Education Acts nor Government requirements, and the
buildings would be deemed entirely unfit at this time even for the
numbers who then used them, and who did not amount to more than between
thirty and forty boys and fifty or sixty girls and infants, together
about a third of the present numbers at school in Otterbourne and
Allbrook. Miss Tucker was then the mistress; Master Oxford still the
master.

The Church was consecrated on the 30th of July, 1839, by Bishop Sumner,
who preached a sermon on the text, "No man careth for my soul," warning
us that we could not plead such an excuse for ourselves, if we neglected
to walk in the right way.

One of the earliest funerals in the churchyard was that of good old
Oxford, old, as he was called, because he was crippled by rheumatism, but
he was only fifty-two. He lies buried near the south gate of the
churchyard under a large slate recording his name.

He was followed in his office by Mr. William Stainer, who had hitherto
been known as a baker, living in the house which is now Mr. James
Godwin's. His bread was excellent, and he was also noted for what were
called Otterbourne buns, the art of making which seems to have gone with
him. They were small fair-complexioned buns, which stuck together in
parties of three, and when soaked, expanded to twice or three times their
former size. He used to send them once or twice a week to Winchester.
But though baking was his profession, he did much besides. He was a real
old-fashioned herbalist, and had a curious book on the virtues of plants,
and he made decoctions of many kinds, which he administered to those in
want of medicine. Before the Poor Law provided Union doctors, medical
advice, except at the hospital, was almost out of reach of the poor. Mr.
and Mrs. Yonge, like almost all other beneficent gentlefolks in villages,
kept a medicine chest and book, and doctored such cases as they could
venture on, and Mr. Stainer was in great favour as practitioner, as many
of our elder people can remember. He was exceedingly charitable and
kind, and ready to give his help so far as he could. He was a great
lover of flowers, and had contrived a sort of little greenhouse over the
great oven at the back of his house, and there he used to bring up lovely
geraniums and other flowers, which he sometimes sold. He was a deeply
religious and devout man, and during Master Oxford's illness took his
place in Church, which was more important when