WARBLINGTON
Warbliteton (xi cent.); Warblinton (xiii cent.).
The civil parish of Warblington, governed by Warblington Urban District Council, extends over 3,254
acres and includes the ecclesiastical parishes of Warblington and Emsworth and a part of Rowland's
Castle. The village, which lies on the main road
from Southampton to Chichester, consists of a few
houses clustered about the cross-roads, where one way
curving round by the village pond leads northwards
towards Eastleigh, and another, known as Pook
Lane, (fn. 1) winds its way through the meadows to Langstone Harbour. Most of the southern part of the
parish is well-watered pasture-land. Of the whole
parish 663 acres are arable land, about 808 acres
pasture-land, and 425 acres are covered with wood. (fn. 2)
The streams served to work water-mills, one of which
is mentioned as appurtenant to the manor in 1086, (fn. 3)
while another stood in the tithing of 'Neutibrige.'
At the east end of the village a lane leads southwards
past the avenue leading to the rectory house, to the
'Castle,' a comparatively modern house with farm
buildings, conspicuous only for the ruins of a tall
sixteenth-century gateway. At the end of the lane
stands the church with several fine yew trees in the
churchyard, one to the south-east being a notable
specimen, and across the graveyard there are glimpses
of the channel between Hayling Island and the mainland. The soil here is chalky, but further north the
subsoil is clay, the surface being a rich loam used
mostly for pasture land, though some wheat is grown.
The whole of the northern part of the parish is
thickly wooded. Leigh Park, the residence of
Sir Frederick Fitz Wygram, bart., is surrounded by
oaks, larch and firs, and the woods stretch eastwards
to Emsworth Common. It was probably from them
that Herbert son of Matthew, then lord of Emsworth, sent forty oaks to provide pales for the bishop
of Chichester's park in 1231. (fn. 4) Warblington Park
was frequently mentioned with the manor towards the
end of the fifteenth century, and was granted to
Sir Richard Cotton with it in 1551. (fn. 5) It may have
originated in the grant of free warren to Herbert son
of Matthew in 1231, (fn. 6) and if, as was presumably the
case, it surrounded the castle, it may possibly have
been destroyed during the civil wars. The tithemap of the parish is in the custody of the rector.
MANORS
WARBLINGTON MANOR was
originally parcel of Westbourne in
Sussex, which formed part of the possessions of Earl Godwin, (fn. 7) at whose death Warblington
was probably inherited with its tithing of Newtimber
by Earl Harold. (fn. 8) After the Conquest the manor was
granted to Roger earl of Shrewsbury, who died in
1094. His English lands were inherited by his
second son, Hugh, who was succeeded in 1098 by his
elder brother, Robert of Bellême, on payment of a
heavy fine. The latter forfeited them by his rebellion against Henry I, and Warblington was evidently
granted to a member of the de Courci family, for
William de Courci, dapifer to Henry II, was in possession of it in 1186. (fn. 9) His son Robert, preferring to
retain his Norman lands, forfeited his claim to Warblington, (fn. 10) which thus became an escheat to King
John, of whom it was held by his ardent supporter
Matthew son of Herbert, sheriff of Sussex under John
and Henry III, in exchange for lands which he had lost
in Normandy. In February, 1230–1, Matthew's
son Herbert was granted the manor for maintenance
so long as he should remain in the king's service
across the seas, (fn. 11) and in the following June the king
entailed it on him and his heirs failing the restoration
of the heirs of Robert de Courci, at the same time
granting him free warren there. (fn. 12) Herbert son of
Matthew evidently died without issue, for his brother,
Peter son of Matthew, did homage for his lands in
1245, and was succeeded by a third brother, John son
of Matthew, who paid relief for his inheritance in
1255. Presumably he was dead before July, 1269, at
which date the tenants of various lands were summoned
to answer to the custodian, Nicholas son of Martin,
for 600 marks owing to William de Valence. (fn. 13) John's
widow Margaret was holding Warblington in dower
