All Saints' Church, Botley

The Church Building

• was consecrated in 1836 and is situated on the main road (A334) about 200 yards from the Market Square
• is open during the day for private prayer and visitors who may also wish to see the small exhibition maintained by the Hampshire County Library Service
• seats 200 in pews plus 50 on chairs
• is part of the local Heritage Trail
• has a small prayer board for prayer requests
• has 6 bells rung by a dedicated team of bell ringers (who are not part of the congregation)
• has a Church Room which is well used by church groups including Flutterbies, Make a Joyful Noise and Sevenfortyfive and by other groups including Bumps and Babes and Jiggy Wrigglers
• has a four-year-old two storey extension comprising an entrance lobby, foyer, the parish administrator's office, a kitchen, storage and toilets plus an upstairs meeting room, the Maffey Room, accessible by lift.

The Foyer

The foyer is used for a variety of events and meetings during the week including Café Chat, Book Circle, Reading Group, a Hampshire County Council 'satellite' unattended library open to the public, Simply Prayer, Home group, Women's Institute Reading Group, Mother's Union, Lent knitting, Stitchers and Church coffee mornings.

The Maffey Room

The Maffey Room is used for a variety of events and meetings during the week including choir and music group rehearsals and practice, computer lessons with computers provided by Hampshire County Council, and internet sessions.

Church Music; there is

• a Musical Director
• a choir of 20, including children
• a music group and instrumental soloists who play in some services
• a very popular and well attended annual programme of concerts.

The Parish Office

Located in the foyer of All Saints, is open Monday-Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 12.30pm.
It is also open on Monday evenings from 6 to 7.30pm for wedding and baptism bookings and enquiries.

The Parish Magazine

Entitled the Botley Bridge, is published monthly at a cost of 60p per issue. It can be delivered to your home or found in the church foyer and as well as highlighting village events for the coming month, it has a comprehensive list of our services and a wide range of interesting articles about village life. The parish magazine has a circulation of about 700 copies per month

If you would like to
• subscribe annually to the Botley Bridge, at just £6.00 for the year, offering 2 free issues and payable usually in January
• advertise your business in the magazine
• submit an article for publication
please contact Beverley in the office.

The Village

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 general store and post office, a chemist, florist, butcher and several specialist shops. There are four pubs, a choice of restaurants and a British Legion Club. 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, a flourishing W.I. group and Brownies, Cubs and Guides meet at the Scout Hut. There is a community mini-bus. There is a choice of pre-schools and a “Hop-a-Long Centre” at Botley Primary. 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 Manor Farm 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 The Hampshire Farm Museum.

Botley Primary School is Church of England Controlled and has an envious reputation backed by a recent “Outstanding” Ofsted Report and there is the private primary school, Woodhills, whose pupils also attend a Carol Service at All Saints’. Christmas sees the church’s involvement with the wider community with carols being sung at The Bugle Pub and in The Square.