PREFACE 



IN placing the second volume of the History of Hampshire and the 

 Isle of Wight before their readers the editors feel that an apology is 

 due from them for the long interval which has been allowed to 

 elapse since the publication of the first volume. 



As the history of this county was the first in the series of which 

 it forms a part the scheme for the whole undertaking has had to be devel- 

 oped in the course of the preparation of the present volume. The small 

 amount of original research which has hitherto been made for Hamp- 

 shire was in itself a serious obstacle to rapid progress ; but in the course 

 of the work it was found necessary to revise very largely the system of 

 dealing with original research for the Victoria History Series as a whole. 

 Experience proved that many classes of records would have to be ex- 

 hausted for all the counties in order to obtain the information needed for 

 the compilation of the articles contained herein. Further difficulties have 

 arisen owing to changes in editorship. With the exception of a few local 

 investigations the present volume does not contain any contributions by 

 the Rev. G. H. Gotley, who was originally appointed joint topographical 

 editor with Mr. W. J. Hardy. Mr. Gotley's connection with the 

 Victoria History was severed before any portion of the topography of 

 Alton Hundred was completed. 



In the course of a work which deals on a great scale with English 

 armory, and more particularly with its ancient forms, the difficulty must 

 be met at the outset of reconciling the conflicting methods of blazonry 

 offered by the many handbooks of modern armorial writers. The editors 

 have therefore decided to adopt throughout the work the simple and 

 easily understood blazon used in mediaeval times, following as far as is 

 possible the neglected and historic English form of phrases. 



The succeeding volumes will continue, until it be completed, the 

 topographical and municipal history of the county, and thereafter will 

 follow articles on maritime, political, social and economic history, sport 

 and biographies. 



For permission to reproduce certain of the illustrations in this 

 volume the editors beg to thank the Viscount Dillon, Mrs. Wickham, 



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