in October, 1287 (fn. 14) with remainder to Matthew son
of John Ude, who quitclaimed his right to Henry III
and Queen Eleanor, receiving in return a grant of the
manor for life. (fn. 15) He died before 1309, (fn. 16) the reversion
of the manor having already been granted for life to
the king's yeoman, Robert Le Ewer, (fn. 17) who, after
having steadily risen in the royal favour for some years,
forfeited his estates by rebellion, and died in prison in
1324–5. (fn. 18)
In 1309 the reversion of the manor at Robert's
death was granted to Ralph Monthermer, who had
married Joan of Acres, sister of Edward II, and to
Ralph's two sons Thomas and Edward, (fn. 19) the younger
of whom, Edward, succeeded to Warblington accordto an agreement made after Robert Le Ewer's death. (fn. 20)
His lands were seized by the king upon suspicion of
his adherence to the earl of
Kent, but were restored to
him in December, 1330, (fn. 21) and
his brother Thomas seems to
have succeeded to them as his
heir. (fn. 22) Margaret widow of
Thomas Monthermer held
Warblington in dower till her
death in May, 1349, (fn. 23) when
it was inherited by her daughter Margaret wife of Sir John
Montagu, kt., who died in
March, 1394–5, leaving a
son and heir John, afterwards earl of Salisbury. (fn. 24) The latter forfeited his
lands by reason of his resistance to Henry IV, (fn. 25) but
Warblington was granted in March, 1400–1, to his
young son Thomas, (fn. 26) who was restored to his father's
honours in 1409. (fn. 27) His daughter Alice took the
manor in marriage to Richard Nevill, father of the
'Kingmaker,' (fn. 28) after whose
death in February, 1477–8,
it was held by the latter's
daughter Isabel, wife of
George, duke of Clarence. (fn. 29)
In June, 1478, the custody
of the manor during her son's
minority was given to Edmund
Mille, groom of the king's
chamber. (fn. 30) This son was the
unfortunate Edward earl of
Warwick, executed in November, 1499. In 1509 Sir
Francis Cheyne was appointed
steward of the manor, William
and Stephen Cope being bailiff and parker, (fn. 31) and,
in spite of a previous grant in tail male to William
Arundel, lord of Maltravers and his wife Anne, (fn. 32)
it was restored in 1514 to Margaret, countess of
Salisbury, sister and heir of Edward earl of Warwick, with other lands. (fn. 33) She was living at the
castle in 1526. (fn. 34) She was a staunch papist, and
from her house her son-in-law, Lord Montagu,
and others sent frequent messages to their friends
on the continent, especially to Cardinal Pole, (fn. 35) using
as an agent a certain Hugh Holland of Warblington, who had already been convicted of piracy. (fn. 36)
After her attainder in consequence of her share in
these conspiracies Warblington was granted temporarily to William earl of Southampton, and to Sir
Thomas Wriothesley, the king's secretary. (fn. 37) In 1551
it was finally entailed on Sir Richard Cotton, kt., (fn. 38)
whose son George succeeded to it at his death in
1556. (fn. 39) George Cotton was living at Warblington
in 1596, (fn. 40) and died there in 1609–10, leaving a son
and heir Sir Richard Cotton. (fn. 41) In 1635 a Richard
Cotton died seised of the manor leaving a young
grandson and heir of the same name who was a
staunch Royalist. (fn. 42) In January, 1643–4, 'the strong
house at Warblington' was captured by sixty soldiers
and a hundred muskets, (fn. 43) and Richard Cotton was
obliged to compound for his lands. (fn. 44) He is said to
have bequeathed them to his only surviving son
William, (fn. 45) who died in 1736. Under his will the
manor passed to Thomas Panton, (fn. 46) who sold his life
interest to Richard Barwell
of Stansted. The latter also
bought the reversion from
Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, (fn. 47) and bequeathed the
manor to trustees for sale. (fn. 48)
It was purchased in 1825 by
Messrs. Brown & Fenwick, and
in 1875 was held by the
trustees of John Fenwick. (fn. 49)
In 1885 the manor was acquired by Messrs. H. G.
Paine and Richard Brettell
of Chertsey.
Montagu. Argent a fesse indented of three points gules.
Nevill, Earl of Salisbury. Gules a saltire argent and a label gobony argent and azure.
Cotton. Azure a cheveron between three hanks of cotton argent.
