Old Alresford Hampshire Family History Guide
Old Alresford is an Ancient Parish in the county of Hampshire.
Alternative names:
Parish church: St Mary
Parish registers begin:
- Parish registers: 1539
- Bishop’s Transcripts: 1780
Nonconformists include:
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
A History of the County of Hampshire 1908
The parish of Old Alresford covers a long sweep of rolling country of about 3,671 acres, generally rising from south to north, from a height of 200 ft. above the sea level in the south near the valley of the River Alre and the village of Old Alresford, to a height of 600 ft. in the north-east near Woodridden Wood. The arable and pasture land is for the most part in the west of the parish; the woodland, Upper and Lower Lanham Copse and Woodridden Wood, lying away to the north.
About two miles south-east of Old Alresford, in the parish of Bishop’s Sutton, the River Alre ‘beginnith of a great Numbre of fair Sylver Springes,’ which ‘resorting to a Botom make a great brode Lak, communely caullid Alsford Pond.’ This pond, the reservoir from which the Itchen is for the most part supplied, was formed by Bishop Godfrey de Lucy towards the end of the twelfth century in order to render the River Itchen navigable from Alresford to Winchester as well as from Winchester to Southampton (see under New Alresford).
Entering the parish from New Alresford, immediately north of the pond, Old Alresford Park stretches to the east, in the north-west of which stands Old Alresford House, best known to fame from its connexion with Admiral George Brydges Lord Rodney (1719–92), who considerably enlarged and improved the original house during his residence. It is a large white brick mansion finely situated with its grounds gradually sloping down to the lake. Colonel Richard Norton, ‘idle Dick Norton,’ the farmer of the manor of Old Alresford, resided at Old Alresford House during the Commonwealth, and Oliver Cromwell paid several visits to him there.
In the most westerly corner of the park, seeming almost to be within its boundaries, is the church of St. Mary surrounded by a churchyard. A large eighteenth-century house of red brick, north of the church, was till recently the rectory. It has lately been sold, and is now known as Old Alresford Place. The present rectory is a white building standing east of Old Alresford Place and opposite Upton House.
The main block of houses, however, is some yards higher up the road, which rises slightly as it goes north. Here are the smithy, the village green—an irregularly-shaped plot of grass, the post office, an iron foundry, and the national school, built in 1846 by the Onslow family. There is also a group of almshouses, built to house three destitute couples in 1852 by the Misses Onslow in memory of their mother. Some yards still further north is an industrial home (Primitive Methodist), which was in existence by the middle of the nineteenth century. Manor Farm lies west of the village, and still further west, near the Itchen Stoke border line, is Fob Down Farm.
About a quarter of a mile east of the village, reached by Kiln Lane, which cuts across the fields east and west, is Upton Hamlet, consisting of a few scattered farm buildings, and including Upton Farm and Upton House. The latter was occupied by a younger branch of the Onslow family during the early nineteenth century, but is now occupied by Mr. J. F. Christie, J.P.
Armsworth tithing covers the north-west corner of Old Alresford parish. It consists of Armsworth House, the seat of Mr. Thomas Alderman Houghton, J.P., and two or three cottages within Armsworth Park.
The house is a modern building, standing a short distance to the west of the site of an older house, of which nothing but some outbuildings of comparatively modern date remains. An upper room in these buildings has for more than seventy years been used as a chapel, served from Old Alresford, and in it is an altar table of 1620, with a movable top and carved baluster legs, formerly in Old Alresford church. In the present house is preserved a very interesting fourteenth-century pix of copper gilt, found on the estate at a spot called Wield Row, and a set of silver coins of Mary, Elizabeth, James I, and Charles I, also found here.
As in New Alresford the principal industry is watercress growing, the best beds lying up stream beside the Bighton road.
The soil is mainly gravel on the lower levels round the streams; but higher up it is loam on chalk. The chief crops are wheat, oats, and turnips.
Parts of the parish of Old Alresford (Nythen Common) were inclosed in 1801–2.
The tithe map is with the parish clerk. The tithes were commuted in 1843 for £747.
The following place-names occur in early records: Gooseland (xv cent.), Fysshewareclose, Glen Pytts, and Yardmanligh (xvi cent.), and Pieway, Pingleston Lane, The Nythyn, Bishopp’s Meade, and The Cadefeild (xvii cent.).
CHURCH
The church of OUR LADY was entirely rebuilt in 1753, a west tower was added in 1769, and in 1862 the eighteenth-century work, except as regards the tower, was Gothicized, and a south transept, north organchamber, and vestry added. As a result the building is of very little architectural interest, though the tower is a good specimen of its kind, of red brick with roundheaded western doorway and belfry windows, and finished with a parapet carrying stone ball finials at the angles.
