St Leonard, Hartley Mauditt, Hampshire

This church lies a few miles south of Alton and is very much in the middle of the area of my story! In real life, it was built between 1100 and 1125 by William Mauditt, of whom there were a number and who held the manor of Hartley and for a time, that of Shalden. The family eventually became Earls Of Warwick and were also Rangers Of Alice Holt Forest which in Medieval times was a Royal Forest, set aside for hunting.

Although the population of Hartley Mauditt is 80, there is nothing here except for the church and the pond - more a small lake, opposite. There was a village and a manor house, but both have vanished, leaving little trace above ground except for a few lumps and bumps. The church was well restored in the 19th Century when the stone bell turret was replaced by the shingled one. There are still some Norman windows and the Chancel Arch is of this date. The church is regularly used during the Summer months, but is in urgent need of repair due to damp from below and the roof. An appeal has been launched and the work to be done also includes investigation of possible wall paintings.

In story land, this place is one of the two manors that Hawise holds and her manor house is behind the church. It is in a vault at this church that the murdered PE teacher is buried! The Police are unable to find a body and assume murder on the grounds of sexual motivation (she was lesbian!), but this is very definately not the case. However, Hawise in the 21st Century has her suspicions as to where the body is........