The lords of Warblington had both a court baron
and a court leet, but have ceased to hold either. (fn. 50)
It was probably at George Cotton's manor-house,
i.e. at Warblington Castle, that Queen Elizabeth
stayed for two days during her progress through the
southern counties in 1586. (fn. 51)
The 'Castle,' Warblington
The 'strong house of Warblington' of Civil War
days exists no longer, though whether by reason of
damages then sustained does not appear. The only
relic of its former importance is a tall octagonal turret
of red brick and stone, once forming the angle of an
entrance gateway, which must have been a fine building, dating from the early part of the sixteenth century. It was of four stories, and enough remains to
show that it had square-headed mullioned windows,
with arched heads to the lights. The present house,
standing to the east of the gateway, is of no architectural interest.
The tithing of NEUTIBRIGE or NEWTIMBER
is mentioned in the Domesday Survey. Land was
held there before the Conquest by Earl Harold,
and his tenant Sired continued to hold it of Earl
Roger of Shrewsbury after 1066. (fn. 52) John Dake,
parson of Warblington, made an unsuccessful attempt
to claim land and rent in Newtimber and Hayling
in 1249, when William of Newtimber was said to
be holding the premises in villeinage of Adam de
la More. (fn. 53) Subsequently William Falconer of Wade
released land and rents there to John, parson of
Warblington. (fn. 54) The successive lords of Wade were
possessed of a moiety of Newtimber, (fn. 55) while in 1316
another moiety was held by Henry Romyn, (fn. 56) probably a descendant and successor of John son of John
Romyn, who in 1272 conveyed a messuage, a mill,
2 virgates of land and 2 acres of wood to Adam de
la More for life. (fn. 57)
EMSWORTH
EMSWORTH (Emeleworth and Emelesworth,
xiii cent.; Empnesworth and Emmesworth, xiv cent.),
situated at the head of the harbour to the east of
Warblington, where the River Ems flows into the sea,
is a small town of some importance, and has lately
become a popular yachting station. It is a member
of the port of Portsmouth, and as such, exports timber
and flour and import coal. In the fourteenth century
the trade in foreign wines was considerable, and
smuggling was rife. (fn. 58) The fisheries are prosperous,
chiefly owing to the success of the oyster-beds in the
harbour. In 1340 the fishing and profits of the shore
at Emsworth formed a valuable item in the revenues of
Warblington Manor. (fn. 59) The lord of Warblington also
had a weekly market and an annual fair in Emsworth,
under a grant of Henry III in 1239. (fn. 60) The fair was
held on the morrow of the Translation of St. Thomas
(4 July). The town is a growing one, its prosperity
being chiefly due to its situation at the head of the
harbour and on the road from Portsmouth to
Chichester. It has a station on the Portsmouth line
of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway.
The High Street is a wide open space from which
the smaller streets run irregularly down to the various
quays or to the 'Foreshore,' where men are always
busy lading and unlading ships.
Emsworth was originally a tithing and hamlet of
Warblington, and is not mentioned in the Domesday
Survey, but when the manor of Warblington was in
King John's hands as an escheat of Robert de Courci
he granted 100s. rent from it to William Aguillon,
and in 1230 Henry III confirmed to him the land
late of Robert de Courci in Emsworth and Warblington for the yearly rent of a pair of gilt spurs, (fn. 61)
the land being extended at four hides. (fn. 62) In 1280
Robert Aguillon, son and
heir of William, (fn. 63) when summoned to show why he took
amendment of the assize of
bread and ale in Warblington, pleaded the custom of its
former Norman tenants. (fn. 64) His
widow Margaret received
seisin of 100s. rent in 'the
manor of Emsworth' in April,
1286, (fn. 65) and died before
29 July, 1292, leaving a
daughter and heir Isabel wife
of Hugh Bardolf, (fn. 66) who held the rents in Emsworth by right of his wife. (fn. 67) In 1304 she surrendered the 'manor of Emsworth' to the crown
and obtained a fresh grant of it with remainder to
her younger son William, (fn. 68) but in 1312 she sued
Robert le Ewer, then lord of Warblington, and
another for trespass, (fn. 69) and in the following year
sought restitution of her lands in Emsworth and
Warblington, (fn. 70) which had been seized into the king's
hands on an inquisition as to her rights. It was
then stated that the original grant to William
Aguillon only referred to 100s. rent to be received
from the reeve of Warblington manor, that when
Peter son of Matthew was lord of the manor he
assigned 100s. rent from certain villeins in Emsworth
to Robert Aguillon, but Matthew son of John had
through negligence allowed Robert Aguillon to usurp
the lordship of the villeins and a fishery in Emsworth. (fn. 71) The suit dragged on for some years while
Robert le Ewer received all the profits of the lands
according to a grant of 1317, (fn. 72) and was only ended
after his forfeiture of Warblington. In 1325 the
king's bailiff held a court there (fn. 73) and in December
of the same year the 'manor of Emsworth' was
released to Thomas elder
brother and heir of William
Bardolf according to the grant
of Edward I. (fn. 74) Thomas Bardolf's son John sold Emsworth with Greatham to
Nicholas le Devenish in
1342. (fn. 75) It descended with
that manor to the Faukoners
who evidently retained it
when they sold Greatham to
John Freeland, (fn. 76) for a William
Faukoner conveyed it to Anthony Browning, and Elizabeth Cotton, widow, in 1635. (fn. 77)
Thus, apparently, it became the property of the
Cottons, for it was included in the lands for which
Richard Cotton compounded, and has since remained in the possession of the successive lords of
Warblington.
