Manor Profile
Hambledon, Hampshire· Hambledon Hundred· 1086 – 1869
Also known as: Ambledune, Hamuldon
The main manor of Hambledon must have escheated to the Crown under Henry I and was granted to the Bishop of Winchester by King John in 1199. The manor included the manor farm, view of frankpledge, court leet and court baron. The successive bishops of Winchester retained Hambledon throughout the medieval period (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244).
During the Commonwealth the manor was sold in 1650 to George Wither for the sum of £3,796 18s. 11d. Wither, the poet and pamphleteer, had also purchased the episcopal manor of Alverstoke. At the Restoration the manor was returned to the Bishop of Winchester, where it remained until the Ecclesiastical Commissioners took over the estates of the see in 1869 (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244).
The parish of Hambledon covered 9,446 acres including the tithings of Denmead, Chidden, Glidden, Rushmere and Ervill's Exton. Of this total, 4,392 acres were arable, 2,993 permanent grass, and 1,101 woods and plantations. A mill existed at Hambledon at the time of the Domesday survey, and a mill in the bishop's manor is recorded during the reign of Edward I (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244).
In the reign of King James I a market on Tuesdays and two annual fairs were granted to Bishop Thomas. The fairs were held on the feasts of the Purification of the Virgin Mary and St Matthew, though there is no trace of these at the present day. The parish church was granted to the priory of St Swithun, Winchester, c.1155 by Bishop Henry de Blois. In 1327 the church was confirmed as a parish church annexed to the bishopric. The advowson remained with the Bishop of Winchester until 1870, when it passed to the Bishop of Lichfield, and c.1885 to the Lord Chancellor (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244).
William de Perci held lands in the parish in right of his wife Emma de Port, who probably obtained the holding by grant of Hugh de Port. Alan de Perci held a knight's fee of John de Port in 1166, and William de Perci held the same of Robert de St John in the reign of Henry III. Ralph de Camoys held half a knight's fee in 1259 and a whole fee by 1329. In 1349 the fee was transferred to John de St Philibert and Margaret, heirs of Edmund de St John (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244).
Charles II spent the night of 13 October 1651 at a house in Hambledon belonging to the Symonds family while en route from Somerset to Shoreham, before escaping to Fecamp in France. The house survives as a gardener's cottage (VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244).
| # | Name | From | To | Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crown | 1199 | escheat under Henry I | The main manor must have escheated to the Crown under Henry I. Held by the Crown until granted away by King John. | |
| 2 | Bishop of Winchester(Bishop) | 1199 | 1650 | royal grant (King John, 1199) | Granted by King John in 1199. The manor included the manor farm, view of frankpledge, court leet and court baron. Held continuously by the successive bishops until the Commonwealth. |
| 3 | George Wither | 1650 | 1660 | purchase (bishops' lands sale) | George Wither, the poet and pamphleteer, also purchased Alverstoke manor.Purchased the manor for £3,796 18s. 11d. during the Commonwealth sale of bishops' lands. Wither also purchased the episcopal manor of Alverstoke. |
| 4 | Bishop of Winchester (restored)(Bishop) | 1660 | 1869 | Restoration | Restored to the see at the Restoration. Held until the Ecclesiastical Commissioners took over in 1869. |
| 5 | Ecclesiastical Commissioners | 1869 | statutory transfer | Took over the estates of the see of Winchester in 1869. Lords of the manor at the time of the VCH publication. |
De Port / St John family (overlords)
William de Perci held a knight's fee in Hambledon of John de Port in 1166, later of Robert de St John. Ralph de Camoys held half a knight's fee in 1259 and a whole fee by 1329.
Source: VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244; Feudal Aids
Bishop of Winchester
Hambledon parish tithings of Denmead, Chidden, Glidden, Rushmere and Ervill's Exton paid suit at the bishop's court.
Source: VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 238-244
Priory of St Swithun, Winchester
priory · held church revenues · 1155
Hambledon church and Meonstoke manor granted to St Swithun's Priory c.1155 by Bishop Henry de Blois.
See of Winchester
diocese · held · 1199 – 1869
Granted by King John in 1199. Included manor farm, view of frankpledge, court leet and court baron.
New College, Winchester
college · held lands (Burwell) · 1428
New College, Winchester held half a fee at Burwell from a crown grant in 1428 and still held lands at the time of the VCH publication.
Ecclesiastical Commissioners
government_body · held · 1869
Crown
crown · held · 1199
Escheated to the Crown under Henry I. Granted to Bishop of Winchester by King John in 1199.
Southwick Priory
priory · held lands (Denmead Molyns) · 1538
The prior and convent of Southwick held Denmead Molyns at the Dissolution.
Both Hambledon and Fareham were held by the Bishop of Winchester and later the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
Both Hambledon and Alverstoke were held by the Bishop of Winchester and both were purchased by George Wither during the Commonwealth sale of 1648-1650.
Southwick Priory held Denmead Molyns within Hambledon parish until the Dissolution.
Hambledon recorded in Domesday. Sub-tenant holdings by William de Perci and Earl Roger's men. A mill existed at Hambledon.
Referenced in VCH for knight's fee assessments held by de Perci, de Camoys, and other sub-tenants at Hambledon.
Referenced in VCH for King John's grant of Hambledon to the Bishop of Winchester in 1199 and the market and fair grants to Bishop Thomas in the reign of James I.
Referenced in VCH for deaths of lords holding sub-manors within Hambledon parish, including Wayte, Pounde, and Kirkeby families.
Referenced in VCH for property transfers within Hambledon parish, including Denmead, Ervill's Exton, Burwell, and Rushmere.
Principal source for the manorial descent of Hambledon. Covers parish, manors (including Denmead, Rushmere, Ervill's Exton, Glidden, Chidden, Denmead Molyns, Burwell), churches, and charities.
