Newtown, Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Newtown is a village
and civil parish
in the English
county of Hampshire
, located just south of Newbury
.
of Burghclere
, and flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. Sandleford Priory in Berkshire
was founded between 1193 and 1202 and an entirely new town was created just over the border in Hampshire. In 1218, the grant of a market and a fair at Newtown was made to the Bishop of Winchester
and, in the bishop's account roll of 1218-19, fifty-two burgesses are listed, who occupied sixty-seven plots of land in the new borough. The Prior of Sandleford
bought three plots in Newtown. Also in 1218-19, a chapel was built for the local people of the new borough, and was originally known as the Chapel of Sandleford.
In 1224-25, a ditch was dug around the town at the bishop's expense and, in 1225-26, the bishop's own house was built in the borough. By the 16th century, the town had begun to decay, although the reason for its decline is not known, and, in 1674, only sixty-four houses remained, probably scattered throughout the parish. No traces of the medieval borough can be seen above ground today.
of Newtown, and is part of the Burghclere, Highclere and St. Mary Bourne ward
of Basingstoke and Deane borough council
. The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district
of Hampshire County Council
.
of St Mary and St John the Baptist was built in 1865 on the site of the original medieval chapel. The building was financed entirely by Edmund and Elizabeth Arbuthnot.
' novel, Watership Down
.
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...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the English
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...
county of 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...
, located just south of Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
.
History
The mediaeval borough of Newtown was formed from part of the parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Burghclere
Burghclere
Burghclere is a village and civil parish in the Basingstoke and Deane district of Hampshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,138...
, and flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. Sandleford Priory in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
was founded between 1193 and 1202 and an entirely new town was created just over the border in Hampshire. In 1218, the grant of a market and a fair at Newtown was made 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, in the bishop's account roll of 1218-19, fifty-two burgesses are listed, who occupied sixty-seven plots of land in the new borough. The Prior of Sandleford
Sandleford
Sandleford is a hamlet and former parish in the English county of Berkshire.The settlement is now within the civil parish of Greenham, and is located approximately south of the town of Newbury.-Priory:...
bought three plots in Newtown. Also in 1218-19, a chapel was built for the local people of the new borough, and was originally known as the Chapel of Sandleford.
In 1224-25, a ditch was dug around the town at the bishop's expense and, in 1225-26, the bishop's own house was built in the borough. By the 16th century, the town had begun to decay, although the reason for its decline is not known, and, in 1674, only sixty-four houses remained, probably scattered throughout the parish. No traces of the medieval borough can be seen above ground today.
Governance
The village of Newtown is part of the civil parishCivil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Newtown, and is part of the Burghclere, Highclere and St. Mary Bourne ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
of Basingstoke and Deane borough council
Basingstoke and Deane
Basingstoke and Deane is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England. Its primary settlement is Basingstoke. Other settlements include Bramley, Tadley, Kingsclere, Overton, Oakley, Whitchurch and the hamlet of Deane, some from Basingstoke....
. The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of Hampshire County Council
Hampshire County Council
Hampshire County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Hampshire in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are district councils, and town and parish councils...
.
Religious sites
The Church of England parish churchChurch of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of St Mary and St John the Baptist was built in 1865 on the site of the original medieval chapel. The building was financed entirely by Edmund and Elizabeth Arbuthnot.
Industry
Butchers, bakers, ironmongers and shoemakers were listed in the old borough records, but more recently the parish has been famed locally for making wooden rakes.Famous people
- Eustace Roskill, Baron RoskillEustace Roskill, Baron RoskillEustace Wentworth Roskill, Baron Roskill PC, JP was a British lawyer and public servant.-Background and education:...
, Lord of Appeal in OrdinaryLord of Appeal in OrdinaryLords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the House of Lords of the United Kingdom in order to exercise its judicial functions, which included acting as the highest court of appeal for most domestic matters...
, Tristan de Vere Cole (tv producer)
Literature
Newtown churchyard and Newtown Common both feature in Richard AdamsRichard Adams
Richard Adams was a non-conforming English Presbyterian divine, known as author of sermons and other theological writings.-Life:...
' novel, Watership Down
Watership Down
Watership Down is a classic heroic fantasy novel, written by English author Richard Adams, about a small group of rabbits. Although the animals in the story live in their natural environment, they are anthropomorphised, possessing their own culture, language , proverbs, poetry, and mythology...
.