ELVETHAM
Helvetham, Ulvetham (xiii cent.).
The parish of Elvetham, which is bounded on
the west by the River Hart, comprises 3,277 acres,
of which approximately 1,757 acres are woods and
plantations, 625 acres arable land, and 856 acres
permanent grass. (fn. 1) The Basingstoke road, the old
coaching road to the west of England, cuts through
the wooded country in the north; Star Hill House,
the residence of Mr. George Henry Staytont, and
Woodside, the residence of Captain F. E. Caldwell, are on this road, which crosses the River Hart
at the bridge that has given its name to the hamlet
of Hartford Bridge. A small church was built here in
1876 on the road which leads past Arlot's Farm to
Malt House Farm and the Home Farm, and skirts
Elvetham Park on the east. About a mile from Hartford Bridge the rectory stands back from this road,
and at the south-east corner of the park are the
schools. The river runs through the park, which
contains a lake fed by its waters; the church, which
was restored and enlarged by the fourth Lord Calthorpe, stands in the park near Elvetham House,
the seat of the present Lord Calthorpe. Yateley
Heath Wood occupies the greater part of the northeastern part of the parish, and the woodland in the
south is intersected by the London and South Western
Railway.
The soil is various, the subsoil sand and gravel;
the chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, roots, and
clover. The commons were inclosed in 1815. (fn. 2)
Place-names found in various records are Maplers,
Hunland, Stephyns, Le Freth, Inholmes, and Rykmansforde (1530), Marrow Meade, Laundrey Meade, and
'an inn called the White Lyon in Hartford Bridge
or Hartley Wintney' (1650). (fn. 3)
Manor
According to a charter contained in the
registers of Chertsey Abbey, Frithenwald,
subregulus of Surrey, granted land at
ELVETHAM to that house in 675. (fn. 4) This charter,
however, is probably not genuine, for the statement
that Edric held Elvetham of Edward the Confessor is
in direct contradiction to it, (fn. 5) and it is more likely
that Elvetham was granted to the abbey by William
the Conqueror, as a confirmatory charter of Henry I
states. (fn. 6) In 1086 Hugh de Port was holding Elvetham, which was of the annual value of 30s., of the
abbey; there was sufficient woodland to feed ten
swine, and it was assessed at I hide. (fn. 7) The manor
was confirmed to the abbey by Henry I, (fn. 8) and the
abbot and convent retained the overlordship until the
reign of Henry VIII, the manor being held of them
by fealty and a rent of 30s. (fn. 9)
Before 1166 Elvetham had apparently passed from
the Ports to Stephen de Bendeng, who in that year was
returned as holding one quarter
of a knight's fee of the Abbot
of Chertsey; this same property was held by Adam de
Bendeng in 1212, and there
is very little doubt that the
same estate is referred to in
the Testa de Nevill, which
states that Adam de Bendeng
held 1 hide of land in Elvetham. (fn. 10) Adam, who died in
1229, had a son Walter, who
died in 1232, leaving a son
William, who was under age;
he and his father's land were
entrusted to the custody of Walter de Faukenberge,
and when William died two years later the manor
passed to his aunt, Maud wife of Geoffrey Sturmy. (fn. 11)
Geoffrey Sturmy died in 1246, leaving a son Henry,
who entered into possession of his mother's inheritance when he came of age in 1254, (fn. 12) and in 1280
was called upon to prove his right to the assize of
bread and ale in Elvetham. (fn. 13) The manor remained
in the family without a break, descending from father
to son for a hundred years or more, the younger
generation being invariably named after the elder. (fn. 14)
Chertsey Abbey. Party or and argent St. Paul's sword argent with its hilt or crossed with St. Peter's keys gules and azure.
In 1359 Henry Sturmy was granted free warren
besides permission to inclose some land in Elvetham
in order to make a park which he might ' hold to
himself and his heirs for ever.' (fn. 15) Henry Sturmy died
in 1381, (fn. 16) and the manor passed to his nephew and
rightful heir William, to whom a further licence was
granted in 1403 to inclose and impark land in
Elvetham. (fn. 17)
Sturmy. Argent three demi-lions gules.
Seymour.Gules a pair of wings or.
