ODIHAM
Odiham (xi cent.); Hodiam, Odyham (xiii cent.);
Odyam (xv cent.); Odiam (xvi cent.).
Odiham is a large parish containing 7,354. acres of
land and 50 acres of land covered with water. The
nearest railway station is at Hook, on the London and
South Western Railway. The picturesque old town
of Odiham is grouped on either side of a wide road
called High Street, running east and west. At its
eastern end the road branches into two, one of which
is the high road to Bagshot and Staines and the other
to Farnham. At the western end of the town the High
Street divides into three; one branch leads through
North Warnborough, across Bartley Heath, and through
Hook to Reading. Another branch leads west to
Greywell, and the third is the high road to Alton.
The vicarage, said to be Elizabethan, stands to the
north of the road. It has a gabled, overhanging
front, but has been much modernized.
The Priory—so mis-called—formerly the rectory,
stands at the west end of the town, on the north side
of the road at the corner, but is completely hidden from
it by trees. It is now occupied by Mr. P. L. Sclater,
F.R.S. The main house is of the time of Queen
Anne, of red brick and stone. The older portion,
dating from the middle of the 15 th century, is a wing
built of stone, running north and south, and apparently
consisting formerly of a single large hall about 82 ft.
long by 13 ft. wide, with an old fireplace a little to
the south of the middle of its length on the east side.
It had two floors, both lighted by a range of windows
with cinquefoiled pointed lights under square heads,
and an old doorway with a four-centred arch at its
north end. The wood doors belonging to it have been
removed and rehung at the front entrance of the
more modern building. The building fell into decay,
and the north end of it is still ruinous; the rest was
put into order some forty years ago by the late Lord
Basing, who converted it into a study, bedrooms,
outhouses, &c, and built a connecting building between its south end and the main house.
The George Hotel was licensed in 1540, and much
of the original building still stands, although it was refronted some time in the 18th century. There are old
beams in the ceiling of the ground floor, which was
probably one long room. The chimney-piece at one
end of the dining-room is of 17th-century workmanship. It is richly carved with square panels above the
shelf and round-headed panels below. On the first
floor are timbers of an ancient roof-truss showing in
the present drawing-room. A wood doorway with
a four-centred arch under a square head now opens
into cellars.
The grammar school, founded by Robert May in
1694, is south of the High Street on a branch road.
The almshouses, founded by Sir Edward More in
1623, are near the church, outside which still stand
the old stocks and whipping-post.
The Basingstoke Canal passes to the north of the town
and is carried by an aqueduct over the River Whitewater, near Odiham Castle. To the north of the
town at Colt Hill there is a wharf which was at one
time largely used for the conveyance of chalk, obtained
mainly from the large pit to the south of the town, to
all parts of the surrounding country, but the wharf is
now disused. The River Whitewater forms part of
the western boundary of the parish, dividing it from
Greywell, but near the ruins of Odiham Castle it
takes a sharp turn eastward, and after supplying power
to two mills at North Warnborough flows northward
past Poland Mill, Crooked Billet and Borough Court,
forming the western boundary between Newnham and
Odiham. At Hook, which is partly in the parish of
Odiham, there is a foundry.
The parish is hilly and well wooded, and contains
several large commons; Odiham Common to the
north-east, Bartley Heath, where there is a golf course,
to the north-west, and Horsedown Common to the
south-east. Parts of the parks of Dogmersfield and
Winchfield Lodge are in Odiham, and there is a small
park surrounding Hatchwoods, the residence of Lady
Petre. The town of Odiham stands on a chalky hill
at about 300 ft. above the ordnance datum, and the
land falls in the north to about 200 ft. and rises to
the south of the town to some 400 ft. above the
ordnance datum, the highest parts of Horsedown
Common being at a height of 500 ft. The inclosure
award for the tithings of Hillside, North Warnborough, Rye, Stapely and Odiham is dated 12
February 1791. (fn. 1) In 1905 the distribution of arable,
grass and woodland, was given as 3,772 acres of
arable, 1,948 acres of permanent grass, and 109 of
woods and plantations. (fn. 2) The soil is of a mixed
character; the subsoil is of clay and chalk, producing
crops of cereals and hops. Hay is much grown in
the district.
The Priory, Odiham, from the South-east
Place-names which occur in connexion with Odiham
are Chalvemede, Pilersehacche (fn. 3) (xiii cent.),Tortehulle,
Rude, Scuteshangre, Garstanmed, Doningele, Bykelynche, le Oldmede (fn. 4) (xiv cent.), Townsend, Powling
Meade, Aynellsland (fn. 5) (xvii cent.).
Among the notable men who have been connected
with Odiham may be mentioned William Lily the
grammarian, who was born at Odiham about 1468.
He was appointed first head master of St. Paul's School
in 1512. (fn. 6) Henry Chicheley, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1414–43, became Chancellor of Salisbury and
rector of Odiham in 1404. (fn. 7) Thomas Burgess,
Bishop of Salisbury, was born at Odiham in 1756 and
educated for five years at Odiham Grammar School.
He was appointed Bishop of St. David's in 1803, and
was transferred to the see of Salisbury in 1825.
Castle
Before the Conquest ODIHAM was
held by Harold, and in 1086 it was a royal
manor. It would appear possible from the
Domesday entry that there was at that time a royal
residence there. The manor had more than doubled
in value, and there was a large and evidently prosperous community of tenants,
such as might be found at a
manor in which was a royal
residence. (fn. 8) It would seem
that Henry I had a residence
here which he visited in 1116, (fn. 8a)
and upon which repairs were
made in 1130. (fn. 9) The castle,
however, of which the ruins
now remain, was built by King
John on a new site, namely on
20 acres of meadow land which
he took from Robert the Parker
of Odiham. (fn. 10) The exact date of this transaction is not
known, but ditches were being made and buildings
erected at Odiham, presumably for the castle, in 1207 (fn. 11)
under the direction of John Fitz Hugh, and in
1213–14 repairs were made on the castle which must
then have been built. (fn. 12) King John was frequently
at Odiham, evidently at the newly-built castle. He
passed through Odiham on 28 July 1204 on his way
from Glastonbury to Windsor, and visited it in June
1207, December 1207–8, February, June and October
1209, February and May 1210, May 1212, March
and April 1213, and in May 1215. He was there
also on 4 and 9 June 1215, and was summoned thence
by the barons to Windsor previous to granting Magna
Carta. (fn. 13) He passed again through Odiham on 26 June,
on his return from Windsor to Winchester, His last
visit to the town was from 14 to 18 April 1216. (fn. 14)
John Fitz Hugh was warden of the castle while it
was being built, but in April 1216 Bartholomew
Pechie, then warden, was ordered to deliver the
custody of the castle to Engelard de Cigoinny, (fn. 15) a
military commander of some note, afterwards Sheriff
of Surrey. During the wardenship of Engelard de
Cigoinny, Louis, the Dauphin of France, with the
English barons, besieged Odiham Castle in July 1216.
The garrison at the time consisted only of three knights
and ten Serjeants, who, after the French had attacked
them with siege engines for three days, sallied forth
and engaged an equal number of the enemy, and
returned to the castle unhurt. After fifteen days of
the siege they surrendered the castle to Louis, retaining their arms and horses and without loss, to the
great admiration of the French. (fn. 16)
King John. Gules three leopards or.
