Pamber Priory is a parish church and former Benedictine Priory in the hamlet of Pamber End in the district of Basingstoke and Deane in north Hampshire. It is 4 miles N of Basingstoke and 10 miles SE of Newbury (Berkshire). What survives is the chancel and the crossing with its tower, but missing its transepts. The lower part of the S nave wall also stands for its entire length, but is overgrown with vegetation and wants its facing. The W crossing arch has been blocked and a small 16thc. doorway inserted in the centre, so that the former crossing now serves as a lobby and baptistery. On the S side, around the junction of nave and tower, are carved stones reset in the masonry; mainly vault ribs and tracery. There is a stair turret with a blocked opening at the NW angle of the crossing. The 6-bay chancel has been fitted with benches to serve as nave and chancel in one. The tower is broad and low with a pyramid roof, and dates from the 12thc., except for the roof with dormers, which is later. The chancel was rebuilt in the 13thc. Construction is of flint with red tiled roofs. Romanesque features recorded here are the crossing arches, the tower windows and a stoup or font that is no longer in use.

The Priory, formerly called Monk Sherborne, or West Sherborne Priory, was an alien priory founded by Henry de Port in the reign of Henry I. The foundation may have been c.1120-30, and there was a consecration in 1129 by William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester. It belonged to the Benedictine Abbey of Cerisy (now Cerisy-le-Foret (Manche)). Henry de Port's father, Hugh de Port held the manor in 1086 from Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, when it was assessed at 10½ hides and half a virgate. After the suppression of the alien priories Sherborne was given to Eton College by Henry VI on condition that they maintained a chaplain there and said prayers for the founders. However in Edward IV's reign there were complaints that Eton had not only failed to supply a chaplain, but that they had carried off precious church treasures from the priory and discontinued the saying of prayers for the founders. As a result, the priory was taken away from Eton and given to the Hospital of St Julian, Southampton. This was already held by Queen's College Oxford, and so the college gained the possessions of the priory too. In 1564 the inhabitants of Monk Serbourne complained that Queen's College had failed to provide a minister. The resulting lawsuit allowed the people of Pamber to use the former priory church by permission of Queen's College, and to use its tithes to provide a priest, although the church itself is annexed to Monk Sherboune church for ecclesiastical purposes.

After the Dissolution the nave was demolished (except for the lower part of the S wall) and the W crossing arch blocked so that the chancel and crossing could be used by parishioners, The insertion of a 16thc, doorway in the blocking suggests that this took place at that time. The remaining parts of the church were restored in 1847 by G. G. Scott and in 1936 by T. D. Atkinson, both restorations paid for by Queen's College. In 1936 the screen was moved to its present position under the E crossing arch, a new vestry and organ were provided, and the coffin slabs were relocated.

Keyser describes (p.182) and illustrates (Fig.12) 'a large stone mortar, or perhaps the Norman font with massive circular bowl having curious strips attached to the north and south, and a lip or bracket projecting from the rim on the east and west sides.' This is not the item described here as a stoup, and was not found during our visit. We are grateful to David Cullum who helpfully arranged access to the site and shared his knowledge of Pamber with us,