Preston Candover
Encyclopedia
Preston Candover is a village and large civil parish in Hampshire
, England
. It has two churches, only one of which is still in use. Its nearest town is Basingstoke
, approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) away. It has an acreage of 3457 acres (14 km²), which lies on comparatively low ground, south of the high country round the surrounding villages of Farleigh Wallop
and Nutley, and north-west of that which rises to Wield and beyond Wield
to Bentworth. The village itself lies on the lowest ground towards the west of the parish on the road which comes northeast from Northington
and the two other Candovers, and runs across the parish to enter Nutley at Axford
and continues uphill to Farleigh Wallop
and thence to Basingstoke
.
The village is home to Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover and his wife Anya Linden
, of the supermarket Sainsbury family
.
By the eleventh century Preston parish had been carved up into six Manors. The land from which they drew their revenues became organised into the common field system. This was based initially on three large fields worked in common by the villagers, although new fields were added as the population grew. The fields were divided into furlongs, each furlongs being divided in turn into strips of about 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) in size. A family’s holding consisted of a number of strips dotted about each of the common fields. Much of the higher ground in the valley was devoted to rough grazing and also held in common, this land comprising Preston and Nutley Down, Southwood Green, and Oakhills Common. At one time Preston Down was joined to those of Brown and Chilton Candover, and this made it an ideal route for the drovers and their herds. The trackway across the down today is known as the B3046 route.
The villages of Preston Candover and Nutley each had a church dedicated to St Mary. Preston’s church lay at the southern end of the village. It had been built in the seventeenth century, the original church, dating from 1190, having been destroyed by fire. The village also had a Methodist Chapel, built in 1865.
, while the brick steps became a favourite spot for visiting Methodist preachers to conduct meetings and for pedlars to display their wares. A memorial was erected in 1919 in honour of the 16 men of the parish killed in action during the Great War
.
The Candovers are now today a main crossing point to New Alresford
and Basingstoke
, but still the three villages still remain in peaceful countryside.
of Preston Candover, which is part of the parish council of Preston Candover and Nutley. It is also part of the Upton Grey and the Candovers ward
of Basingstoke and Deane borough council
. The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district
in Hampshire County Council
.
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...
. It has two churches, only one of which is still in use. Its nearest town is Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) away. It has an acreage of 3457 acres (14 km²), which lies on comparatively low ground, south of the high country round the surrounding villages of Farleigh Wallop
Farleigh Wallop
Farleigh Wallop is a small village and civil parish in Hampshire, England, approximately south of Basingstoke. The parish includes about .Since 1486, Farleigh Wallop has been the home of the Wallop family, including John Wallop, Henry Wallop, and Gerard Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth.-External...
and Nutley, and north-west of that which rises to Wield and beyond Wield
Wield
Wield is a civil parish in Hampshire, England. It includes two neighbouring villages, Upper Wield and Lower Wield.The parish church, dedicated to St James, is in Upper Wield. It is mainly Norman, and is a Grade I listed building.- External links :*...
to Bentworth. The village itself lies on the lowest ground towards the west of the parish on the road which comes northeast from Northington
Northington
Northington is a village in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It lies half a mile from the neighbouring village, Swarraton. Its nearest railway station is at New Alresford, on the Mid-Hants railway line.-See also:...
and the two other Candovers, and runs across the parish to enter Nutley at Axford
Axford, Hampshire
Axford is a village in Hampshire, United Kingdom. The settlement is within the civil parish of Nutley, and is located approximately south-west of Basingstoke.-Governance:...
and continues uphill to Farleigh Wallop
Farleigh Wallop
Farleigh Wallop is a small village and civil parish in Hampshire, England, approximately south of Basingstoke. The parish includes about .Since 1486, Farleigh Wallop has been the home of the Wallop family, including John Wallop, Henry Wallop, and Gerard Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth.-External...
and thence to Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
.
The village is home to Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover and his wife Anya Linden
Anya Linden
Anya Linden, Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover is a retired English ballerina. She spent her childhood in California, where she received her early training with Koslov in Hollywood. She returned to England in 1947 and studied at the Sadler's Wells Ballet School, joining the company in 1951. She...
, of the supermarket Sainsbury family
Sainsbury family
The Sainsbury family founded Sainsbury's, the UK's third largest supermarket chain...
.
History
The village of Preston Candover is probably of Saxon origin. It was originally called 'Prestecandavere' - the Candover belonging to the Priests. The name derives in part from the Candover Brook which rises from springs just to the south of the village, and from a religious community which flourished here before the Norman Conquest.By the eleventh century Preston parish had been carved up into six Manors. The land from which they drew their revenues became organised into the common field system. This was based initially on three large fields worked in common by the villagers, although new fields were added as the population grew. The fields were divided into furlongs, each furlongs being divided in turn into strips of about 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) in size. A family’s holding consisted of a number of strips dotted about each of the common fields. Much of the higher ground in the valley was devoted to rough grazing and also held in common, this land comprising Preston and Nutley Down, Southwood Green, and Oakhills Common. At one time Preston Down was joined to those of Brown and Chilton Candover, and this made it an ideal route for the drovers and their herds. The trackway across the down today is known as the B3046 route.
Victorian times
By Victorian times Preston Candover and Nutley had a population of over 500 people. The land was divided between six main farms, ranging in size from 200 to 1000 acres (4 km²). The village at Preston formed a long straggling settlement. The cottages were a mixture of styles, some timber framed, others built of brick or of flint with brick dressings. The roofs were either thatched or tiled.The villages of Preston Candover and Nutley each had a church dedicated to St Mary. Preston’s church lay at the southern end of the village. It had been built in the seventeenth century, the original church, dating from 1190, having been destroyed by fire. The village also had a Methodist Chapel, built in 1865.
1901 - present
A major change in the appearance of the village occurred in the 1920s at the point where the Basingstoke-Alresford Road met the road to Wield. Previously there had been just a pond lying at the fork in the road. In 1870 a parish pump was installed next to the pond. In dry summers it was much used by farmers from Wield and EllisfieldEllisfield
Ellisfield is a small, rural village in Hampshire, England approximately 5 miles south-east of Basingstoke town centre on the other side of the M3 motorway from the town. As a parish it is grouped together with Cliddesden, Dummer and Farleigh Wallop....
, while the brick steps became a favourite spot for visiting Methodist preachers to conduct meetings and for pedlars to display their wares. A memorial was erected in 1919 in honour of the 16 men of the parish killed in action during the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The Candovers are now today a main crossing point to New Alresford
New Alresford
New Alresford or simply Alresford is a small town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is situated some 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton...
and Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, but still the three villages still remain in peaceful countryside.
Governance
The village of Preston Candover 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 Preston Candover, which is part of the parish council of Preston Candover and Nutley. It is also part of the Upton Grey and the Candovers 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...
in 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...
.
See also
- Brown CandoverBrown CandoverBrown Candover is a village in Hampshire, England. The village belongs to the parish of the Candovers and its nearest town is New Alresford, 5 miles away from the village.-Governance:...
- Chilton CandoverChilton CandoverChilton Candover is a village in Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of and sits in the valley of the River Alre. The village is situated on the main road from Basingstoke to Winchester, and consists of a few scattered houses built of brick and roofed with slate and tiles...
- Old Church of St Mary the Virgin, Preston CandoverOld Church of St Mary the Virgin, Preston CandoverThe Old Church of St Mary the Virgin, Preston Candover, is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Preston Candover, Hampshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Only the chancel...