In 1223 the wardenship of the castle was granted
to Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury. (fn. 17)
In the following year the archbishop surrendered it to
William Rughedon (fn. 18) who on the same day delivered
it to Hubert de Burgh, the justiciar, (fn. 19) but on account
of certain informalities these last two appointments
were cancelled, (fn. 20) and in February of the same year
the custody of the castle was given to Osbert Giffard. (fn. 21)
In 1225 very considerable repairs were carried out on
the castle, the tower was re-roofed and the timberwork repaired. The palisades around the tower were
at the same time renewed. (fn. 22)
On 7 July 1232 the wardenship of the castle was
granted to Hubert de Burgh, the justiciar, for life, (fn. 23)
but upon his disgrace before the end of the month he
was ordered to deliver over his custody to Stephen de
Segrave. (fn. 24) The wardenship was again granted in
1234 to Engelard de Cigoinny during pleasure, (fn. 25) but
two years later he received a command to deliver the
castle to Reginald Whitchurch. (fn. 26)
Up to this date it had been retained by the
Crown in the hands of a warden, but in November
1236 it was granted with the manor to Eleanor,
Countess of Pembroke, the king's sister, during
pleasure, for her residence. (fn. 27) She married, as her
second husband, Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester,
in 1238–9, and the castle was held by them until
1258, when, under the Provisions of Oxford, all
wardens of royal castles having to resign their office,
Simon surrendered Odiham,which he had just repaired,
to the king. (fn. 28) The constable under Simon de Montfort was Henry de Fonuner, and when he delivered
up the castle he took away with him all the rolls and
writs, so that when the bailiff was required to produce records as to a suit between two tenants in
1267–8 he was unable to do so. (fn. 29) The Countess
Eleanor is said to have been visited at Odiham in
1265 by the Princes Edward and Henry. (fn. 30)
John de London became warden of the castle
in 1274–5, (fn. 31) and in 1275 it was assigned to
Queen Eleanor wife of Edward I. (fn. 32) In 1278 the
keeper of the park was commanded to allow the
constable to have ten oaks from the park for the repair
of the houses of the castle. (fn. 33) Further repairs were
carried out in 1279–80 under the supervision of
Ralph de Sandwich, the seneschal, (fn. 34) and in 1282 the
custody was granted to Nicholas le Gras. (fn. 35)
Hugh le Despenser the younger became warden of
the castle in 1293–4, (fn. 36) and the castle and town of
Odiham were granted in 1299 to Margaret, the
second queen of Edward I. (fn. 37) A Parliament was held
at Odiham in 1303, when a statute was passed allowing foreign merchants to trade in England. (fn. 38) In
December 1307 the keeper of Odiham Castle received
orders to fortify it, in view of the king's intended
journey to France for his marriage with Isabella, which
took place in January 1308, for the greater security
of the realm during his absence. (fn. 39)
Eleanor of Castile.Gules a castle or for Castile quartered with Argent a lion purpure for Leon.
Margaret of France. Azure powdered with fleurt de lis or.
Robert Lewer was made warden in 1311, (fn. 40) and was
ordered to provision the castle, (fn. 41) apparently on behalf
of Edward II and Gaveston's party against the barons,
and in the same year the keeper of the park was
ordered to provide timber for repairs to the castle. (fn. 42)
Hugh le Despenser was again made warden in 1317, (fn. 43)
but was ordered to deliver up his office in 1321 to
Robert Lewer. (fn. 44) During the rebellion of the Duke
of Lancaster in 1321–2 Robert was commanded to
strengthen the garrison at Odiham, for its security in
the king's service. (fn. 45) Lewer, however, joined the
Lancastrian party, whereupon his office was given to
John de St. John of Basing, who was instructed,
if necessary, to seize the castle by force. (fn. 46) He
apparently obtained possession, for Lewer attacked
and attempted to carry it by storm. (fn. 47) During the
attack considerable damage must have been done to
the fabric, as heavy repairs had to be undertaken in
1324–5. (fn. 48)
The castle was granted by Parliament in 1327 to
Queen Isabella in recognition of her services in suppressing the Despensers' rebellion, (fn. 49) but on her fall
in 1330 her large estates were seized, and Odiham
was not restored, but was granted in 1331 to Queen
Philippa for life. (fn. 50) In 1335 further repairs were
carried out. (fn. 51)
Isabella of France. Azure powdered with fleurs de lis or.
Philippa of Hainault. Or a lion sable for Flanders, quartered with Or a lion gules for Holland.
David Bruce, King of Scots, was incarcerated at
Odiham for some time, and was released in 1357 on
the payment of a ransom of 100,000 marks. (fn. 52)
In 1369–70 the castle and vill of Odiham were
granted to Walter Walsh for life for a yearly payment
of £55. Walter was to be responsible for the payment of a carpenter, a parker, and a tiler, and for the
roofing of houses in the castle with the exception of
the great tower or keep. The cost of repairing the
walls was to be borne by the king. (fn. 53)
Bernard Brocas obtained a grant of the castle for
life in 1377, (fn. 54) and it was given in dower to Queen
Anne, consort of Richard II, in 1382. (fn. 55) It was
again fortified in 1386 (fn. 56) against the forces of the
Duke of Gloucester. In 1399 it was granted to John
Leventhorpe, the king's servant, for life, (fn. 57) and in 1454
it was assigned as part of the dower of Margaret,
consort of Henry VI. (fn. 58)
Constables were appointed until the end of the
15th century, (fn. 59) but the castle probably fell into
disrepair about this time, or early in the 16th century,
for it is not mentioned in a lease of the manor to
Chideock Paulet in 1545, and no notice of it appears
in a survey of the manor in 1630, (fn. 60) though its grounds
are then mentioned. The ruins of the castle in
Bignell Field, North Warnborough, are referred to in
a deed of 1699. (fn. 61)
The gaol in Odiham Castle is mentioned in 1321
and again in 1324. (fn. 62) The men of Greywell owed
the service of guarding the prisoners at Odiham every
third night. (fn. 63)
Anne of Bohemia. Argent an eagle table.
Margaret of France. Azure three fleurs de lis or.
The ruins, which belong to Sir Henry P. St.
John - Mildmay, bart., lie to the north-west of
Odiham town, in the hamlet of North Warnborough, on the banks of the Basingstoke Canal.
Originally the castle probably consisted only of a great
tower surrounded by a ditch. In many of the documents of the 13th century it is called the tower (turris)
of Odiham, (fn. 64) but in later records there are references
to the houses in the castle, which may have been
erected at the time it was the residence of Eleanor,
Countess of Pembroke, or later. (fn. 65) In the accounts of
the repairs made during the 14th century mention is
made of gates on the south, east, and west sides, a
bridge with palisades on the west side, and a room
over the gateway. In 1373 stone was brought from
Bentley Quarry for making an oven (fornacium) in the
castle. (fn. 66)
The tower, or keep, the ruins of which remain, is
octagonal in plan, about 36 ft. in diameter inside,
with walls of flint about 10 ft. thick. The faces of
the walls, both inside and outside, have been picked
away, and only traces of the angle buttresses remain.
