Southwick Priory

The foundation charter gave to the canons the church of Portchester, timber for fencing, building and fuel, common pasture in the wood of Hingsdon; the large manor of Candover; and a hide of land in 'each of' Southwick and Applestead.

In 1538, shortly before the suppression, John Husee, a solicitor and servant of the Lisle family, wrote to Lord Lisle that Pilgrimage saints goeth down apace as Our Lady of Southwick, the Blood of Hales, St. Saviour's and others.

But one of the canons, James Gunwyn, wrote to Thomas Cromwell on 20 January 1536 claiming: We are bound by the will of William Wykeham to have daily five masses in our church, which have not been said for more than forty years.

I send you this information in discharge of my oath of obedience, and would have done it earlier if I could have had a trusty messenger, for if my master knew of my writing he would convey away the plate, money and jewels in his keeping.A letter to Lord Lisle of 16 March 1538 stated that the priory was to be suppressed, and that 'Our Lady of Southwick' was taken down.

The priory came into the possession of John White, a servant of Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton.

[8][9] The church of St Mary at Portchester survives, inside the Roman wall of Porchester Castle, returned to parochial use.

No trace of the conventual buildings survive above ground except for some drain openings and the marks of the abutment of the cloister against the south wall of the nave.