The only thing of note in the church is the monument of Mrs. Jane Rodney on the north wall of the nave, dated 1757, a fine piece of eighteenth-century work in white marble with figure sculpture. Her husband afterwards became the famous admiral, Lord Rodney, and in the church are monuments to the second and third lords.
There are six bells, by Wells of Aldbourne, dated 1769 and 1770, a tablet on the west face of the tower recording their casting, as well as the building of the nave and tower.
The plate comprises an undated seventeenth-century communion cup and paten, a standing paten of 1679, a flagon of 1717, and a small bowl of 1845.
The first book of the registers contains baptisms 1556–1727, marriages 1559–1729, and burials 1562– 1701. The second has the burials in woollen, 1678– 1728, and the third runs from 1728 to 1779, the marriages only to 1752. The fourth and fifth have baptisms and burials 1780–1812, and the sixth marriages 1754–1812.
CHARITIES
In 1642 John Pinth gave £10, and John Edgur (date unknown) gave £10 for the use of the poor. The two gifts were united, and by accumulations amounted in 1822 to £30, which was laid out towards building two tenements, in respect of which 30s. a year is distributed in half-crowns to indigent persons.
In 1705 Christopher Perin by his will devised 17 perches of land and cottages thereon for the occupation of poor widows. The cottages are let at weekly rents to poor persons, and after payment of rates, insurance, and repairs, about £2 10s. a year is distributed among the poor.
In 1886, 1 a. or. 24 p. and buildings thereon, was conveyed to trustees for the establishment of an institution for the orphans of Primitive Methodists and others. In the event of the determination of this trust, the trustees are empowered to sell the premises and apply the proceeds for the benefit of the Connexion.
Source: A History of the County of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 1908. The Victoria History of the Counties of England Volume 3, ed. William Page. London Archibald Constable and Company Limited.
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
ALRESFORD (Old), a parish in Alresford district, Hants; adjoining the W side of Alresford parish. Post town, Alresford. Acres, 3,608. Real property, £4,314. Pop., 526. Houses, 99. The property is divided among a few.
Old Alresford House belongs to Lord Rodney, and was the residence of his ancestor, the Admiral.
The living is a rectory in the diocese of Winchester. Value, £556. Patron, the Bishop of Winchester. The church was built in 1753, but has an ancient tower.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848
ALRESFORD, OLD (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of Alresford, hundred of Fawley, Winchester and N. divisions of the county of Southampton, ¾ of a mile (N.) from New Alresford; containing 502 inhabitants.
This parish, which is divided from that of New Alresford by the river Itchen, comprises 3265 acres, where of 40 are common or waste; the surface is hilly, and the soil light and chalky, but tolerably good.
The hamlet of Hamsworth is included in the measurement of this parish, but is rated with that of Medsted. The living is a rectory, with the rectories of New Alresford and Medsted annexed, valued in the king’s books at £49. 12. 8½., and in the gift of the Bishop of Winchester; the glebe comprises 40 acres.
Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Directories
Kelly’s Directory of Hampshire 1855
Old Alresford
GENTRY
Jarvis Mr Leonard Upton cottage
Onslow Col the Hon Thomas Cranley Upton house
Rampton Mr William
Rodney Lady Old Alresford house
Sumner Rev Geo Hen MA Rectory
TRADERS
Ballard Henry carrier
Broad Henry wheelwright
Budd John miller
Davy Charlotte Miss mistress of Infant school
Davy Mary Miss mistress of Free schl
Major Charles wheelwright shop keeper & brewer
Parker Thomas farmer
Rampton William blacksmith
Ross William land agent & steward to Lord Asbburton
Shrimpton John farmer
Walton William farmer Godsfield
Wedge James farmer Pinglestone
Wigmore James woodman
Post Office, Old Alresford, Charles Major receiver. Letters received through New Alresford; arrive at 7 am; dispatched at past 7 pm. The nearest money order office is at New Alresford.
Source: Post office [afterw.] Kelly’s directory of Hampshire, Dorsetshire, Wiltshire (the Isle of Wight, and the Channel Islands) 1855
Administration
- County: Hampshire
- Civil Registration District: Alresford
- Probate Court: Pre-1845 – Court of the Peculiar of Old Alresford with New Alresford and Medstead, Post-1844 – Courts of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) and Archdeaconry of Winchester
- Diocese: Winchester
- Rural Deanery: Pre-1845 – None, Post-1844 – Alresford
- Poor Law Union: Alresford
- Hundred: Fawley
- Province: Canterbury