There are remains of a doorway on the east side,
and a large opening on the west, which probably
marks the position of a doorway on that side. Holes
on the inside of the walls show the position of two
upper floors, and there are round arched windows in
each stage which are considerably larger in the middle
stage than in either of the others. There is also a
large fireplace in the upper stage on the south side.
A plan of the castle, with a short account of it, was
exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries by Sir Everard
Home, bart., in 1840. (fn. 67)
Park
Odiham Park probably existed at a considerably earlier date than the castle, possibly in connexion with an earlier royal
residence, for Hugh the Parker is mentioned in
1130–1, (fn. 68) and the land and mills of Robert the
Parker were taken by King John for the site of the
castle. (fn. 69) The earliest mention of the park occurs in
1216 when it was saved to the king with the castle
when the manor was granted to Engelard de Cigoinny. (fn. 70) Judging by the number of grants of deer
from the park to various persons it would seem that
it was well stocked. (fn. 71) Timber was brought from
the royal property of Odiham to build Eton
College. (fn. 71a) A large stud of horses was maintained
in the park during the 14th century. The practice of rearing horses at Odiham was apparently
established by Engelard de Cigoinny during his
tenancy of the manor, for in 1223–4 the constable of Odiham was ordered to allow him to take
away his mares from the park. (fn. 72) Eleanor, Countess
of Pembroke, to whom the manor was granted in
1236, kept there large hunting stables and a great
number of horses. (fn. 73) The establishment of a royal
stud there apparently took place in 1312, when the
Sheriff of Southampton was ordered to find maintenance for twenty colts and seven grooms, sent to
Odiham, and to provide a bushel of oats and two
bushels of bran daily for every four colts and to pay
2d. each daily to the grooms. (fn. 74) In 1319 further
orders were issued as to the maintenance of the stud
at Odiham, (fn. 75) and in 1324 the barns of Odiham were
repaired, and mills and a house for the king's colts
and their keepers were newly built. (fn. 76) Master William
Marshal was in 1331–2 appointed keeper of the stud
farm, and ordered to sell some of the horses there. (fn. 77)
In 1339 the constable of Odiham was ordered to
repair the granges, stables, and pinfold at Odiham, (fn. 78)
and in the following year a new pinfold was built
there for the king's foals. (fn. 79) Ten of the best mares
from this stud and those at Windsor and Guildford
were sold in 1360–1 and the profits given to William
of Wykeham for repairs at Windsor. (fn. 80) No mention
of the stud is found after this date.
The park apparently remained in the hands of the
king till 1299 when it was assigned with the manor
to Margaret wife of Edward I. (fn. 81) It formed part of
the dower of Queen Isabella in 1327, (fn. 82) and was
granted in 1369–70 to Walter Walsh. (fn. 83) The park
was not granted with the manor to the Earl of Mar,
but was included in the grant to Edward, Lord
Zouche, in 1617–18. (fn. 84) In 1630 it was described as
being well stocked with deer, and the fish ponds and
river supplied large quantities of fish. (fn. 85) The latest
mention of the park discovered is in 1669. (fn. 86)
Manor
The manor of ODIHAM was ancient
demesne held before the Conquest by
Earl Harold. At the Conquest it passed
to King William, (fn. 87) and it remained in the hands of
successive kings of England, in the same way as the
castle, usually but not always under the same warden
as the castle. The manor followed the same descent
as the castle until 1408, when it was granted
separately to Queen Joan, the second wife of
Henry IV. (fn. 88) She died in 1437 and John Basket
obtained a grant of the manor for life in 1440, he
bearing all the charges for repairs and paying the
wages of the constable of Odiham Castle, and a rent
of £22 6s. 3d. to the king. (fn. 89) In 1454 the manor
was granted to Margaret, consort of Henry VI, in
exchange for other manors which had been granted
to her as dower, (fn. 90) but it was resumed by Edward IV
in 1464, (fn. 91) and granted to his consort Elizabeth in
1466. (fn. 92) The manor was leased in 1541 for fifty
years at a rent of £46 8s. 9d. to John Jenyns, (fn. 93)
but this lease was vacated on a personal surrender in
1545 in order that a similar lease might be made to
Chideock Paulet. (fn. 94)
The lease to Chideock was renewed in
1558 for fifty years, (fn. 95)
and the manor was
granted in 1603 to
John, Earl of Mar. (fn. 96)
The Earl sold the
manor shortly afterwards to Edward, Lord
Zouche, (fn. 97) to whom it
was confirmed by letters patent in 1617–18. (fn. 98) Lord Zouche
dying without male
issue in 1625 left the
manor to his cousin
Sir Edward Zouche,
Marshal of the Household. (fn. 99) Sir Edward
was succeeded in 1634
by his son James
Zouche, on whose
death in 1643 the
manor passed to his
son Edward. (fn. 100) He
died in 1658 and was succeeded by his brother
James, (fn. 101) on whose death without issue in 1708
the manor passed to his niece Sophia wife of John
Bayes, the daughter of James's sister Sophia (vide
Elvetham and Greywell). (fn. 102) On the death of the
last representative of the Zouche family the manor
was thrown into Chancery, out of which it was
purchased in 1742 by Paulet St. John. (fn. 103) It now
belongs to his descendant Sir Henry Paulet St. JohnMildmay, bart.
Joan of Navarre. Gules a cross, a saltire and a double orle of chains or.
Elizabeth Wydvile. Argent a fesse and a quarter gules.
A palace is said to have existed at Odiham, and it
is possible that a house for the accommodation of the
royal household may have been built after the castle
had fallen into ruins. Nothing now remains of the
ancient palace except a few old stones with carved
heads in a farm-house called Palace Gate Farm in
the west end of the town. The house probably
stands on the site of the entrance to the mansion
which is described in 1630 as 'a fair gate house of
brick, cornered and windowed with stone.' (fn. 104) Meetings of the Privy Council were held at Odiham in
1576 and 1591. (fn. 105) The site of the manor, by which
is probably meant the remains of the royal mansion,
is mentioned in deeds of 1718 and 1723–4. (fn. 106)
In memoranda relating to the manor of Odiham
in the 16th century it is noted that Robert Wakefield, late bailiff of the manor, pulled down a dwelling house called the king's—, (fn. 107) which stood upon
the site of the manor of Odiham 'where the courts
were wont always to be kept till now of late,' and
afterwards granted the site of the manor to one John
Creswell whose heirs were still enjoying it without
paying anything to the Queen's Grace. (fn. 108)
The Priory, Odiham, from the South-west.
Town
Odiham was an important place at the
time of the Domesday Survey, but it was
probably not until King John began his
castle there that there was any attempt to raise its
status to anything beyond that of a royal manor. In
1204 however the manor of Odiham was granted by
the king to the men of Odiham at a fee-farm of £50. (fn. 109)
This grant may perhaps be looked upon as conferring
upon the town the characteristics of a borough,
such as would be expected in a town lying under the
influence of a royal castle. But the men of Odiham
do not seem to have appreciated this opportunity of
raising the position of their vill and allowed their
fee-farm rent to fall into arrears, whereupon the king
in 1207 ordered John Fitz Hugh to resume the
manor into the king's hand. (fn. 110) Though the men of
Odiham were summoned to return members to Parliament they never seem to have done so, (fn. 111) and the
burghal rights of the town, if any ever existed, evidently lapsed through want of user. Odiham is called
a 'borough' in the Testa de Nevill, (fn. 112) but this seems
to be the only case where the term has been applied
to it.
