Rockford, Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Rockford is a hamlet on the western edge of the New Forest
National Park of Hampshire
, England
. Its nearest town is Ringwood
, which lies approximately 1.8 miles (2.9 km) south from the hamlet.
close to the village of Ellingham
. It is separated from Ellingham by a series of lakes known collectively as Blashford Lakes, which have been created as the result of sand and gravel extraction since the 1950s. Nearby is Moyles Court, the former manor house of Rockford, and later for Ellingham. It is now a school known as Moyles Court School.
of 1086 when it was held by Hugh of St Quentin. Rockford had passed to the Moels family by the 13th century and it stayed in that family until the death of John de Moels in 1337. The manor passed to his daughter Isabel, wife of William Botreaux. The manor stayed in the Botreaux family until the late 15th century when it was sold to Robert White. The White family then held it until William White died in 1594, leaving an only daughter, Alice wife of William Beconshaw. After this time Rockford passed like Ellingham
to the Lisle family, Moyles Court in Rockford becoming their chief residence. Alice Lisle
, widow of John Lisle
the regicide
, continued to live at Moyles Court after her husband's assasination in 1664, until her own notorious trial and death by burning in the market-place at Winchester
in 1685. Rockford was eventually restored, like Ellingham, to her son John. In the middle of the 19th century Edward Hayles Taylor sold Rockford to Henry Baring of Somerley
, from whom it was purchased by John Coventry of Burgate Manor. Moyles Court, however, was sold to the Earl of Normanton
with Ellingham.
A chapel at Rockford, subject to the church of Ellingham, was granted by Walter of St Quentin, with the tithe from his house, to the abbey of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
about 1170, and mass was to be said there three times a week by the chaplain of Ellingham or a monk. No trace of it remains, but it probably stood in the "Chapell field" mentioned in an indenture of 1664. A watermill
belonged to Rockford Manor in the 13th century, but by 1337 was in bad repair, and in 1349 it was almost in decay. It is mentioned in 1664, but no trace of it exists at the present day. The right of free fishing was attached to the manor in the 18th century.
Moyles Court is now Moyles Court School. The 18th-Century building which has become "The Alice Lisle Inn" was formerly the village school for Rockford.
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
National Park 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...
, 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...
. Its nearest town is Ringwood
Ringwood
Ringwood is a historic market town and civil parish in Hampshire, England, located on the River Avon, close to the New Forest and north of Bournemouth. It has a history dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, and has held a weekly market since the Middle Ages....
, which lies approximately 1.8 miles (2.9 km) south from the hamlet.
Overview
Rockford is a hamletHamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
close to the village of Ellingham
Ellingham, Hampshire
Ellingham is a small village near Ringwood in Hampshire, England, west of the New Forest National Park. Ellingham is most famous for the story of Alice Lisle, who was executed by the infamous Judge Jeffreys in 1685, on the charge of harbouring fugitives after the defeat of the Monmouth...
. It is separated from Ellingham by a series of lakes known collectively as Blashford Lakes, which have been created as the result of sand and gravel extraction since the 1950s. Nearby is Moyles Court, the former manor house of Rockford, and later for Ellingham. It is now a school known as Moyles Court School.
History
Rockford is listed in the Domesday BookDomesday 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...
of 1086 when it was held by Hugh of St Quentin. Rockford had passed to the Moels family by the 13th century and it stayed in that family until the death of John de Moels in 1337. The manor passed to his daughter Isabel, wife of William Botreaux. The manor stayed in the Botreaux family until the late 15th century when it was sold to Robert White. The White family then held it until William White died in 1594, leaving an only daughter, Alice wife of William Beconshaw. After this time Rockford passed like Ellingham
Ellingham
Ellingham is a family name and a place name. For its etymology, meanings, and so forth, see Wiktionary.Places commonly known as Ellingham include:*Ellingham, Hampshire, England*Ellingham, Norfolk, England*Ellingham, Northumberland, England...
to the Lisle family, Moyles Court in Rockford becoming their chief residence. Alice Lisle
Alice Lisle
Lady Alice Lisle , commonly known as Dame Alicia Lisle or Dame Alice Lyle, was a landed lady of the English county of Hampshire, who was executed for harbouring fugitives after the defeat of the Monmouth Rebellion at the Battle of Sedgemoor.-Family:Dame Alice was a daughter of Sir White Beconshaw...
, widow of John Lisle
John Lisle
Sir John Lisle was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1659. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War and was one of the Regicides of King Charles I of England...
the regicide
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
, continued to live at Moyles Court after her husband's assasination in 1664, until her own notorious trial and death by burning in the market-place at Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
in 1685. Rockford was eventually restored, like Ellingham, to her son John. In the middle of the 19th century Edward Hayles Taylor sold Rockford to Henry Baring of Somerley
Somerley
Somerley is a large house and grounds in the civil parish of Ellingham, Harbridge and Ibsley in the New Forest district in Hampshire, England. It is 2 miles west of the New Forest National Park...
, from whom it was purchased by John Coventry of Burgate Manor. Moyles Court, however, was sold to the Earl of Normanton
Earl of Normanton
Earl of Normanton is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1806 for Charles Agar, 1st Viscount Somerton, Archbishop of Dublin. He had already been created Baron Somerton, of Somerton in the County of Kilkenny, in 1795 and Viscount Somerton, of Somerton in the County of Kilkenny, in...
with Ellingham.
A chapel at Rockford, subject to the church of Ellingham, was granted by Walter of St Quentin, with the tithe from his house, to the abbey of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.It is situated in the Cotentin Peninsula near Valognes in the Manche département.Population : 2,242 .-History:...
about 1170, and mass was to be said there three times a week by the chaplain of Ellingham or a monk. No trace of it remains, but it probably stood in the "Chapell field" mentioned in an indenture of 1664. A watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
belonged to Rockford Manor in the 13th century, but by 1337 was in bad repair, and in 1349 it was almost in decay. It is mentioned in 1664, but no trace of it exists at the present day. The right of free fishing was attached to the manor in the 18th century.
Moyles Court is now Moyles Court School. The 18th-Century building which has become "The Alice Lisle Inn" was formerly the village school for Rockford.