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HAMPSHIRE. 



HAMPSHIRE. 



181 



chalk hills, having between them low bottoms, with no ready outlet 

 for the water, which has produced marshes and peat-bogs. In such 

 places the nature of the soil has a great effect on the climate. The 

 northern part of the county, where it borders on Berkshire and Surrey, 

 consists chiefly of the poor dark sand, mixed with an oohery loam, 

 which is well known as the Bagshot-heath soil. The whole of this 

 part of the county is naturally very unproductive. Much of it how- 

 ever, which was covered with heath and lay in common, has been 

 inclosed and divided. Some of it has been brought into cultivation at a 

 great expense, and a considerable portion has been planted with fir-trees. 



South of this district, as far as Winchester and a few miles beyond 

 it, the chalk prevails. The soil which lies over this chalk varies in 

 depth, and, where it is sufficiently deep, produces good crops of 

 barley, wheat, and oata. Where the soil is thin and very near the 

 chalk, it is scarcely fitted for the plough, but remains in the state of 

 down ; and the natural grasses which grow there, when kept closely 

 cropped by sheep, are sweet, and make the best sheep pastures. In 

 the valleys and along the lower slopes of the chalk-bills the soil is of a 

 tough, tenacious nature, being a mixture of stiff clay and of chalk 

 washed down the hills by the rains. On the eastern side of the county 

 bordering on Surrey and Sussex, is a small tract of land, which is 

 provincially called malmy land, forming the Vale of Peterafield. It 

 has a gray, tender, sandy soil of some depth, lying on a soft sandstone, 

 which is almost impervious to water. 



In October 1 853 the extent of arable land in the county waa returned 

 at 603,219 acres ; of which 96,228 grew wheat ; 62,331, barley ; 57,075, 

 oats; 1907, rye; 14,097, peas and beans; 2801, potatoes; 83,8i7, 

 turnip or rape ; 100,114. clover, lucerne, 4c. ; and 123,520 acres were 

 meadow and pasture. The woods and plantations covered an extent of 

 105,839 acres. The wastes and commons amoimted to 89,630 acres. 



There are no breeds of cattle, horses, or sheep, peculiar to Hamp- 

 shire, unless it be the small New Forest ponies. The sheep are — -the 

 common small forest breed, or heath-sheep ; the Dorset and Leicester 

 sheep, in the richer meadows ; and the South Down, on the chalky 

 hills. Hampshire has long been famous for the curing of bacon ; yet 

 the native breed of pigs in this cotmty is by no means remarkable for 

 its qualities. Improved breeds are produced by crosses of the Berk- 

 shire, the Suffolk, Essex, and Chinese pigs. The reputation of the 

 Hampshire bacon is owing entirely to the care with which it is cured. 

 In October 1 853 there were in the county 24,076 horses, 1 9,350 milch 

 cows, and 13,148 other cattle. The number of sheep and lambs was 

 489,227, and of swine 01,860. 