Sir William Sturmy died in 1426–7, leaving as
heirs a daughter Agnes and a grandson John Seymour,
son of his daughter Maud. (fn. 18) John Seymour inherited
Elvetham, and when he died in 1464 he bequeathed
one-third of the manor to Isabel his wife. Isabel
held in dower until her death in 1485, when her
share passed to her husband's namesake, her grandson
and heir. (fn. 19)
This John Seymour died in 1492, leaving a son
John, (fn. 20) who entertained Henry VIII at Elvetham in
the October of 1535, (fn. 21) and on his death in the following year was succeeded by his second but first surviving
son Edward. Edward Seymour was created Earl of
Hertford in 1537, and Duke of Somerset in 1547. (fn. 22)
Henry VIII again visited Elvetham in August 1536
and Edward Seymour used the house as a summer residence for his children. (fn. 23) He was made Protector, but
was deprived of that position in 1549, accused of high
treason, and beheaded in the Tower of London
in January 1551–2. (fn. 24) After his death he was attainted and his estates were forfeited, but they were
subsequently restored to his son Edward, who was
created Earl of Hertford in January 1558–9, and
entertained Queen Elizabeth at Elvetham in most
magnificent style in 1591. (fn. 25) His wife welcomed the
royal visitor 'most humbly on her knees as she
alighted from horseback at the hall door, and was by
the queen most graciously embraced.' (fn. 26)
The earl died in 1621, and was succeeded by his
grandson William, the lover of Arabella Stuart,
created Marquis of Hertford in 1640, (fn. 27) and second
Duke of Somerset in 1660. He sold the Elvetham estate in 1650 to Sir Robert Reynolds, (fn. 28)
described in the indenture of sale as Solicitor-General
of the Commonwealth of England. Sir Robert
Reynolds's daughter and eventual sole heiress, Priscilla, married Reynolds Calthorpe after the death
of her first husband, Sir Richard Knight, (fn. 29) and was
holding the manor in conjunction with him in 1695,
Sir Robert Reynolds having died in 1678. (fn. 30) She
died in 1709, leaving an only son, Reynolds, who
died in 1714, when the manor apparently passed to
her husband (who died in 1720), and from him to
his son by his second wife, Henry Calthorpe, afterwards knighted. (fn. 31) Sir Henry Calthorpe left his
estate to his nephew Henry, son of Sir Henry Gough
and Barbara daughter of Reynolds Calthorpe. (fn. 32) This
nephew took his uncle's name when he inherited in
1788, and was created Lord Calthorpe in 1796. (fn. 33)
His great-grandson, Sir Augustus Cholmondeley
Gough-Calthorpe, the sixth baron, died 22 July 1910.
He was succeeded in the title by his brother Sir
Somerset John Gough-Calthorpe.
Some land in Elvetham was originally part of the
ancient demesne and was probably included in
Odiham at the time of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 34) It
seems to have been granted at a very early date to
the Bernard family, and to have acquired the name
of ELVETHAM BERNARD, which survived as late
as the 17th century. (fn. 35) In 1280 this estate was
already united to the Sturmy property. (fn. 36)
Gough. Gules a fesse argent between three boars' heads or with a lion passant azure on the fesse.
Calthorpk. Checkered or and azure with a fesse ermine.
Church
The church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN has a chancel and nave in one,
north transept, south porch, and a west
tower with a stone spire. It is said to have been
'restored' in 1840–1, but as no old stones have
been left it is practically a wholly modern structure. It is of flint and stone, and is in the style of
the 12th century. All its furniture and fittings are
also modern, but there are a few monuments a little
earlier in date than the church. The tower contains
one large bell which is practically inaccessible.
The plate consists of a fine set of modern vessels,
a silver-gilt chalice, two patens, and two flagons, all
of 1873; also a silver-gilt spoon.
The registers begin in 1638, the first book containing baptisms, marriages, and burials up to 1699, a
few baptisms from 1712 to 1714, a burial of 1714,
and a Hartley Wintney marriage of 1714. On an
end sheet is a form of declaration of marriage probably
used during the Commonwealth; the second book
begins in 1699, and has baptisms to 1803, marriages
to 1753, and burials to 1812; the third has marriages from 1754 to 1812, and the fourth baptisms
1804 to 1812.
Advowson
The advowson of the church of
Elvetham has apparently always belonged to the successive lords of the
manor, (fn. 37) the living at the present time being a rectory
of the net value of £208.
Charities
The poor of this parish receive the
rents and profits of a house at Cove
in Yateley, known as ' The Anchor,'
with 7 acres or thereabouts adjoining, derived under
the will of Sir Robert Reynolds, and a deed of grant
by Reynolds Calthorpe, dated in 1704. The trust
property is let at £63 a year, and a sum of £9 7s. is
received as the dividends on £374 11s. 8d. consols
with the official trustees.
In 1746 Sir Henry Calthorpe, by a codicil to his
will, bequeathed £200 for the poor, and in 1763
the Rev. James Phipps, a former rector, by his will
left £100, the interest to be applied in the distribution of bread. The trust fund now consists of
£383 5s 3d consols with the official trustees, producing yearly £9 11s. 4d.
The charities are administered together. In 1906
£68 15s. was expended in clothing, £8 5s. in coal,
and £3 2s. 6d. in bread.