The market rights of Odiham apparently belonged
to the owner of the manor for the time being.
In the reign of Henry VI two fairs were held, on
the 'Day of Our Lady' and on 'Margret Day,' (fn. 113)
and in 1431 there is mention of a fair held at the
feast of the Annunciation. (fn. 114) In 1720 the market
was held on Saturday, (fn. 115) and in 1778 and 1792 on
Friday, (fn. 116) but before 1849 the day was changed to
Tuesday, (fn. 117) and so remains to the present day. The
fairs in 1849 were held on the Saturday preceding
Mid Lent Sunday and on 31 July, (fn. 118) and they are
held at the same dates at the present day. Owing to
the hilly character of the roads near the town the
market has always been chiefly confined to the produce of the neighbourhood. The fair is for horses
and cattle.
Petty Sessions for the division are held in the
Court House on alternate Tuesdays, and constables
are annually elected at a court leet of the manor held
at Easter. (fn. 119)
The manor of STAPELY (Stapeleg, Stappell, Stapel,
xiii cent.; Stapeleigh, Stapley, xvi cent.) was held
in chief of the king by the serjeanty of serving forty
days in the army with horse and arms. (fn. 120) In 1200
land in Stapely was granted to Adam de Stapely, (fn. 121)
and in 1219–20 John de Stapely released to John
son of Adam de Stapely a hide of land in Stapely. (fn. 122)
This John son of Adam also known as John Caty or
Stacy was absent in 1233 on the Welsh Marches,
evidently rendering the service due for this manor. (fn. 123)
He gave the manor to William de Synaguy, and the
gift was confirmed by the king in 1251. (fn. 124) William
died about 1271–2 and was succeeded by a son
Edmund (fn. 125) who sold the manor in 1300 to John de
Beauchamp of Fifield. (fn. 126) Five years later John granted
the manor to Robert de la Burgh and Margery his
wife. (fn. 127) The manor descended in the family of de la
Burgh, atte Berwe or Barrowe, (fn. 128) till 1566 when
George Barrowe sold it to Anthony Bustard, (fn. 129) of
whom it was purchased in 1575 by Thomas Goddard. (fn. 130)
Goddard sold it in 1582 to Richard and Edward
Wroth, (fn. 131) and it was purchased in 1609 by James
Wolveridge of Edward Wroth and Sir George
Calvert. (fn. 132) James died in 1625 when he was succeeded by his nephew James, (fn. 133) who sold the manor
in 1647 to Nicholas Love. (fn. 134) The manor was sold
in 1671 by Robert Welstead and his wife Katherine to
Stephen Terry, (fn. 135) but this conveyance would appear to
have been made for some settlement, for in 1678 the
manor still belonged to Robert Welstead and was
then conveyed to trustees for the benefit of his
creditors. (fn. 136) It passed before 1714 to Gilbert Serle
of Weston Corbett, (fn. 137) and descended in the same way
as Weston Corbett to Sir William Oglander, who held
it in 1830. (fn. 138) After this time no further mention of
the manor has been found.
Stapely Down Farm in the south of the parish,
which now belongs to the Rev. Francis Cope, vicar
of Greywell, probably marks approximately the site of
the manor.
The three estates called the manors of BULLOCKS, (fn. 139) BOWERS, and NEWLANDS formed part
of the Barrowes' property at Odiham. Robert Barrowe died in 1553 holding the manor of Bullocks, (fn. 140)
which he had settled upon his wife Margaret as her
jointure. (fn. 141) There was a capital messuage at Newlands which was sold by George Barrowe to James
Wolveridge, (fn. 142) the father of the purchaser of Stapely.
The estate called Bowers passed with Stapely to the
Wolveridges and was sold by James Wolveridge in
1647 to Nicholas Love. (fn. 143) Newlands Farm near
Stapely may mark the approximate site of the estate
called Newlands. The name Bullocks is retained at
Bullocks Farm, in Hillside. The three estates now
belong to Sir Henry P. St. John-Mildmay, bart.
The manor of POLLING (Pulling, xv cent.; Polands
or Poleing, xviii cent.) was ancient demesne of the
Crown and was held of the king in chief. (fn. 144) It is first
mentioned in 1305 when Henry Sturmy died seised
of it, but it seems to have formed part of the estate
held at Odiham in 1174–5 by his ancestor William
de Bendeng. (fn. 145) It passed from the Sturmys to the
Seymours in the same way as Liss Turney, and passed
to the Crown in 1541 by exchange with Edward,
Earl of Hertford, afterwards Duke of Somerset. (fn. 146)
Four years later it was granted by Henry VIII to
Robert Creswell of Odiham, (fn. 147) of whom it was purchased in 1579 by Peter Osborne and Nicholas
Young. (fn. 148) Nicholas died seised of it in 1595, (fn. 149) and
his son Robert sold it in 1596–7 to John Fielder,
from whom it passed in 1638 to his son John. (fn. 150)
John Fielder sold it in 1639–40 to Anthony Pickering. (fn. 151) The manor is next mentioned in 1755, when
it belonged to Sir John Tylney, Earl Tylney of
Castlemaine. (fn. 152) He died without issue in 1784, (fn. 153)
and the manor passed to Catherine Tylney Long,
granddaughter of the earl's sister Emma. (fn. 154) A conveyance by her in 1811 to Robert Bicknell (fn. 155) was
probably made for a settlement on her marriage with
William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley, afterwards Earl
of Mornington, which took place in March of the
following year.
The name of the manor is preserved at Poland
Farm and Poland Mill about a mile to the north of
the town. The estate now belongs to Sir Henry P.
St. John-Mildmay, bart.
The manor of MURRELL (Morhala, xii cent.;
Morhalle, Morhal, xiii cent.; Murrall, Morrall, xvi
cent.) was ancient demesne of the Crown. (fn. 156) In 1170
Arthur de Morhala was fined a mark at Hampshire
Great Pleas, which had not been paid in 1175. (fn. 157) In
1202–3 Gunilda, wife of Arthur, granted to Gunilda
de Broc a croft of land in Murrell called Northcroft
for her life, (fn. 158) and in 1218–19 Stephen de Morhale
and his wife Emma, and Edith sister of Emma, released
to William Bulloc all their claim in a virgate of land at
Murrell. (fn. 159) Peter son of Arthur acquired land in Murrell in 1227–8 from John de Everleigh. (fn. 160) The manor
of Murrell had been acquired before the middle of
the 13th century by Adam de Bendeng, (fn. 161) and it
apparently from this time followed the same descent
as the manor of Polling, (fn. 162) to which it became
annexed before the end of the 16th century. (fn. 163) The
district called Murrell Green is 2¾ miles north
of the town, and now belongs to Sir Henry P. St.
John-Mildmay, bart.