Aguillon. Gules a fleur-de-lis argent.
Devenish. Vert a saltire engrailed argend between four crosslets fitchy or.
CHURCH
The church of ST. THOMAS OF
CANTERBURY, (fn. 78)
WARBLINGTON,
consists of chancel 45 ft. by 15 ft. 6 in.,
with north vestry and organ chamber,
nave 41 ft. by 18 ft. 3 in., with north and south
aisles and north porch, and a small tower between the nave and chancel. It is a building of
unusual interest, not only on account of the beautiful
Purbeck marble detail of the south arcade, but also
because part of the tower is of pre-Conquest date.
This latter is only 9 ft. square over all, and 4 ft. 6 in.
square within the walls, and can hardly have been
other than western. Only one stage of it now exists,
the second; the ground stage having disappeared in
the course of alterations noted below. It is not
clear whether there was formerly a third stage, or
whether it was rather a two-story porch than a tower.
Nothing remains of the nave and chancel which stood
to the east of it, but the width between the chancel
arches may perhaps preserve that of the former nave,
13 ft. 6 in. In the early years of the thirteenth century a new nave with aisles was built to the west of
the tower, the lower part of the tower being removed,
to open up the old nave east of the tower, which
now became the chancel of the enlarged church, but
in the latter half of the same century, with its original
chancel, was entirely pulled down, and its site occupied
by a large new chancel with a north-east vestry. The
aisles of the nave were either remodelled or rebuilt at
this time, and perhaps lengthened eastward to the
line of the east wall of the old tower. The tower,
which probably had open archways on all four sides
on the lower stage, has small arched doorways on the
north, south, and west in the second stage, and these
may have opened to the roof or upper floors of buildings set against the tower. The question is one
which arises in connexion with many of the existing
western towers of pre-Conquest date, and may in this
instance have had some effect on the later alterations.
The blocks of masonry abutting the arches under the
tower may perhaps contain parts of the walling of
such buildings, and the east responds of the thirteenth-century arcades may have been built against them,
the eastern limit of the aisles being on this line. At
the rebuilding of the whole of the work east of the
tower, the aisles were lengthened to the line of the
east wall of the tower, and perhaps widened, as there
seems to be nothing in either as early as the arcades
of the nave. The chancel, whose unusual length for
a church of this scale may be accounted for by the
fact of its having been built round the whole of the
nave and chancel of the Saxon church, has an east
window of three lights with modern tracery, but
the rear arch is original. On the north-east of the
chancel is the apparently contemporary vestry, formerly
of two stories, and entered from the chancel by a
plain chamfered door at the south-west. Immediately
to the east of the door is a small squint, wide towards
the chancel, and narrow towards the vestry, with a
groove for a sliding panel, by which it could be
closed, on the vestry side. The vestry has a twolight east window with modern tracery, but old rear
arch, and an original lancet in the north wall. In
the south jamb of the east window is a small trefoiled
recess with a fourteenth-century canopy and pinnacles
over it; the recess is rebated for a wooden door, and
has holes for the fastening of bolts. Its original use
can only be conjectured, and it is not certain that it is
in situ, but it may be compared with other small and
carefully secured recesses which may have held the
church plate, or even the Host, as it seems that
suspension, though the characteristic English method,
was not exclusively practised. (fn. 79) West of the vestry is
a modern organ chamber, and beyond it a length of
original walling containing a window of two uncusped
lights, with remains of tracery over the lights, indicating re-used material. In the south wall the first
window from the east has two fifteenth-century cinquefoiled lights under a square head, but the rear arch is
like the others in the chancel, with a wave-mould.
