148 



THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY & NATURALIST. 



RAINFALL AT SOUTHAMPTON IN 1890.* 

 The following are results of observations taken at 

 Ivy Bank, Highfield, by Mr. Henry Garrctt : 

 Above sea level, 1.30 feet. 



Greatest fall in Days on 



Month. Inches. 24 hours. whicho'oo6or 



Depth. Date, more fell. 



January ... 3-798 '39S 27 24 



February ... o'8i8 O'SIQ 14 6 



March ... 1-169 0-489 24 15 



April ... 2-721 0-822' 17 16 



May ... 1-924 0-744 9 9 



June ... 3*016 0-515 10 18 



July ... 4'035 1'794 17 20 



August ... 3-510 0-996 9 16 



September... 1-446 0-571 21 5 



October ... 0-946 0-264 15 16 



November... 2-000 0-524 6 17 



December ... 1-514 0-551 20 10 



Total ... 26-897 172 



WEATHER IN JUNE, iSoo.f 

 The weather this month has been exceptional. The 

 rainfall has been sufficient to call it a wet month, but 

 it has occurred with an unusually high average of the 

 barometer. This registered 30 inches and over on 

 twenty days, and the rain that fell was not that of 

 wet weather, but frequent thunder showers. The 

 total fall for the month was s'ljin., and rain fell on 

 fifteen days. Three consecutive days without rain is 

 the most that occurred during the month. The 

 average of the preceding ten years is 2-28 inches. 

 Since January i the fall had been 13-98, and the 

 average for the same time is 13-5910. This is the first 

 time that the total tor any number of months had been 

 over the average since 1886. 



The highest reading of the barometer was 30-28, 

 and the lowest 29-34. 



The temperature has been that of usual summer 

 weather, but cold at night. The thermometer regis- 

 tered 70 and upwards on eighteen days. The highest 

 was 77 twice, and the lowest by day 63. At night 

 the highest was 56, it was under 50 on seventeen 

 nights, and under 40 on three. The lowest was 38". 



T. WESTLAKE. 

 Fordingbridge. 



1 * i 



EARLY NONCONFORMITY IN ALRESFORD.f 

 I have recently taken up an Evangelical Magazine of 

 the year 1804, and read an account therein of a visit 

 to Alresford, by the Rev. R. Densham, of Petersfield, 

 who, like many Nonconformist ministers of that time, 

 was frequently itinerating as a preacher. His was a 



* From The Hampshire Independent, January 17, 1891. 



t These two articles appeared in The Hampshire Inde- 

 pendent, July 12, 1890, but were accidentally omitted in their 

 proper place. The conclusion of that on " Early Noncon- 

 formity in Alresford " appears on page 98. 



tragical end. It happened at Haslemere, where he 

 had met the Rev. M. Wilks, to consult about pur- 

 chasing a piece of land whereon to build a chapel. 

 He was within a one-horse chaise in company with one 

 of his congregation, and while they were singing Dr. 



Watts's 



" O, for an overcoming faith," 



the harness broke, the horse ran down the hill into 

 Haslemere, turned the corner of the inn-yard safely, 

 but when near the top of the yard the chaise was 

 overturned, and Mr. Densham died next morning 

 from injuries received. He was interred at Peters- 

 field underneath the chapel pulpit. A large pro- 

 cession followed the body to the grave, but the 

 account adds "There were however, some few 

 sinners so hardened as to set the bells a-ringing on 

 the occasion ; a circumstance that shocked all the 

 decent people in the village (Haslemere) and even one 

 of the ringers was so struck with his own criminal 

 conduct that he has attended the preaching ever 

 since." Mr. Densham died in 1803. It used to be 

 said that a Mr. Spicer, of Alton, was one of the 

 gentlemen who accompanied him to Alresford. Mr. 

 Densham thus writes : 



There is a considerable town near Winchester called 

 Alresford, totally without the gospel. I expect to make an 

 attempt there soon, with the assistance of three of my 

 brother ministers, in this neighbourhood. 

 He made the attempt, and the result is thus 

 described. 



Monday, August 18, went to Alresford according to 

 appointment, and met our friends. We commenced our 

 service at half-past six. Some appeared to hear with atten- 

 tion. I addressed the crowd in the street from the window, 

 stating our motives in coming, assuring them 1 had no 

 intention to oppose the Church, but to recommend to them 

 the very doctrines and truths the Church professed, and 

 to enable them to judge f our principles I would give 

 them some religious tracts. I reminded them of our re- 

 ligious liberties, and that the place was licensed according 

 to law. After reading to them the licence, I dismissed 

 them with a blessing, and published preaching next week. 

 But when we came into the street, the whole town appeared 

 to be in an uproar. They nad placed an engine to play on 

 us as we passed, and after I was on horseback they in 

 suited me in the most shameful manner, playing the 

 engine, hissing and hooting, and even stoning me out of 

 town. Some of our friends, who went a contrary way, 

 escaped unhurt, but others left the town literally at the 

 hazard of their lives. They took one of our horses out of 

 the stable, and cut the bridle to pieces; and it was with 

 much difficulty the person got his horse, and was then 

 obliged to ride home with a halter. Many of the stones 

 that were thrown at us were very large, but we were all 

 mercifully preserved. The innkeeper entreated us to come 

 no more to his house, and the owner of the room wished 

 us to give it up, as he intended to sell the premises. Still, 

 I am pursuaded that, could a room be procured for a 

 longer time, we should go in again, and not suffer them to 

 insult us in triumph, when we have the law to protect us, 

 particularly as there are several respectable persons who 

 would attend, provided it could be established. I find 

 that the minister of the parish has preached a sermon 

 against us, and called a general meeting of the inhabitants 

 to prevent our returning. 



