THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES 

 OF HAMPSHIRE 



INTRODUCTION 



So much interest is taken in the history of the various religious 

 foundations which were suppressed in the days of Henry VIII. and 

 Edward VI. that it is thought better to treat of them in a separate 

 section, arranged according to the Order to which they belonged, apart 

 from the topographical history. 1 This arrangement will suit the con- 

 venience of readers who may be specially interested in the story of the 

 religious houses generally, or of any particular branch ; for there will 

 be no necessity to look them up under a number of separate parishes 

 scattered throughout the different hundreds. The account of the site 

 or the condition of the remains and ruins will be given in the parochial 

 history. 



Hampshire, with Winchester as its centre, was so pre-eminent in 

 the making of England and of England's Church, that it is not surprising 

 to find that .various large and influential Benedictine houses of royal 

 foundation were established in its midst at an early date. Such were 

 the Old Minster (643) and the New Minster (901) for Benedictine 

 monks at Winchester, and the three large houses, with canonries 

 attached, for Benedictine nuns at Nunnaminster, Winchester (circa 899), 

 and at the abbeys of Romsey (circa 907) and Wherwell (circa 986). 



The Cistercian or White monks had three houses in the county, 

 namely Beaulieu (1204) and her daughter Netley (1239) on the main- 

 land, and Quarr (1131) in the Isle of Wight. There was also a convent 

 of Cistercian nuns at Wintney (twelfth century). 



The Austin canons had seven houses, namely the great priory of 

 early foundation, termed Christ Church (eleventh century ?), which was 

 of such importance that it absorbed the name of Twyneham, where it 

 was established; St. Denis, Southampton (circa 1124), founded by 

 Henry I.; Southwick (1133) of like royal origin, but originally 

 established at Porchester Church ; the smaller houses of Breamore 

 (close of reign of Henry I.), Mottisfont (circa 1200), and Selborne 

 (1233), and the Oratory of Barton (1275) in the Isle of Wight. 



There was but one house of Premonstratensian or White Canons, 



1 For convenience of reference the Houses are numbered in accordance with the numerals on 

 the map. 



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