Below it is a trefoiled piscina with a Purbeck marble
bowl, and in the next bay to the west a lancet window
with wave-mould rear arch, of the date of the chancel, but not in situ, having been moved here from a
place in the north wall when the organ chamber was
built. (fn. 80) West of it is a plain segmental-headed doorway with modern stonework in the head, and a
window with a modern square head and two trefoiled
lights, under an old rear arch. Under the tower are
two arches, the space between them being covered by
a pointed barrel vault. The eastern arch, which
dates from the beginning of the fourteenth century,
is of two chamfered orders with three engaged shafts
in the jambs, having moulded capitals and bases; the
springing of an earlier arch, wider, and of a different
radius, and probably contemporary with the western
arch, is to be seen on its eastern face.
Warblington Church
The tower carried on these arches and the vault is
now of three stages, its original ground stage having
been cleared away in the early thirteenth-century
alterations. The first stage now in existence has plain
round-headed doorways on north and south of rough
rubble with no wrought stone dressings, and on the
west side a blocked doorway with thirteenth-century
stonework, but round-headed, and probably representing a third pre-Conquest opening; the east wall
is not pierced. This stage is the only remaining
piece of pre-Conquest work, and its walls are 2 ft. 3 in.
thick. On the west face of this stage, over the head
of the west opening, is the line of a former roof, and the
quoins of the western angles of the thirteenth-century
work in the tower also appear, showing that the roof
was that existing in the thirteenth century. The stage
above is a thirteenth-century addition, with thinner
walls and small lancet windows on north and south,
their rear arches being semicircular, while the top
stage, in which is the single bell, is an addition of
c. 1830, replacing a wooden turret. It has double
openings on each face, divided by a shaft of thirteenth-century style, and is crowned with a short shingled
spire. The nave is of three bays, its eastern arch
and south arcade being of
the same detail, while the
north arcade is of plainer
work. Both have pointed
arches of two chamfered
orders, but while the north
arcade has round stone
columns and moulded
capitals, the south has
beautiful clustered columns
of Purbeck marble, four
round shafts with an octagonal central shaft, the
moulded bases and foliate
capitals being also of the
same material. In the
east respond the capitals
are of stone and the
outer shafts have stone
bands, and in the chancel
arch the same thing occurs. The responds in
the north arcade are
planned as for triple shafts,
but have never had them. There is probably no great
difference in date between the two arcades, a marked
difference in design between practically contemporary
works being very common in such cases; the south
arcade and chancel arch may have been built first in
this instance, the funds not sufficing to build the north
arcade in the same elaborate and beautiful style.
The north aisle has a late thirteenth-century east
window of two uncusped lights with a trefoiled circle
in the head, and in the north wall two modern two-light windows. The west window is a single uncusped
light, but its head is a piece of early fourteenth-century tracery—the lower part of a trefoiled opening,
re-used here at some uncertain date. In the south-east of the aisle is a large late thirteenth-century
trefoiled piscina with a projecting bowl, and below
the first window on the north wall a tomb-recess
probably of the fourteenth century, the back of which
projects beyond the outer face of the wall. It
contains the Purbeck marble effigy of a lady in a long
gown and wimple, of very poor workmanship, and
perhaps of late thirteenth-century date; and at the***
back of the recess is carved a soul carried by angels,
probably contemporary with the recess, and later than
the effigy. The north door of the aisle is of plain
fifteenth-century work, under a very picturesque
wooden porch of the same date, much patched with
later work, but retaining a very good barge-board and
framed wooden arch of entrance. In the south aisle
the east window has three-light tracery c. 1370, but
the rear arch is late thirteenth-century work, like that
in the north aisle. Of the same date is the first
window on the south side, of two uncusped lights
with a pierced spandrel over, the other two windows
in this wall being modern copies of it. Traces of
the south doorway are visible in the middle bay of
the aisle, below the modern window which has taken
its place. The west window here is a plain lancet,
perhaps of the date of the aisle. At the south-east
of the aisle is a plain trefoiled piscina of late thirteenth-century date, and at the north-east a cinquefoiled
fourteenth-century tomb-recess with corbels for images
above it, and containing the very beautiful fourteenth-century effigy of a lady lying with her arms at her
sides, the treatment of the hands and drapery being
of quite unusual excellence.
Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury, Warblington (from the East)
The west window of the nave is of three uncusped
lights of early fourteenth-century date, and above it
is a modern cinquefoiled circle, while below is a late
fifteenth-century doorway.
The nave roof runs unbroken over the aisles, and
is covered with red tiles, and has a brick coping at the
west. The eaves of the aisles are low, and the side
windows are set in gablets rising above their level.
The chancel roof is modern, and there are no
ancient wood fittings. In the floor of the chancel
are some fifteenth-century glazed tiles, showing among
other devices two beasts back to back, eagles holding
a shield of France, two embattled towers, fleurs-de-lis,
&c. There are also two Purbeck marble coffin-lids
with crosses in the chancel floor, and the matrix of a
brass. At the east end of both aisles of the nave a
large coffin-lid with a cross is set on the floor, but
there are no monuments of interest beyond the tomb-recesses already described.
The font at the west end of the north aisle is
modern, with a central and four angle shafts and a
square bowl.
On the south-east window of the south aisle is an
incised sundial. There is one bell, probably of early
sixteenth-century date, inscribed in black-letter capitals
and smalls:—
Sancte Pale ora pro nob.
The plate comprises a cup of 1709, with a modern
foot, a small paten of 1825, and a jug-shaped flagon
of 1823.
The first book of the registers contains baptisms
1631–1735, marriages 1644–1736, and burials
1647–1736. Up to 1660 it is a copy of older
entries, whose originals are now lost. The second
book runs from 1736 to 1760, the marriages stopping
at 1754. The third has baptisms and burials 1760–87,
and the fourth is the printed marriage register, 1754–
92. The fifth has baptisms and burials 1787–1808,
the sixth marriages 1793–1812, and the seventh
baptisms and burials 1809–12.
ADVOWSON
This was originally vested in the
lords of the manor. It was granted in
dower to Eleanor, widow of Matthew
son of John in 1309. (fn. 81) John Helyar, rector in the
time of Henry VIII, having forfeited his goods as a
traitor, the crown presented for one turn. (fn. 82) Edward
VI granted the advowson with the manor to
Sir Richard Cotton, but apparently he parted with it
soon afterwards, for in 1619 George Oglander presented. (fn. 83) In 1780 Anne Norris, widow, was patron,
and the advowson still remains in her family, the
present owner being the Rev. William Burrell Norris.
A part of the parish was assigned to the chapelry
of Redhill in 1840. (fn. 84) The elementary school was
built in 1865, and is of Nonconformist endowment. (fn. 85)
In 1841 Emsworth was formed into an ecclesiastical
parish separate from Warblington, (fn. 86) and declared a
rectory in 1866. (fn. 87)
The church of St. James was built in 1840, (fn. 88) with
a chancel, and nave with aisles and two octagonal
west turrets. The chancel has since been rebuilt
(1892). There is one bell.
The plate consists of a set given in 1840 by
R. J. Harrison, two communion cups, a paten, and a
flagon; a silver-gilt cup and paten given in 1892,
and a plated paten. The registers begin in
1841.
Before the building of this church the district was
served by the chapel of St. Peter, built in 1790. (fn. 89)
There is a Baptist chapel built in 1848, a Primitive Methodist chapel in 1876, and a Congregational
chapel founded in 1891.
The elementary school was opened in 1865.
CHARITY
The following is the sole endowed
charity of the parish:—Mrs. Jane Bellamy, by a codicil to her will, proved
in 1892, left a legacy, invested in £102 0s. 10d.
Consols, with the official trustees, income to be applied
—subject to the repair of the donor's grave—in
keeping the churchyard in order.