IHvituyiu, Totem, <tc. — The most ancient division of the county is 

 into hundreds, of which there were 60 at the time of the Domesday 

 Survey. There are now 89 hundreds, besides the city of Winchester 

 with the liberty of Soke, the borough of Portsmouth with the district 

 of Portsea and Portsea Quildable, the town and county of Southamp- 

 ton, and 11 liberties, including the liberties of East and West Medina 

 in the Isle of Wight. From the great number of the hundreds and - 

 liberties they have been arranged in 'divisions' for administrative 

 purposes. These divisions with their situation in the county and 

 included mbdivisions, are as follows : — 



1. Alton, east, contains the hundreds of Alton, Bishop's Sutton, and 

 Selbome, and the liberty of Alresford. 2. Andovcr Division, west, 

 contains Andover, Barton Stacey, Pastrow (upper half), Thomgate 

 (upper half), and AVherwell. 3. Basingstoke Division, north-east, 

 contains Basingstoke, Bermondspit, Holdshott (lower half), and the 

 town of Basingstoke. 4. Droxford Division, south-east, contains 

 Bishop's Waltbam, Hambledon, and Heonstoke. 6. Fareham Divi- 

 sioD, south, contains Bosmere, Fareham, Havant, Portsdown, and 

 Titchfield, and the liberty of Alverstoke and Gosport. 8. Kiogsclere 

 Division, north, contains Chuteley, Evingar, Kingsolere, Overton, and 

 Pastrow (lower half). 7. Lymin^ton Division, south-west, contains 

 Christchurch (upper half). New Forest (upper half), and the borough 

 of Lymington. 8. Odiham Division, north-east, contains Crondall, 

 Holdshott (upper half), and Odiham hundreds, with the town of 

 Odiham and liberty of Bentley. 9. Petersfield Division, east, contains 

 East Meon and Finch Dean. 10. Ringwood Division, south-west, 

 contains Christchurch (lower half), Fordingbridge and Ringwood 

 hundreds, Breamore and Westover liberties, and the borough of 

 Christchurch. 11. Romsey Division, west, contains King's Somboum 

 (lowei; half), Redbridge, Thomgate (lower half), and the town of 

 Romsey. 12. Southampton Division, west, contains Mainsbridge 

 hundred and the liberties of Beaulieu and Dibden. 13. Winchester 

 Division, central, contains Bountisborough, Buddlesgate, Fawloy, 

 Mitcheldever, and Mainsborough. 14. Isle of Wight Division, south, 

 contains the liberties of East and West Medina and the town of New- 

 port. Separate Jurisdictions : city of Winchester and liberty of 

 Stoke ; borough of Andover ; borough of Portsmouth, with Portsea ; 

 town and county of Southampton. 



Hampshire, not including the Isle of Wight, contains one city — 

 WiscniMTBB; 6 parliamentary boroughs — Andover, Chbistchcbch, 



LyMIROTOS, PrrBBSFIELD, PoRTSMODTH, and SOOTHAMPTON ; and 13 



other market-towns — Albrsford, Altos, Barinostoke, Bishop's 

 Walthau, Fabkrax, FoRDiJfOBBiBOK.OosrOBT, Havant, Kiwosclebe, 

 OrjiHAM, RomsT, Stockbhiboe, and WniTcnuBcu. These are described 

 under their respective titles. "The other towns are as under : — 

 JSmtworth is situated at the head of Emaworth Channel, on the 



border of the coimty, 26 miles S.E. from Winchester : population in 

 1851 of the parish of Warblington, 2302. Oyster-fishtng is carried 

 on ; sail-cloth, sacking, rope, twine, and fishing-nets are manufactured. 

 Coal is largely imported, and timber, flour, &e., are exported. There 

 are in Emsworth a neat proprietary chapel ; a district church, in the 

 Norman style, erected in 1840 ; chapels for Independents and Baptists, 

 and National schools. Fairs are held on Easter Monday and July ] 8th. 

 Overton, formerly a market-town, is situated on the right bank of 

 the Anton, or Test River, about 2 miles from its source. Overton has 

 an ancient church, which was repaired and enlarged in 1832; the 

 church has a massive square tower : there are places of worship for 

 Wesleyan Methodists and Independents, and a Free school. A fair 

 on July 18th for sheep and Iambs is well attended. There is a silk- 

 throwing establishment. 



Titchfield, situated in the valley of the river Aire, 18 miles S. by E. 

 from Winchester, population of the parish 3956 in 1851, formerly had 

 a market. In the church, the date of which is 1243, are some fine 

 monuments, including one to Sir Thomas Wriothesley, chancellor to 

 Henry VIII. In Titchfield are an Independent chapel and National 

 schools. There are corn-mills and breweries ; bricks and parchment 

 are made. Fairs are held on May 14th and September 25th. The 

 ruins of Titchfield House ai-e near the town. An abbey was founded 

 here in 1232 : at the dissolution Chancellor Wriothesley obtained from 

 Henry VIII. the abbey and lands, and erected a fine mansion. 



The following are some of the more important villages, with the popu- 

 lation of the several parishes in 1851, and a few other particulars : — 

 Angle»ea. [Gosport.] Appleahaw, 18 miles N.W. from Winchester, 

 population 318, is chiefly noticeable for its sheep and cattle fairs, 

 which are important. Barton Stacey, 84 miles N. by W. from Win- 

 chester, population 553, has a cruciform church, a good specimen 

 of the early English style, with an elegant perpendicular tower. 