The manor of BOROUGH COURT (Bracourt,
Borowcourt, Brokecourt, xvi cent.; Brockcourt or
Burrowecourt, xvii cent.) was held of the priory of
St. Mary Magdalen, Winchester, in 1477, (fn. 164) and in
1619 was said to be held of Odiham Manor. (fn. 165) A
licence was given by Bishop Orlton (1333–45) to
William Resel to celebrate mass in the oratory of his
manor of Brok in the parish of Odiham. (fn. 166) The
manor of Borough Court is first mentioned in 1477,
when Richard Newport died seised of it, leaving
John his son and heir. (fn. 167) In 1544–5 it was conveyed by Walter Bonham and others to William
Dale, (fn. 168) and in 1561 it was sold by John Dale to John
Fielder. (fn. 169) It passed from John Fielder to his grandson John, (fn. 170) and was sold by the latter in 1699 to
Frederick Tylney of Rotherwick. (fn. 171) From that time
it passed with Rotherwick (q.v.), and the manor is
last mentioned in 1811. (fn. 172) Borough Court, which is
now the property of Mr. Charles Edward Harris St.
John of West Court, Berks, stands on the eastern
bank of the River Whitewater, in the extreme north
of the parish.
The manor of NORTH WARNBOROUGH was
held of the manor of Odiham. (fn. 173) In 1555–6 a
fulling mill and land in North Warnborough were
granted by Robert Creswell to Nicholas Vaus. (fn. 174)
Possibly it was this estate which was known during
the 16th century as the manor of North Warnborough. Nicholas Vaus died seised of it about
1560, leaving Robert his son and heir, (fn. 175) who was
succeeded in 1609 by his son Richard. (fn. 176) After this
time no further mention of the manor has been
found. The tithing of North Warnborough is about
a mile north-west of the town, and belongs to Sir
Henry P. St. John-Mildmay, bart.
The manor of RYE (La Rye xiv cent.) was held
of the king in chief. (fn. 177) Certain land at Odiham was
forfeited in the reign of Henry III by Maud de
Rya, and was entered upon by Geoffrey de Bath the
king's cook before 1235–6. (fn. 178) In 1246 the king confirmed the estate to Geoffrey, (fn. 179) who was still holding
it in 1279–80. (fn. 180) It is uncertain whether this is the
same estate as a messuage and land at Rye which were
settled in 1317 upon Robert de la Rye of Odiham
and his wife Denise and their issue, with remainder in
default to John de Stourton and his heirs. (fn. 181) Robert
died in 1343–4 without issue by Denise, and the estate
passed under the above settlement to Julia, wife of
Sir William Talemache, daughter and heir of John
Stourton. (fn. 182) Sir William and Julia settled property
in Odiham called la Potte in 1348–9 on William de
Fremelesworth and Eleanor his wife, with remainder
to their sons Richard and William. (fn. 183) By a later fine
a messuage, land, and rent in Odiham, Polling, Rye,
and Murrell were settled on them, their son John
being placed first in remainder. (fn. 184) The manor, as a
messuage and a carucate of land called la Rye, was
held in 1377 by William Dobbes of Eleanor Fremelesworth for his life. (fn. 185) Eleanor died in 1392, and part of
her estate at Odiham, apparently la Rye, passed to
her granddaughter Joan, daughter of John Fremelesworth, wife of John Grant, and la Potte to a second
granddaughter Joan daughter of William de Fremelesworth, wife of Richard Alderton. (fn. 186) Anthony Moore
died in 1583 holding the manor in right of Alice his
wife. (fn. 187) In 1596 his son Richard Moore granted the
manor to John Osborne and Anne his wife, a natural
sister of Richard, (fn. 188) and John and Anne sold it in
1598 to William Coldham of Stedham (co. Sussex). (fn. 189)
In 1630 the manor was sold by William Carique,
William Arderne senior, and William Arderne junior,
to Edward Bathurst. (fn. 190) In 1811 the manor was in
the possession of Catherine Tylney Long. (fn. 191) Great
Rye Farm and Little Rye Farm now belong to Mr.
Lionel Phillips of Tylney Hall, having probably been
purchased by him in 1899 at the same time as
Tylney Hall. (fn. 191a)
The manor of STURTONS.—A messuage and land
in Odiham was held in 1278–9 by Walter de
Stourton and Julia his wife. (fn. 192) It probably passed, by
the marriage of Julia daughter of John de Stourton to
Sir William Talemache, and seems to have followed
the same descent as Rye to the Moore family.
Anthony Moore held it at the time of his death in
1583, in right of his wife Alice. (fn. 193) It afterwards
passed to Benjamin Rudyerd, and was conveyed by
him in 1736 to Paulet St. John. (fn. 194) Rudyerd and
St. John sold it in 1742 to Richard Boddicott. (fn. 195) In
1752 Richard Boddicott and his wife Mary conveyed
the manor to Edmund Boddicott, (fn. 196) doubtless for the
purpose of settling it upon their son Richard, who
married Sarah daughter of Samuel Tyssen in that
year. (fn. 197) Richard the son died in 1759, and his
widow Sarah settled it in 1780 upon her daughter
Sarah, wife of Samuel Tyssen. (fn. 198) Sarah died in
1800, (fn. 199) and the manor passed to her grandson,
Samuel Tyssen, and was settled upon him in 1807
on his coming of age. (fn. 200) The further descent of the
manor has not been traced.
The manor of PARKERS or GERRARDS.—Hugh
the Parker of Odiham is mentioned in 1130–1. (fn. 201)
The manor may have originated in land at Odiham
held in the 13th century by Robert the Parker. In
1235 Robert was excused a rent of 20s. which he
had been accustomed to pay for land in Odiham,
because 20 acres of his meadow had been taken by
King John for building Odiham Castle, and his mills
had been burnt by that king. (fn. 202) In rentals of the
manor of Odiham in the reigns of Edward I and
Edward III William Parker is returned as holding
half a hide of land and the site of a mill. (fn. 203) The
first mention of the manor occurs in 1699. It was
purchased by Sir Thomas Higgons of Greywell from
Walter Richards and Nathaniel Pickering, and was
sold by his three sons George, Thomas, and Bevill
Higgons in 1699 to Henry, Lord Hyde, and others. (fn. 204)
It had passed before 1739 to the Tolls of Greywell,
and in that year it was settled upon Anne Toll for
life with remainder to Charles Toll. (fn. 205) In 1778 the
estate was sold for the benefit of the creditors of
Edmund Pittman, a bankrupt. (fn. 206) The manor still
existed as such in 1862, (fn. 207) and now belongs to Baroness
Dorchester of Greywell Hill.
A hide of land at BERCHELEI was held at the
time of the Domesday Survey by Godwine as one of
the king's thegns. It had been held before the Conquest by Edwin of King Edward as an alod. (fn. 208) This
manor was in 'Efedele' Hundred and probably lay
in Odiham. Mr. Round suggests that its site may
have been at Bartley Heath.
