Botley, Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Botley is a historic village
in Hampshire
, England
that obtained a charter for a market from Henry III
in 1267. The area has been settled since at least the 10th century.
Between 1806 and 1820 it was the home of the famous journalist and radical politician William Cobbett
, who described the village as the most delightful in the world. There is a memorial stone to William Cobbett in the village square.
Flour mills have existed in Botley for over 1,000 years; the old Botley Mill is at the end of High Street.
The fine Market Hall, built in 1848, and old coaching inn
s can be found in the High Street together with many interesting houses.
The village itself grew around a ford
over the River Hamble
(which powered the mill) where an Inn was built for travellers to stay in overnight on occasions when the tide was in. At high tide small boats such as canoes can still navigate up the River Hamble
, which runs through the village.
Nowadays, the village can be easily accessed from Eastleigh
and Fareham
by train. Previously, a rail service operated to Bishops Waltham along the Bishops Waltham Branch Line
. Botley railway station
is just outside the modern boundary of Botley, within Curdridge.
Also in Curdridge, is Fairthorne Manor, a day camps centre run by the YMCA
, which includes a golf course, the Fairthorne Manor Golf Course
, and farm.
The early church, commonly called St Bartholomew’s, adjacent to the old village of Boteleigh, was mentioned in the Domesday book
. This church was largely destroyed by the falling of a large poplar tree onto the nave resulting in the original capacity of 500 being reduced to what had been the chancel.
The present building, dedicated to All Saints, was constructed between 1835-6 as a result of a petition to the Bishop of Winchester
and much fund-raising, following the destruction of the old church. The centre of the village had long since moved away from the old church and parishioners were finding it increasingly troublesome to take the path across the fields to the church. Prior to this, a ‘Dissenters Church’ had been built in Winchester Street in 1800 and was attracting a growing congregation.
The parcel of land on which the church is built was given by James Warner (Snr) and the foundation stone was laid on 11 June 1835. The building was consecrated on 22 August 1836 at a service with a congregation of 700. It was built to seat 250 and had an income of £330 (£310 after deductions.) The Reverend Richard Baker was installed as rector and had no curate.
The Walkers organ was installed in 1852, later enlarged and recently dismantled, enlarged and overhauled. The present chancel and choir vestry were added in 1859.
Further large increases in population made necessary the major work of removing the North Wall and replacing it with an arcade supported by oaken pillars on stone bases. A lower outer wall was built of stone crowned by a parapet. This, with the installation of dormer windows to improve the interior lighting, greatly improved the Northern aspect of the building by reducing the large area of slated roof visible from the ground. The work was completed and consecrated by The Lord Bishop of Winchester on 25 October 1892. With this increase in seating capacity
the gallery across the West End was removed and the access from the tower filled in.
The narthex
across the West End was added in 1895, and removed in October 2006 to make way for an extension on the west end of the church. The church room was built in 1967
In 1927 with the creation of Portsmouth Diocese
, Botley was transferred from Winchester.
In the 1990s the office was built into the narthex by David Brand using timber from the pews removed from the rear of the church.
On 2 October 2006 work began on an extension to the west end of the church. The narthex was removed and foundations for a two-storey extension, with the same cross-section of the existing church build, were dug. Funding for this work was provided by a substantial legacy from the Maffey sisters, and the fund-raising of parishioners. The new extension houses a Rural Discovery Centre operated by Hampshire Library Services, enabling the church to provide services to the local community throughout the week.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
that obtained a charter for a market from Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
in 1267. The area has been settled since at least the 10th century.
Between 1806 and 1820 it was the home of the famous journalist and radical politician William Cobbett
William Cobbett
William Cobbett was an English pamphleteer, farmer and journalist, who was born in Farnham, Surrey. He believed that reforming Parliament and abolishing the rotten boroughs would help to end the poverty of farm labourers, and he attacked the borough-mongers, sinecurists and "tax-eaters" relentlessly...
, who described the village as the most delightful in the world. There is a memorial stone to William Cobbett in the village square.
Flour mills have existed in Botley for over 1,000 years; the old Botley Mill is at the end of High Street.
The fine Market Hall, built in 1848, and old coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
s can be found in the High Street together with many interesting houses.
