Or have you even noticed it in the corner there?

At the beginning of January there was an article in the Echo about the proposed restoration of St Mary’s.

Shortly after, I received this letter:

Dear Rev Philbrick, Reading the item regarding St Mary's South Stoneham Church in the "Southern Daily Echo" on Saturday last, reminded my wife and I that we have not informed you about the Shepherd's Crook that we hope is still in the chancel of the church.

We have spoken many times concerning advising someone at the church of it's history, and at last we are doing something about it.

It belonged to a William Lawrence who was a shepherd on an estate at West Woodhay, Berkshire, and he was my wife's great grandfather.

After his death his daughter Ellen, who was living at Swaythling at this time, took possession of the crook, and at some time she gave the crook to the church.

William and his wife Anne nee Stinton, grew up in Cambridgeshire, and were married at the parish church at Balsham on 15 October 1853.

At some stage after their marriage they moved to West Woodhay.

Incidentally my wife Mary and I were married in South Stoneham Church on Whit Saturday 8 June 1957, and we were the first couple to hold our reception in the recently completed church hall.

We hope this may be of interest to you.

Yours sincerely Mary & Merv Blake

Since receiving the letter, a little further research has revealed that the crook was probably given to the Church after Ellen died in 1950.

If you look carefully, the initials EM (Ellen Matthews, presumably) are incised, along with her dates, 1868-1950.

It appears the crook was given in memory of her, Does anyone remember anything else about it?