There were eight mills at Odiham at the time of
the Domesday Survey. (fn. 209) One or more was destroyed
by King John when the castle was built. (fn. 210) A mill
was destroyed by fire in 1337–8, (fn. 211) and a new cornmill was built in 1345–6. (fn. 212) In 1431 a new millstone was brought from London and various repairs
were done. (fn. 213) A mill at Warnborough is mentioned
in 1630, (fn. 214) and its representative still exists. A fulling
mill at North Warnborough is mentioned in 1555–6. (fn. 215)
There is also a mill near the castle called Castle Mill,
and Poland Mill on the River Whitewater is to the
north of Poland Farm. This last may be the representative of one of the two water-mills which belonged
to the manor of Polling in the 16th century. (fn. 216)
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS is a
large rectangular building consisting of
a chancel 32 ft. 3 in. by 18 ft. 9 in. with
north and south chapels 17 ft. 3 in. wide, that on the
south now being used as a vestry and organ chamber,
nave 57 ft. 6 in. long, 18 ft. wide at the west, and
20 ft. wide at the east, with west tower 17 ft. 6 in. by
16 ft. 6 in., and north and south aisles continuous
with the chapels and extending to the west wall of
the tower. The north doorway is inclosed by a porch.
All the above measurements are internal.
The width of the nave at the west end probably
represents that of an early nave, and there are
a few loose stones in the tower, and one or two
more built into the south aisle, which belonged to
a 12th-century building, but the oldest walls now
standing are those of the chancel and its aisles, and
the lower part of the tower, which belong to the
early part of the 13th century. At this date the
church was as long from east to west as it now is, and
the chapels possibly as wide as at present, and there
was doubtless a nave with aisles. This has entirely
gone, to be succeeded by a spacious 16th-century
building with aisles made equal in width to the
chapels and prolonged to the west face of the tower.
The eastward widening of the nave dates from this time.
The tower was rebuilt in the 17th century, and is a
very pretty piece of brickwork, like that of Crondall,
but more ornamental.
In 1850–1 a considerable amount of restoration
work was done with the result that practically all the
window tracery is modern.
The east windows of the chancel and the two
chapels have each three cinquefoiled lights with tracery
of 14th-century style under two-centred arches.
The chancel arcades are of two bays with circular
columns having moulded circular bases and irregular
octagonal capitals with semicircular responds to match.
The west respond of the south arcade has a modern
capital of 15th century detail.
Plan of Odiham Church
The arches are pointed and have one chamfered
order. To the south of the east chancel window is
the three-centred head of a blocked doorway which
appears to have led into an east vestry below the east
window outside the church.
Near the east respond of the south arcade is a pillar
piscina, c. 1190, the basin being formed of a capital
with foliage of an early type; the shaft has a watermoulded base with spurs at the angles.
The chancel arch has modern square jambs with
chamfered angles, and the arch is two-centred, apparently of old stonework retooled, with two chamfered
orders, dying out at the springing.
The north window of the north chapel is entirely
modern, and has three cinquefoiled lights under a
square head, and below its sill is that of a 13th-century lancet, possibly in position, and further west the
jamb of a doorway which may be contemporary with
it. Further to the east is a blocked doorway of red
brick with a moulded four-centred head and jambs;
it is of early 16th-century date.
Near the south jamb of the east window of this
chapel is an octagonal image bracket, and a number
of brasses and monuments have been collected from
various parts of the church and placed here. The
south chapel has a side window of the same design as
that in the opposite chapel, and to the east of it is a
small modern doorway with chamfered jambs and
two-centred arch. Its walling does not look ancient,
and it may have been rebuilt in the 17th century.
The western arches of both chapels are alike, and
practically of the full width of the chapels. The
responds are semi-octagonal, and the arches of an
obtuse two-centred shape with two chamfered orders.
They belong to the general rebuilding of the nave;
the arch to the south chapel has no north respond.
The north arcade of the nave is of three bays with
slender octagonal columns having plainly-moulded
bases and capitals. The arches are two-centred, and
of wide span and obtuse form; the details are the
same as those at the west of the chapels.
The south arcade has four bays with columns composed of four attached shafts between four large hollow
chamfers. Each shaft has an octagonal moulded base
and capital, the whole resting on a high plain plinth,
while the arches are two-centred and moulded with a
large casement continued from the hollow chamfers
of the piers. The work is better and probably earlier
than the north arcade.
In the north aisle the two north windows and the
west window have old arches and jambs fitted with
modern tracery; a north-west window formerly existed, but is now marked only by a patch of brick-work.
The north doorway with its porch is of the same
date as the aisle, and has moulded jambs and four
centred arch under a square head with carved spandrels. The outer arch of the porch has two orders
of double ogee mouldings, and there is a small modern
window in each side of the porch. The upper and
lower doorways of the rood stair and part of the
turret containing the stair remain at the north-east of
this aisle.
The windows of the south aisle, two in the south
wall and one in the west, are all alike, and have each
four plain lights with plain, unfoiled vertical tracery,
the internal splays being old. The rear arches are
plastered.
Opposite the north doorway, in the south wall, is a
blocked doorway showing only on the outside, with
hollow-chamfered jambs and rough four-centred head,
probably 16th-century work.
The tower arch has plain, slightly chamfered jambs
and pointed arch. At the springing is a 12th-century
abacus, grooved and hollow-chamfered, which is not as
wide as the jambs, and is evidently re-used here.
The arch itself has been rebuilt, but partly with old
stones. The north and south walls of the tower are
not pierced with arches, but have square-headed
doorways with wood frames, leading into the north
and south aisles. In the east wall near the south
respond of the tower arch is a small opening in which
is a piece of late Gothic tracery; it is blocked, but
visible from both sides, and is doubtless a late insertion. The west doorway is modern and has a fourcentred arch and a square head with carved spandrels.
Above it is a three-light window with a transom and
uncusped tracery in a four-centred arch, which is part
of the 17th-century work. The tower has three
stages, the two upper ones being of brickwork in
Renaissance design, with small angle pilasters with
Ionic capitals. At the top is an embattled parapet
with modern angle pinnacles of brick banded with
stone. The belfry windows have semicircular heads,
and are flanked by projecting Ionic pilasters carrying
a moulded cornice. The capitals of the pilasters are
of cut brick or perhaps terra cotta. In the west face
of the middle stage is a stone two-light window with
a square head and moulded label, and at each stage are
weathered stone strings with grotesque heads at the
angles and corners. The chancel has an arched ceiling
with modern boarding, while the whole of the other
roofs are of old timber with arched braces below the
rafters.
The chancel arcades are filled with oak screens, the
one in the east bay on the north side being modern,
but that in the second bay is old and is of eight bays,
solid below and open above, with tracery heads of
15th-century style under a moulded cornice.
In the opposite arcade the screen in the first bay is
partly old, with trefoiled lights and tracery of the
same style as the modern one opposite, and that in
the second bay is modern.
The pulpit is of late 16th-century date, and is
hexagonal in shape, the sides having rectangular lower
panels with arched panels over with a moulded and
carved cornice. All the panels, styles, and rails are
covered with carving in low relief. At the west ends
of the north and south aisles are galleries with
pretty balustraded oak fronts, each carried by four
Ionic columns with rather clumsy entasis. There is
a carved top rail with small round-headed arches between the heads of the balusters, and below the
balusters a row of small panels and an enriched cornice, on which in the south aisle is the inscription:
'[Joh]n Rivers senior gave forty shillings, John Keye
and Richard Flory churchwardens 16,' continuing in
the north aisle with '32, Alexsander Serle gave all the
balesters not of wealth but of good wil that othe(r).'
