The church of St Blaise was built in the 1230’s by Stephen de Haccombe , in thanks for his safe return from the Sixth Crusade. The bell in the bellcote is said to date to 1230. The church was enlarged about a century later, for the establishment of a college of six chantry priests (1335). The building was restored in the 19th century.
Most of the graffiti is on the limestone surround of the south door and the door itself, the sedilia, and on the limestone capital against the west wall.
The deeply carved graffiti on the sedilia includes a number of 17th century initials and dates. It is not known what the XXX in the main group signifies. It could alternatively be read as an interlocking W and M – a probable Marian mark. The reversed 4’s are interesting, but not that unusual. It is possible that these inscriptions represent memorials, but we do not know for sure.
On the south doorway, the inscription ‘I H 1230’ seems likely to be a reference to the founding and founder of the church, although the inscription was presumably made in a later period. The second initial may stand for Haccombe.
Also on the south doorway, the letter W seems likely to be a Marian mark. The ornate letter P is perhaps an initial, although lone letter P’s are not uncommon and it is suspected that they sometimes had another, protective, significance.