 There are here also a chapel for Methodists, an Endowed Free school 

 for 12 children, and a National school. iJeouiifit, 22 miles S.S.W. from 

 Winchester, population 1177, is situated on the left bank of the river 

 Beaulieu. Beaulieu Abbey, founded in 1204 by King John, gave 

 refuge to Margaret of Anjou, Henry VI. 's queen, after the battle of 

 Barnet, and to Perkin Warbeck, in Henry VII.'s reign. Beaulieu 

 churoh was formerly the refectory of the abbey ; it contains a curious 

 stone pulpit. The parish contains many bid ruins and interesting 

 buildings. Fairs for horses and cattle are held on April 15th and 

 September 4th. Buhopstoke, 7 miles S. from Winchester, population 

 1249, on the river Itchin. The churoh is a handsome stone-building 

 with a square tower. There are a Dissenting chapel and a school for 

 boys and girls. From the station of the South- Western railway, which 

 is close to the village, the lines to Salisbury and Gosport branch off. 

 Boldre, 24 miles S.S.W. from Winchester, population 2874; the parish 

 church, a stone building, was partly rebuilt in 1697. A school for 

 20 boys and 20 girls was founded, and endowed out of the profits of 

 his writings, by the Rev. William Gilpin, vicar of Boldre, and author 

 of various works on picturesque scenery and art. Botley, 11 miles 

 S. by E. from Winchester, population 798, on the left side of the river 

 Hamble, has a small church, situated about a mile south from the 

 village, and places of worship for Independents and Baptists. The 

 river Hamble is navigable for boats, and has on its bank extensive 

 flour-mills. The traffic in timber and flour gives employment to many 

 of the inhabitants. Eight fairs for cheese and cattle are held iu the 

 course of the year. Bournemouth, a bathing village iu Poole Bay, 

 88 miles S.W. from Winchester, population of the parish of Holden- 

 hurst, in which it is situated, 1330, has a church of early English 

 style, erected in 1844, a National school, a reading-room and library, 

 baths, large hotels, and many elegant mansions. The place has much 

 increased of late years. Bramahot, 26 miles E. by N. from Winchester, 

 population 1325, has a small cruciform church, of early English style, 

 with a low tower surmounted with a spire ; a chapel for Wesleyan 

 Methodists, and a National school. In the neighbourhood are paper 

 manufactories and flour-mills. Broughton, 13 miles W. by N. from 

 Winchester: population 1009 in 184JL ; in 1851 it was 1010. The 

 church is an ancient edifice, with a wooden tower, and there are 

 chapels for Baptists and Wesleyan Methodists, an Endowed school 

 for 40 boys, and several minor charities. Burghdere, 17 miles N. from 

 Winchester, population 809, has a Norman churoh, decayed, and a 

 gothic church built iu 1838 ; the new church consists of nave, tran- 

 septs, and chancel, and has a square tower. It occupies an elevated 

 site. There is a Free school. Crondall, 25 miles N.E. from Win- 

 chester, population of the tithing 475 ; of the entire parish 2431. 

 The parish church is a commodious structure, partly Norman. There 

 are two Endowed schools and a National school. Remains of an 

 ancient encampment are at Tewkesbury Hill, in the vicinity. Bling, 

 at the head of .Southampton Water, 14 miles S.S.W. from Winchester : 

 population of the parish, which includes a large portion of the New 

 Forest, 5852. The parish church dates from the 11th century ; it is 

 built of stone and flint, and has a square tower ; the churoh has been 

 lately repaired. At Marchwood, in the parish, are large powder 

 magazines belonging to government. In the parish are several 

 National, British, Infant, and Cliarity schools. Fawley, 22 miles S. 

 from Winchester, population 1801 ; the parish churoh is an ancient 

 edifice of stone, with a square tower ; the western door has a fine 

 Korman arch. The Baptists and Wesleyan Methodists have chapels, 



