Periods of British and Hampshire’s History

Jane Austen Born in Steventon

Jane Austen and Hampshire are a sublime combination, walking the lanes of Steventon on a beautiful early Summer day places you in Jane’s shoes.

Bishop’s Waltham Palace, the name itself conjurers up the magnificent place it must have been 900 years ago. Bishop’s Waltham Palace lies just ten miles away from Winchester Cathedral and was the noble palace of its Bishop’s who built a splendid residence for themselves and a 1000 acre park. Henry de Blois, that inveterate builder,…

Basing House Before the Civil War

Basing House is a marvelous ruin, filled with five hundred years of history and intrigue, its history prior to the English Civil War is as fascinating as what followed.

Hampshire Church Treasure Hinton Ampner No 15

All Saints church in Hinton Ampner has a Hampshire church treasure tucked away on its vestry door and reminds us of a time when the English Civil War was in full flight and heading for the southern counties of England.

St Nicholas Church Bishop’s Sutton

The church of St Nicholas Bishop’s Sutton is a simple and beautiful church sitting at the headwaters of the River Arle

All Saints Church Steep

The church of All Saints Steep has a beautiful setting opposite the village common and school and with wonderful views East towards Petersfield.

Mary Mitford Hampshire Author

Mary Mitford was an author in the early C19th whose work gives as rich a view of society at that time as that written by Jane Austen, her Hampshire contemporary.

Thomas Lord

Thomas Lord lies buried in West Meon church yard, not many miles from the cradle of English cricket Hambledon

Portchester Castle As A Prison

Portchester Castle has undertaken many roles in its 1500 year history but none more colourful than when, in the C18th, it held prisoners of war.

Colonel Meinertzhagen

Colonel Meinertzhagen buried his horse at the crossroads at Brockwood and erected a headstone in memory of him. What sort of a man would do such a thing, the answer reveals an amzing story

Napoleonic Soldiers in Alresford

The five graves of Napoleonic soldiers and wives taken prisoner of war and held on parole at Alresford in Hampshire are a poignant reminder of an unsettled time in English history

Titchfield Medieval Abbey

Place House in Titchfield is the site of a former Medieval Abbey, whose doors have been open to welcome many of England’s monarchs. This once important Medieval Abbey, fell at the Reformation and once given to the influential Earl of Southampton Sir Thomas Wriothesley

A Hampshire Catholic 1716

The county of Hampshire was tolerant of its Catholic families during the Jacobite uprisings of the early C18th. Whilst other counties persecuted those Catholics refusing to take the oath of allegiance to King George I, Hampshire took a much more relaxed attitude.

Hanging of John Hughes Horse Thief

John Hughes horse thief buried in Itchen Abbas church yard

Itchen Abas the last resting place for a horse thief, John Hughes, last man to be hanged in England for such a theft.

Droxford and D-Day

The unassuming village of Droxford in the Meon Valley played host to one of WW2’s most important meetings between the worlds leaders including Churchill and Eisenhower, just prior to the D-Day landings

Selborne

Selborne in Hampshire, an ancient place in the beautiful Hangars of Hampshire. Home to the naturalist Gilbert White and backdrop to the notorious swing riots, the village has a plethora of magnificent buildings to admire. Take the historic Selborne walk, immerse yourself in the writings of Gilbert White or partake of refreshment in one of the lovely Hampshire Pubs, full of history themselves.