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Now to many
Kingslcere conjures up thoughts of Rabbits running around talking
and playing as this is a part of the downland made famous by
Richard Adams and his Watership Down. The parish once formed a
part of ancient property that belonged to the Crown and is
mentioned in Saxon charters.
In 1107 Henry I granted it to the Canons of the Church of St Mary
of Ruen where it remained in their possession until the end of
Edward II's reign when it became Crown property because of the war
with France and was put in the care of Petere de Galicien in 1324.
The Dean and Chapter of St Mary of
Ruen again regained possession in 1335 with the King giving
a licence for it to be alienated to William de Melton who was the
Archbishop of York.
The Manor belonged to this family
till it was sold to Sir William Paulet. Lord John in 1 544 and it
remained with his successors, who were Marquesses of Winchester
and Dukes of Bolton until the death of Harry the sixth Duke of
Bolton in 1794. It was then passed to Thomas Orde husband of his
natural daughter and who assumed the additional surname and arms
of Paulet.
From an early date the Kings of
England owned a large estate in the parish called Freemantle, and
King John stayed there thirty times during his reign. Henry
III along with King Edward I and Edward II often made gifts of the
deer that were killed in the park and in the 17th century it
stopped being crown property. |
The village had a market held on Sundays
but the king ordered in 1218, that it be held the day before and by the
middle of the eighteenth century it was moved to Tuesdays and stopped
completely around 1850.
The church is 12th century and the
weather vane is in the shape of a bed bug which was ordered by King John
who had spent a bad night in a local inn, but this seems to be a common
design and is often used on publications by the church.
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A street scene |
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The Crown public house |
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Time has produced a lot of changes to
Kingslcere and most noticeable of all is the bypass which diverts
traffic away from the centre of the village with its oak beamed
houses that can be dated right back to the 16th century, many of
which have been renovated and colour washed, housing estates have
also been built here but these have been kept to the edge of the
village, but there is not much in the way of commercial properties
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There is a clear chalk stream running through
the
village and is a haven for wildfowl and
geese and a footpath has been
built alongside
so that everyone can share the sound of the
running
waters. |
In the 19th century the village could
boast of having 10 public houses and today there remains only three.
Including the Swan which was a popular venue for the boys at the nearby
stables, and has been turned into a hotel.
People who live here usually commute to
the towns and also to London to work the old industries of rope making
and brewing no longer popular.
KINGSCLERE
- ST MARY'S
A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical
interest in the Kingsclere, Hampshire, England area consisting of the
villages of Ashford Hill, Sydmonton, Ecchinswell, Baughurst, Hannington,
Ewhurst, Wolverton, and Kingsclere
For questions about this list, contact the list
administrator at
ENG-HAMPSHIRE-KINGSCLERE-admin@rootsweb.com.
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