The unfinished and divided inscription shows that
the front is moved, having been originally across the
west end of the nave. On the die of a baluster in
the south aisle is the name 'George Searle.' The
stairs up to these galleries at the west ends of the
aisles have contemporary ornamented strings, turned
balusters and newels and moulded handrails.
The font is placed at the south-west corner of the
nave. It is of chalk, of 15th-century date, and has a
circular moulded basin, stem and base. On the southwest side of the bowl is a curious rectangular projection, the top of which is hollowed into a small basin
from which are two outlet holes. It is probably part
of an arrangement for fastening the cover, as staples
driven into the chalk rim of the bowl would have
been likely to split it. Round the bowl is an inscription in black letter. It is much damaged owing to
the soft nature of the material, but can still be read:
'Auxiliũ meum a dño qui fecit celũ & t[e]rā'
In the tower is an old chest with ornamental
hinges. On the lid is the following in nail heads:
CHVRCHWARDENS
M.W. 1662
H.S. I.B.
In the nave are the figures of a civilian and
his wife from an early 15th-century brass. The
man wears a long robe with loose sleeves and
a girdle with purse and dagger. His wife wears
a low-cut gown having tight sleeves with turn-over
cuffs. The skirt is full with long folds, and she
wears a horned head-dress. The inscription is lost.
Below is a priest in mass vestments; the inscription
reads: 'Hic jacet magist' Will[el]m[u]s Goode nup[er] vicarius
de Ponteland in Northūbria et rector de Dogmasfeld qui obiit xj die Septēbris anno D[omi]ni mill[essi]mo
ccccolxxxxviiio cujus a[nima]e p[ro]piciet' deus amē.'
There are several brasses fixed on the north wall of
the chapel, the first having the inscription, 'Here
lyeth interred the body of Edward Seagar gent who
departed this life in certaine hope of a joyfull resurrection ye 11th of July Ao Dni 1640.' Above is a
small plate with the arms, a cheveron between three
molets. The crest is a dragon's head.
The next brass has the figures of a woman and
nine daughters, and an inscription: 'Here lieth
Thomas Chapman and Agnes hys wyffe which
Thomas decessid the first day of Maye in the yere of
owre lord God mlcccccxxiith on whois soules Ihū have
mercy A.'
To the east of this is an early 16th-century brass
figure of a man in armour cut off below the knees,
and another brass with the figure of a woman in a
pedimental head-dress, with her six daughters, and the
inscription, 'Hic sub pede jacent corpora venerabilis
viri Johīs Haydok armig'i et Elizabeth consort' sue ql
quidem Johīs obiit vicesimo sexto die mensis marcii
anno d[omin]i mill[essi]mo quingentesi[m]o quarto quo[z] a[nim]abus
p[ro]picietur de' amen.'
Another brass represents a man in a fur-trimmed
doctor's robe with hanging sleeves. The inscription
is 'Will[elmu]s jacet hic quo[n]dam Goode ex patre dictus |
Presbiter & doctor artibus Oxonie | quē clare enutriit
quo[n]dā Merton dom' alma | huic gen' & mores, Leycestria terra dat ort' | P' quō qui legis hec carmina
funde preces.'
On the south wall of the north chapel, near the
east end, is part of a 17th-century alabaster monument
with a lozenge of the arms of Poynings with three
quarterings.
Over the wall monument is a black marble slab
to 'Mary late wyffe of Edward More eldest daughter and coheire of Sr Adryan Poyninges, knight and
brother to Thomas last Lord Poyninges & of
Mary wyffe of the said Sir Adryan & daughter &
sole heir of Sir Owen West knight' etc. She died
in 1591. (fn. 216a)
On the floor below is the indent of a large brass
of a man and his two wives; under the second the
figures of five daughters and one son still remain.
There is another floor slab to Richard Compton,
who died in 1659. The arms are those of Compton
of Godalming: Ermine a bend sable with three helms
or thereon.
In the south chapel is a floor slab in which is a
brass inscription to Margaret Pie, second daughter of
Thomas Pie, who only lived a little over a month and
died in 1636. In the middle of the slab the child is
represented in swaddling clothes. In the top of the
stone is a small brass panel with Cupids' heads and a
scroll bearing a Latin text. There is also a shield of
the arms of Pie, which are Vert three fleurs de lis
stalked and slipped or.
Above his is a monument with Ionic pillars and a
pediment over, containing a shield of the arms of
Heydock of Greywell. There is a painted blackletter inscription, now practically perished, only a few
words being legible.
The tower contains six bells, of which the treble
and tenor are by Lester & Pack, 1761, the second is
by Henry Knight, 1615, the third is by the same
founder, 1614, the fourth has 'Henry Knight made
mea 1667,' and the fifth is by William and Robert
Cor, 1713.
The plate consists of a silver-gilt chalice and paten
of 1617, the gift of Robert South, of London, goldsmith; another gilver-gilt paten of 1711; two silver
flagons, one of 1630; two silver chalices of 1849 and
1893; a silver paten of the latter date and a glass
flagon.
There are ten books of registers, the first being a
large well-bound volume containing baptisms from
1538 (a paper copy of 1603) to 1653 and from 1660
to 1739. The marriages are from 1538 to 1653, and
from 1662 to 1739, and burials from 1538 to 1739.
The second volume is one that was probably overlooked in binding up the first, as it fills up the above
gap, the baptisms being from 1653 to 1660, marriages from 1655 to 1659, and burials from 1653 to
1660.
The third book contains baptisms and burials from
1740 to 1783, and marriages from 1740 to 1754.
The fourth contains marriages from 1754 to 1771,
the fifth continues the same to 1783, and the sixth
brings the marriages up to 1812. The seventh contains burials from 1783 to 1800, the eighth has baptisms from 1783 to 1793, and the ninth book has
baptisms on printed forms from 1793 to 1812, and
the tenth contains burials from 1800 to 1812.
Other books are as follows—tithe book 1743,
vestry book 1785 to 1789, banns book 1771 to 1838,
and a churchwardens' account book from 1809 to
1873. There is also a curious old black-letter book
entitled Christs Victorie over Sattans Tyrannie, by
Thomas Mason, 1615.
Advowson
At the time of the Domesday
Survey there were two churches at
Odiham to which belonged two
hides of land, (fn. 217) and of the manor of Odiham two
priests held two churches (fn. 218) with 2 virgates of land.
Odiham Church was granted by Henry I about 1115
to the church of St. Mary of Salisbury and to Roger
the bishop. (fn. 219) Stephen confirmed the grant and
collated the church to the use of the master of the
school of Salisbury, or the chancellor of the cathedral,
whose duty it was to superintend the schools of the
chapter. (fn. 220) Subsequently the church of Odiham seems
to have been lost to the cathedral, for about 1157
Henry II restored it to Jocelin, Bishop of Salisbury,
in exchange for the castle of Devizes. (fn. 221) It then
became the custom for the Chancellor of Salisbury to
be parson of Odiham. (fn. 222) The presentations to the
vicarage were made by the chancellors till 1856, when
on the death of the last chancellor (fn. 223) the patronage
was transferred to the Bishop of Winchester. (fn. 224)
The parson of Odiham had common of pasture in
the demesne lands of Odiham and in the wood of
Whitmondeslye and in Holnhurst. (fn. 225)
The chapels of Greywell, Liss, Weston Patrick, and
Rotherwick were annexed to the church of Odiham, (fn. 226)
and there was also a chapel dedicated to St. Michael
in Odiham. (fn. 227) It is called the king's chapel, and may
have been in the castle.
