Manor Profile
Droxford, Hampshire· Bishop's Waltham Hundred· 826 – 1869
Also known as: Drokeireford, Drokeresford
King Egbert granted the vill of Drokeireford to the prior and monks of St Swithun, Winchester, in 826. King Eadwig granted twenty mansae of land in Droxford to the noble lady Aedelhild in 953. At the Domesday survey the manor was held by the bishop for the monks' support, assessed at 14 hides, reduced from 16 under Edward the Confessor (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 284-288).
In 1284 the manor passed entirely to the bishop when the monks of St Swithun renounced all right and claim in the manor for ever. Bishop John of Pontoise mediated this settlement. Edward I granted the bishop return of all writs within the manor the same year (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 284-288).
The manor remained with the bishops of Winchester until 1551, when Bishop Poynet surrendered the whole hundred of Waltham, including Droxford, to the Crown. The same month it was granted to William, Earl of Wiltshire. Queen Mary restored it to the bishopric in 1558. During the Long Parliament, the manor was sold to Francis Allen for £7,675 13s. 7d. The bishops recovered possession at the Restoration (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 284-288).
The Bishops' Resignation Act of 1869 transferred the manor to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who remain the lords (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 284-288).
The parish formerly included the tithings of Swanmore and Shedfield, which became separate civil parishes in 1894. John de Drokensford, a native of the parish, served as keeper of the wardrobe to Edward I, accompanied him on Scottish campaigns, and became Bishop of Bath and Wells and Lord Chancellor. Izaak Walton passed his final years at the rectory with his daughter and son-in-law Dr Hawkins, prebendary of Winchester, who served as rector from 1664 to 1691 (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 284-288).
| # | Name | From | To | Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prior and monks of St Swithun, Winchester(Benedictine priory) | 826 | 1284 | royal grant (King Egbert) | One of the earliest documented land grants in the Meon Valley.King Egbert granted the vill of Drokeireford to the prior and monks in 826. Held by the bishop for the monks' support at Domesday (14 hides). King Eadwig granted twenty mansae to Aedelhild in 953, but the monks retained the manor. In 1284 the monks renounced all right and claim for ever. |
| 2 | Bishop John of Pontoise(Bishop of Winchester) | 1284 | 1304 | renunciation by monks of St Swithun | Mediated the settlement by which the monks renounced all claim. Edward I granted return of all writs within the manor 1284. |
| 3 | Successive Bishops of Winchester(Bishop of Winchester) | 1304 | 1551 | episcopal succession | The bishops held the manor continuously as part of the hundred of Waltham. |
| 4 | William, Earl of Wiltshire(Earl of Wiltshire) | 1551 | 1558 | royal grant (Edward VI) | Bishop Poynet surrendered the whole hundred of Waltham, including Droxford, to the Crown. Granted to the Earl of Wiltshire the same month. Queen Mary restored it to the bishopric in 1558. |
| 5 | Successive Bishops of Winchester(Bishop of Winchester) | 1558 | 1644 | restoration by Queen Mary | Restored to the bishopric in 1558. Dr Hawkins served as rector 1664-1691. |
| 6 | Francis Allen | 1660 | purchase (Long Parliament sale) | Purchased for £7,675 13s. 7d. during the sale of bishops' lands under the Long Parliament. | |
| 7 | Successive Bishops of Winchester(Bishop of Winchester) | 1660 | 1869 | Restoration | The bishops recovered possession at the Restoration. The Bishops' Resignation Act of 1869 vested all episcopal lands in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. |
| 8 | Ecclesiastical Commissioners | 1869 | statutory transfer (Bishops' Resignation Act 1869) | Took over all episcopal lands including Droxford. The Commissioners remain the lords of the manor. |
Hundred of Waltham
The manor was part of the hundred of Waltham, and sub-manors (Middleton, Steeple Court) owed suit to the Droxford manor court.
Source: VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 284-288
Priory of St Swithun, Winchester
priory · held · 826 – 1284
King Egbert granted the vill to the prior and monks in 826. The monks renounced all right and claim in 1284.
See of Winchester
diocese · held · 1284 – 1869
Passed wholly to the bishop in 1284 when the monks renounced. Edward I granted return of all writs. Surrendered 1551, restored 1558. Sold during Commonwealth, recovered at Restoration.
Ecclesiastical Commissioners
government_body · held · 1869
Bishops' Resignation Act 1869 vested all episcopal lands in the Commissioners.
The church of Our Lady and All Saints retains a nave and chancel of c. 1150-1160, with a north chapel added in the late twelfth century and a south aisle from the early thirteenth century. The tower was built in 1599. The church contains a marble effigy of a lady, possibly the mother of John de Drokensford, Bishop of Bath and Wells. The manor house stood adjacent to the church in the centre of the village. Izaak Walton spent his last years at the rectory with his daughter and son-in-law Dr Hawkins, rector 1664-1691.
Both Droxford and Bishop's Waltham were held by the Bishop of Winchester. Droxford formed part of the hundred of Waltham.
Both Droxford and Fareham were held by the Bishop of Winchester.
Both Droxford and Hambledon were held by the Bishop of Winchester.
Bishop of Winchester held Droxford for the monks of St Swithun. Assessed at 14 hides, reduced from 16 under Edward the Confessor.
King Egbert granted the vill of Drokeireford to the prior and monks of St Swithun, Winchester.
Principal source for the manorial descent of Droxford. Covers parish, manor, sub-manors (Middleton, Steeple Court), churches (Droxford, Swanmore, Shedfield) and charities.
VCH Closing Statement
“The manor was transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1869 under the Bishops' Resignation Act, who remain the lords of the manor.”
VCH Hampshire, Vol. 3, pp. 284-288
