260 KINGSCLERE 



fifty years, and the base of the font yet does duty as 

 a horse-block in the farmyard.' * 



The other Cleres that comprise the country 

 which Kingsclere dominates, Burghclere especially, 

 invite momentary notice. The recent elevation to 

 the peerage of the Right Hon. Herbert Gardner as 

 Baron Burghclere of Burghclere, in the county of 

 Southampton, has invested this ancient parish, at 

 the foot of the bold range of Hampshire and Berk- 

 shire Downs, with an additional interest. In early 

 times this part of Hampshire must have been a forest 

 abounding with deer and other wild animals. It 

 afforded better game and more hardy sport in finding 

 it than the dry soils further south. It is not con- 

 venient to make more than a reference or so to the 

 history of the manor. The heirs of Sir William 

 Fitzwilliam, to whom it had been granted by 

 Edward VI., sold it with the manor of Highclere 

 to Sir Richard Kingsmill, knight, of Sidmonton, 

 and in 1577 Kingsmill gave the property to his 

 daughter Constance, wife of Sir Thomas Lucy, 

 knight, of Charlecote, only son and heir of 

 Shakespeare's Sir Thomas Lucy — and Justice 

 Shallow. At Adbury House, in this parish, 

 resided for some time in the last century Mrs. 

 Pococke, the daughter of the Rev. Isaac Miles, 



1 The base of the font in question has been removed since the 

 paper from which the quotation is made was published. Mr. Porter 

 obtained possession of the mutilated and desecrated stone with a 

 view to having it placed in Kingsclere church. This, after ' a restora- 

 tion' of the missing part of the font shall have been supplied — subject 

 to the approval of the Bishop of Winchester, who has seen the frag- 

 ment — will be done. 