There was also, in the middle of the 16th century,
a chapel of ease at North Warnborough, which was
'imploid in the time of the plage for ministration to
the whole, and for a place to teach children in.' This
chapel was founded by the inhabitants ' to have continuance for ever, there to be assisting and adding to
such ministration as is required to be among the
people by the word of God and to the entent to teach
children grammar.' At the Reformation the inhabitants of Odiham stated that in the town of Odiham
were 'above 1,000 houseling people,' and that the
town extended into divers tithings or hamlets, being
distant some 2 and some 3 miles, 'being very yvele
wayes in the winter season for the people to come to
the parish church of Odiam,' and the vicar kept a
priest in the chapel of ease at Greywell, where there
were more than eight score 'houseling' people who
had ministration in the said chapel. (fn. 228) In 1587–8
Odiham chapel, at the end of the Netherdonningle,
was granted to Edward Downing and others. (fn. 229) The
chapel at North Warnborough was apparently destroyed; there is now an iron mission room there.
The Congregational chapel at Odiham was founded
in 1662. (fn. 230) There is a Baptist chapel which was
built in 1877, (fn. 231) and the Wesleyans and Primitive
Methodists also have places of worship at Odiham. A
house at Odiham was licensed in 1672 for Presbyterian
worshippers. (fn. 232)
Charities
The Consolidated Charities are regulated by a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners, dated 4 June 1886,
as varied by a scheme of 11 March 1904. They comprise the following charities:—The almshouses founded
by Sir Edward More (will and indenture of 1623),
and by Daniel Wyeth, by deed 1648, and by Richard
Raggett.
The charity of John Mapleton who gave a rentcharge of £6 13s. 4d. (less land tax) out of Roke
Farm, as appeared from an inscription in the church
bearing date 1758.
The charity of Julian Smith, who by deed of 1622
gave a cottage and garden attached to the almshouses,
and now used as an almshouse.
The charity of Frances Clarke (deed 1608), consisting of a rent-charge of £10 received from the Merchant Taylors' Company.
Henry Smith's General Charity, being a share of
Longley Farm and Rectory, varying from £11 to £15.
The charity of Robert Ray (deed 1674), formerly
endowed with a moiety of the New Inn public-house
with its appurtenances and certain quit-rents which
were sold in 1904 for £1,900, which was invested
in £1,872 0s. 4d. War Stock with the official trustees.
(For the other moiety see under Hartley Wintney.)
The charity of Richard Gurney, who by deed of
1638 devised a freehold estate at Hammersmith, let
on building leases, amounting in 1904 to £343 2s.
The charity of John Vaus (will 1630), now consisting of a rent-charge of £27 a year charged on
Odiham Down Farm, belonging to Sir Henry Paulet
St. John-Mildmay, bart., who also paid £1 a year out
of Odiham Brick Kiln, which was redeemed in 1905
by the transfer to the official trustees of £33 6s. 8d.
India 3 per cent. stock.
The charities of John Gale (will 1825), John
Thomas Webb (will proved in the P.C.C. 1853),
Elizabeth Webb (will proved at Winchester 1871),
Susan Bricknell (will 1874), Helena Mary Webb,
(see below).
The scheme of 1886 directed that £210 per annum
should be paid out of the income to the governors of
the grammar school, in respect of which a sum of
£8,400 consols was, under the scheme of 1904,
transferred by the official trustees to a separate account;
that £250 per annum should be applied in support
of the almshouses, and the remainder for the benefit
of deserving and necessitous poor.
In July 1907 the official trustees held on the
'general account' £1,828 19s. 9d. consols, and in respect of a moiety of Robert Ray's Charity £936 0s. 2d.
War Stock, and £16 13s. 4d. India 3 per cent. Stock,
and £1,259 0s. 5d. 2½ per cent. annuities, representing a share of Helena Mary Webb's Charity (see
below), also a sum of £11 0s. 5d. consols as a repair
fund. The official trustees also hold the sums of
£765 12s. 4d. consols and £69 6s. 5d. like stock on
investment accounts. The War Stock ceased to exist
on 5 April 1910, and the moiety of Ray's Charity,
namely the £936 0s. 2d., has been invested in
£940 13s. 3d. New South Wales 3½ per cent. stock.
The following charities are also under the management of the trustees of the Consolidated Charities:—
The charity of John Mclntyre, M.D., who by will
proved on 19 March 1903, bequeathed £1,000 for
providing a village hospital. This amount, less costs,
was invested in £1,009 16s. 7d. consols. By a
scheme of 4 July 1905 the dividends are made applicable for the maintenance of a parish nurse, and are
being accumulated pending arrangements for the
erection of a house for the nurse.
The charity of Samuel White, who by will proved
24 May 1905, bequeathed a sum of money for the
erection and maintenance of almshouses, which was
invested in £2,266 3s. 5d. London County 3 per cent.
Consolidated Stock. In July 1907 £253 5s. 11d. of
this stock was sold for the erection of new almshouses.
The charity of Helena Mary Webb, who by her
will proved at London 7 January 1902, directed her
residuary estate, amounting to £3,777 1s. 2d. consols,
to be divided equally among the Odiham charities.
By an order of the Court of 11 November 1902 one
third of the capital sum was directed to be applied in
augmenting the value of any scholarships tenable at
the Odiham Endowed School, one third for the
Odiham Consolidated Charities, and the remaining
one third to be held in trust for 'Webb's Charity.'
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees.
The church rents are represented by an annual
payment of 35s. given by Nicholas Vaus by deeds of
1543 and 1553. This sum is paid to the churchwardens as to 30s. out of a farm called Bean Lands,
and as to 5s. out of a small meadow called Turtles,
and applied in aid of the church rates.
The Grammar School, founded in 1694 by Robert
May and enlarged by James Zouche in 1702, is regulated by schemes under the Endowed Schools Acts of
20 October 1874, as amended by schemes of the
Charity Commissioners of 16 May 1884 and 22 December 1899. (fn. 233)
The trust property consists of the school and
master's house, a rent - charge of £22 10s.,
£9,510 12s. 10d. consols, including £8,400 like
stock set aside out of the Consolidated Charities
(see above), and £1,259 0s. 5d. 2½ per cent. annuities, being one third share of Helena Mary Webb's
Charity (see above).
Additions to the school buildings were made in
1877 out of a legacy of £1,000 bequeathed by will
of Miss Susan Bricknell, and further additions have
recently been authorized by the Board of Education.
Elizabeth Webb and Sarah Webb, by deed dated
5 October 1848, conveyed certain property at North
Warnborough for a school, which by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners of 28 April 1901 ceased to be
carried on; the net rents of the two cottages and
gardens belonging to the trust, let at £6 a year, were
directed to be applied for augmenting the value of
any scholarships or exhibitions tenable at the Odiham
Endowed School.