According to the Domesday Book there was a church at Essessetun “as it had been at the time of King Edward”
Whether Edward the Elder (901 – 25) or Edward the Martyr (975 – 79) is unclear. However King Edmund granted his “Thegn” Ethelgeard 12 manae at “East Seaxnatune” on the River Meon in 9401 so the Elder Edward is the more likely.
The chancel piscina and the easternmost window in the north wall of the nave date from about 1230. The three other Windows in the north wall of the nave show signs of 15C. and 16C. masonry. From a glance at the stone and flint bonding on the outside walls it ·will be seen that much has been added and subsequently repaired down the centuries. The first known Incumbent was Clement, appointed in 1310.
In essence this is an early English two-cell church with later additions as set out below. Of peculiar interest is the unusual alignment of the Chancel and the Nave. As seen from the Navel the Chancel inclines to the right. ‘Weeping’ Naves do exist, supposedly representing Christ’s head the Cross, but they usually incline to the left.
In 1805, the then Rector wrote that church was thoroughly repaired with new seating and paving. The following year he had a Gallery at the west end erected at his expense, which was later extended across the Church by the Rector and Sir Thomas Champneys.
In 1834 the new Rector gave the Organ to Parish. Twelve years later the Church had to be closed for a whole year and largely rebuilt1 costing nearly £1500, paid for by Mrs Mary Touchett, of The Grove, and her niece. A keen eye can detect the newer parts: the Chancel and its timber roof, the Vestry, most buttresses and various ‘patchings’ in the Nave walls. The timber clad shingle roofed bell tower was erected and a 13C. style font installed. The flat plaster ceiling of the nave was removed to expose the old timbers. The 40 year old gallery was also taken down.
By 1892, dry rot had damaged woodwork so badly that much of the flooring and seating had to replaced. On completion a new (replacement) Organ was fitted in the Chancel at a cost of £134.
The Chancel acquired a screen in 1918. It is said to have contained wood salvaged from the Great Fire of London in 1666. But this did not last long either! The wood rotted and it was taken down after WWII. There have been several minor works since.
At some time after the school was built c. 1870, the two cottages on Church lane were taken down, the path to the porch moved to its present alignment and the Churchyard enlarged. This explains why all the older graves on the south side of the Church are dose to the porch.
The iron gates to the Churchyard were erected by Miss Violet Hasler of Exton Cottage as a memorial to her mother in 1914. She also planted fir trees along the path to the porch. These had to be felled in the 1970s. New saplings were planted between the stumps, which are still there.
In 1928, after 386 years in the Diocese of Winchester, the Church was transferred to the new Diocese of Portsmouth. On the death of the Rector in 1952, the Church was joined to Corhampton and Meonstoke, and in 1978 with Droxford as well.
The 750th Anniversary of the founding of the Church was celebrated in 1980.
The organ was out of commission for a year 1998/9, being taken down, thoroughly overhauled, rebuilt, re-tuned and re-installed in the same position.
For the year 2000 the Church received a new notice board from an anonymous donor by the churchyard gates