The Church Gardens are just off the Quomps between Mill Place and the Castle Walk a small garden that follows the run of the Mill Stream leading the unsuspecting
to the rear of the Priory and the Castle. Priory House sits behind the
walks of the garden and although only occasionally open to the public is
a house of history. Built in around 1776 on the site of the monastic ruins
by former Governor of the Bank of England fellow of the Royal Society and
Trustee of the British Museum, Gustavuis Bander, 1720 - 1737 who was also
Lord Major of Christchurch. In his Will he provided for the first organ
for the Priory.
More recently a competition was held to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the building of the Priory, 1094 - 1994. The result of that competition was the sculpture that resides to the centre of the gardens. Jonathan Sells created the sculpture which like it or not has its own effect on all that take the time to have a closer look at it.
The gardens are a quite place to sit and allow the world to pass you by.
