Edington

Evidence of prehistoric activity includes a long barrow at Tinhead Hill.

The parish was part of the hundred of Whorwellsdown, and is believed to hold a place in English history, for it was probably here that King Alfred the Great won a decisive battle in 878 against the Danes at the Battle of Ethandun.

In the year 957 the Witenagemot, or King's Council, met at Edington

The Domesday Book of 1086 records a large settlement of 67 households, held by Romsey Abbey

In 1352, William of Edington, Bishop of Winchester founded a college for priests here and later became a monastery for the Augustinian Order of Bonshommes.

The entire Church of St Mary, Katherine and All Saints except for the porch was built between 1352 and 1361 and shows the transition from the flowing Decorated to the Perpendicular style. The porch is three-storied, the oak door is massive and the nave stretches for 75ft with six arches each side. There are some magnificent stained glass and the beautiful pink and white plasterwork added in the 17^th century makes this a church not too be missed.