| Litchfield |
| LITCHFIELD is a pariah and village, situate in a valley, 3 miles north from Whitchurch station, and 8 south from
Newbury station, in the Northern division of the county, hundred, petty sessional division and union of
Kingsclere, county court district of Newbury, diocese and archdeaconry
of Winchester, and rural deanery of Andover north-eastern division, on the road to Newbury.
When the Domesday Survey was being conducted there were more than like two estates in Litchfield, one of them held by the king and the other by Hugh de Port. The first later became the Manor of Litchfield and was granted by Henry II to Ralf Monachus and in 1228 Ralf granted it to Brian de Stopham who then passed it to John Kingsmill in 1537. When he died in 1556 his heir William Kingsmill was bequeathed it and the manor then followed the descendents of the Sydmonton family. The other estate late known as the hamlet of Litchfield or West Litchfield and Woodcott were in the hands of Faderlin and his daughter and these passed to Ruald de Woodcott and stayed in his family till the beginning of the 14th century when they were inherited by Richard de cardeville. In 1303 he granted the Manor of Woodmancott and hamlet of Litchfield to the Prior and Brethren of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and there they stayed till they were made crown property by the Dissolution. In 1544 these also were granted to John Kingsmill and stayed in his family until 1766 when the manor was bought by the Herberts and descended to the Earls of Carnarvon. The parish church is dedicated to St James and goes back to Norman times though it had a thorough restoration in 1874. "Litchfield, a Village of Note only for having the
same Name with a City in this Kingdom, which is an Episcopal See,
signifying, A Field of Carkasses, from it whence it passes to the Forest
of Chute, delightful for its shady Walks, pleasant Hunting, and plenty
of Game, where the Huntsmen and Foresters admire its paved rising Ridge,
which is very visible, tho' it be in some Places interrupted. On the
Skirts of this Forest stands "
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