The village itself grew around a ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
over the River Hamble
River Hamble
The River Hamble is a river in Hampshire, England. It rises near Bishop's Waltham and flows for some 7.5 miles through Botley, Bursledon and Swanwick before entering Southampton Water near Hamble-le-Rice and Warsash....
(which powered the mill) where an Inn was built for travellers to stay in overnight on occasions when the tide was in. At high tide small boats such as canoes can still navigate up the River Hamble
River Hamble
The River Hamble is a river in Hampshire, England. It rises near Bishop's Waltham and flows for some 7.5 miles through Botley, Bursledon and Swanwick before entering Southampton Water near Hamble-le-Rice and Warsash....
, which runs through the village.
Nowadays, the village can be easily accessed from Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
and Fareham
Fareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
by train. Previously, a rail service operated to Bishops Waltham along the Bishops Waltham Branch Line
Bishops Waltham branch
-Description:The Bishops Waltham branch was a railway line in Hampshire, England. It ran from Botley on the Eastleigh-Fareham line to Bishops Waltham...
. Botley railway station
Botley railway station
Botley railway station is a railway station in Botley, Hampshire.-History:Botley station was opened in 1841 by the LSWR. Botley was once the junction for the Bishops Waltham branch which was opened in 1863 and finally closed to freight in 1962...
is just outside the modern boundary of Botley, within Curdridge.
Also in Curdridge, is Fairthorne Manor, a day camps centre run by the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, which includes a golf course, the Fairthorne Manor Golf Course
Fairthorne Manor Golf Course
Fairthorne Manor Golf Course is situated within the grounds of YMCA Fairthorne Manor, Curdridge.Fairthorne Manor is a short course at just over 3,600 yards, with a par of 62. As such, it has much to offer golfers of all standards and handicaps. Beginners will benefit from the fact that no hole...
, and farm.
Places of worship
Botley has possessed a place of worship for at least nine hundred years.The early church, commonly called St Bartholomew’s, adjacent to the old village of Boteleigh, was mentioned in the Domesday book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. This church was largely destroyed by the falling of a large poplar tree onto the nave resulting in the original capacity of 500 being reduced to what had been the chancel.
The present building, dedicated to All Saints, was constructed between 1835-6 as a result of a petition to the Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
and much fund-raising, following the destruction of the old church. The centre of the village had long since moved away from the old church and parishioners were finding it increasingly troublesome to take the path across the fields to the church. Prior to this, a ‘Dissenters Church’ had been built in Winchester Street in 1800 and was attracting a growing congregation.
The parcel of land on which the church is built was given by James Warner (Snr) and the foundation stone was laid on 11 June 1835. The building was consecrated on 22 August 1836 at a service with a congregation of 700. It was built to seat 250 and had an income of £330 (£310 after deductions.) The Reverend Richard Baker was installed as rector and had no curate.
The Walkers organ was installed in 1852, later enlarged and recently dismantled, enlarged and overhauled. The present chancel and choir vestry were added in 1859.
Further large increases in population made necessary the major work of removing the North Wall and replacing it with an arcade supported by oaken pillars on stone bases. A lower outer wall was built of stone crowned by a parapet. This, with the installation of dormer windows to improve the interior lighting, greatly improved the Northern aspect of the building by reducing the large area of slated roof visible from the ground. The work was completed and consecrated by The Lord Bishop of Winchester on 25 October 1892. With this increase in seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
the gallery across the West End was removed and the access from the tower filled in.
The narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
across the West End was added in 1895, and removed in October 2006 to make way for an extension on the west end of the church. The church room was built in 1967
In 1927 with the creation of Portsmouth Diocese
Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth
The Diocese of Portsmouth is an administrative division of the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England. The diocese covers south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight...
, Botley was transferred from Winchester.
In the 1990s the office was built into the narthex by David Brand using timber from the pews removed from the rear of the church.
On 2 October 2006 work began on an extension to the west end of the church. The narthex was removed and foundations for a two-storey extension, with the same cross-section of the existing church build, were dug. Funding for this work was provided by a substantial legacy from the Maffey sisters, and the fund-raising of parishioners. The new extension houses a Rural Discovery Centre operated by Hampshire Library Services, enabling the church to provide services to the local community throughout the week.