Henry II granted the manor to his usher, Walter for an annual rent of a pair of gilded spurs, Walter's brother Aimery le Despenser later succeeded to the manor, and King John confirmed the grant in 1205.

There was a dispute over ownership in 1265 but this was soon settle in favour of the owner as it was decided that "Adam had more right to the said manor than the lord King."

The de la Zouche family were lords of the manor from 1370 - 1502 and the manor later passed to the Capell family, one of these Giles Capell was knighted for gallantry by Henry VIII and another Lord Capell of Hadham was beheaded in 1649 for his loyalty to King Charles.

the manor was sold to Sir Chaloner Ogle in 1773 and his son Sir Charles Ogle sold it in 1826.

Abbot Worthy is listed in the Domesday Survey as being under the ownership of St Peter's Abbey in Winchester which later became Hyde Abbey and it remained in this ownership until the Dissolution when it was passed by Henry VIII to his doctor who was an Italian named Augustine de Augustinis in 1542. Wriothesley acquired the manor three years later and he later became the Earl of Southampton in 1547 and subsequent Earls of Southampton held the manor up to the late 17th century when it passed into the hands of the Russells.

Here in Kings Worthy is what is said to be the smallest  and one of six earliest post offices in England which stands near to the church of St Mary and this early type was called a receiving house. Here letters were handed in for onward transmission and also collected not like today when we post them in a pillar box and have them delivered.

A Kings Worthy cottage next to the church

In the churchyard can be found a headstone for James Parker and this may help to show how he died on 8th August 1886  "The enemy hath smitten my life down to the ground". He was a seamn who arrived in the port of Southampton just before his death and was eighteen years old, Albert Brown another seaman was with him and they had set out to walk to London and it is said they stopped for refreshment in the Hyde Tavern in Winchester. The next morning Parkers badly mutilated body was found in a field near the bottom of Barton Hill, of Brown there was no sign, but later he was t raced to London where he was arrested and charged with  murder, At his trial he confessed to the crime and told the police where a hammer and razor which he used could be found. He was then sentenced to death.

Parker, was  an 18-year-old seaman, who had arrived in Southampton the  week before his death. and, accompanied by  another of the ship's crew, Albert Brown,  had set out to walk to London; on their way it is recorded they visited the Hyde Tavern in Winchester.

IMAGES OF KINGS WORTHY

St Mary's church Kings Worthy showing the rear (left) and front (right)
The interior of St Mary's church		The war memorial can just be made out in front of the tower
A statue to the virgin Mary		The sunlight coming through the stain glass windows
The Royal Coat of Arms in St Marys Church