' Church provides a peaceful and beautiful setting for weddings, funerals, baptisms, or a place to spend some quiet time and reflection.
Church History
Consecrated in 1836, the church building has some stunning historic features, and modern extension comprising the Church office, foyer/ reception area, library, kitchen and a function room which is used by local groups and businesses for meetings and events, and is available to hire. By night, the stained glass cross window is illuminated, thanks to monthly donations and dedications. You can sponsor the cross window for a month by contacting us with details of your dedication and donation amount.
Church Yard
All Saints’ has an extensive churchyard including some Commonwealth war graves with a small area which is the parish cemetery. We welcome visitors to our churchyard for quiet reflection and contemplation. If you wish to locate a grave details of the layout of the churchyard can be obtained from the Church Office.
Church Facilities
All Saints' Church hosts a number of regular groups and activities including choir, recorder group, knitting group, reading groups, weekly Café Chat, coffee mornings, school days, Messy Church.
The building has a modern two-storey extension suitable for disabled access comprising an entrance lobby, foyer, the Church office, a kitchen, storage and toilets plus an upstairs meeting room, the Maffey Room, accessible by stairs and lift. The ground floor toilets include an easy access toilet with baby changing facilities.
The Foyer
The foyer is used for a variety of events and meetings during the week including Café Chat, Book Circle, Reading Group, Lent knitting, BCD Stitchers and Church coffee mornings, an unattended library open to the public, Lent knitting, BCD Stitchers and Church coffee mornings. This area with its adjoining kitchen is available to hire for wakes and other events.
The Maffey Room
The Maffey Room is where our choir and music groups rehearse as well as being used for meetings and prayer groups. This room is available to hire for workshops and meetings and can comfortably hold 30 participants.
Find Us
The Church Building location is SO30 2EA. There is a free public car park close to the church in Mortimer Road. Visitors with disabilities or deliveries can park in front of the church building, although space here is limited.
The parish encompasses areas of housing developments and more rural dwellings centred on a thriving market village in the upper reaches of the Hamble River valley. There is a population of some 5,100 people and about 2,207 dwellings. The village square and part of the High Street forms a conservation area including the Parish Church. Botley is twinned with St Jean Brevelay in Brittany.
There is a wide range of local businesses within the parish and the range of local shops includes a Co-op and post office, a chemist, and several specialist shops in the High Street, along with Botley Mills. There are three pubs, 2 micro-breweries and tap bars, and a choice of restaurants. Local organisations include the highly respected Botley Choral Society (many members are also in All Saints’ Choir), Over 60’s Club, a popular Garden Club. There is a community mini-bus. The local venues are the Botley Centre and the Market Hall as well as the extension on All Saints’ Church. There are pitches for 5-a-side and full-sized football, for cricket and there is a pavilion and a children’s play area at Botley Recreation Ground. In the south of the parish is the 400 acre River Hamble Country Park, which offers walks through fields and woodland down to and along the banks of the River Hamble and this park is host to Manor Farm, a museum that mixes modern farming with life on a Victorian farm.