Hampshire History Blog

The Hampshire History Blog is about snippets of intriguing history that we stumble upon and want to share with you in a more informal way. We have been out and about (obviously not at the moment) enjoying the historic and cultural offerings of the county and so here are some jottings about our experiences.

Hampshire History Blog

Portchester Castle Document full of intriguing information

 

The Hampshire history project is intended for everyone to access, share and enjoy. more accessible to everyone. So whether you are just visiting our beautiful county of Hampshire or you've spent a lifetime in Hampshire as we have, we hope you will feel welcomed and join us. If you feel inclined to write a piece or have a photo to share then please contact us. Maybe you have read a Hampshire related book or article that you would like to share or a piece of family history, all will be welcome.

Hampshire History Blog

Capturing a cow moment in Hampshire

 

'Beware the Ides Of March' wrote Shakespeare in 'Julius Caesar'. Today the 15th March is what he was referring to. It's the Roman marker point for the 15th of the month and Caesar was murdered on this day having been foretold things were going to be tricky for him on that date. Shakespeare was using the warning in the play but it was a phrase in common usage before Shakespeare adopted it. This week is Shakespeare week so I thought a little Insta celebration might be in order and so the photo is of the herb Rosemary, just coming out in my garden. Ophelia hands out Rosemary to the King and court in Hamlet for remembrance amongst several other more acerbic herbs and flowers #shakespeareweek #shakespeare #shakespeareflowers #idesofmarch #rosemary #juliuscaesar #hamlet #hampshirehistory #hampshire ...

Hat pegs or wig pegs? The church of St Mary at Avington is a real treat. It has a largely unaltered interior dating from about 1771 and it includes these glorious mahogany pew boxes with pegs to hang your hat or a wig. I am guessing gentlemen had to remove head coverings, did that include wigs? Apparently the church was designed for sermons rather than sacraments so parishioners settled in for a few hours. The altar cannot be seen from the pews which is so different to a Medieval church. Anyway they could gaze up at the lovely sky blue ceiling and comte plate life #avington #parishchurch #hampshire #hampshirehistory #c18th #georgian #churchfollowing #church ...

Rummaging in my Romsey files and found this little oddity to share. In 1839, the Sexton of the Abbey was for some reason overseeing the removal of a lead coffin, 5ft below floor level. In the coffin he found 'a beautiful head of hair, with a tail plaited, evidently that of a young female lying on a block of oak. The hair was in perfect form and appeared as though the skull had only been recently removed from it'. The vicar was unimpressed and chucked it out but the Sexton retrieved it. In 2016 the Oxford radiocarbon unit were pretty sure that the person had died between 965 and 1045AD. #saxon #hampshire #hampshirehistory #romsey #saxonartefacts #churchoddities ...

The Trumpeter stone by the old yew tree in Selborne is a memorial stone to a man called John Newland who, if the story is to be believed, led an attack on the Selborne Workhouse in 1830.part of the Swing Riots which were prevalent in the south of England at the time. The story goes he escaped arrest by hiding up in the Hangars behind the village. He supposedly sounded his horn to muster men to the attack. The truth is a little different though. He was arrested and spent 6months in Winchester Gaol for mobbing the Vicar of Selborne. His family were convinced of his role as leader of the attack on the workhouse and all the injustices therein and on his death persuaded the then Vicar of his role and he was duly buried by the great yew. W. H Hudson then retold the tale in his book Hampshire Days and the tale became fact. #hampshire #hampshirehistory #selborne #swingriots #memorialstones #churchyards ...

I try and seek out the parish chest when visiting a church because of their functionality. This one from All Saints in Crondall dates back to 1546. The parish chest used to contain all the paperwork pertaining to the parish. It held the registers of birth, marriage and death as well as the parish accounts, overseers books, records of the poor House etc. This chest is not made of wood but of plaster of Paris, covered in leather and then wrapped in straps and riveted. The plaster and leather controlled the humidity in the chest thus preserving the contents. Brilliant and not only that but it made the chest very heavy and difficult to steal. Nearly 500 years old, what a fab thing #parishchest #parishchurch #hampshire #hampshirehistory #crondall ...

Foot or shoe graffiti is thought to be associated with pilgrimage. This lovely example from Winchester Cathedral could certainly be such a thing. There are few Lardners from the period in Hampshire, more in Oxfordshire so did Thomas travel here in 1655? I am interested because of the date. Oliver Cromwell was ruler of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Military rule had been enforced the year before because of support for Prince Charles, the son of Charles 1st. Thomas was obviously happy to put his full name on the wall of the cathedral. I wonder how that was viewed at the time? Of course 1655 could have been an anniversary year of say his birth but interesting to ponder on. #hampshire #hampshirehistory #medievalgraffiti #shoegraffiti #winchester ...

This cheeky fellow has been in my photo records for quite a while now. He is no bigger than my thumb and is on one of the chantry chapels at Winchester Cathedral and is the mark of the builder who apparently has left his mark on other of his work in the country. I keep meaning to discover more. So who is the stone Mason responsible? #winchester #winchestercathedral #stonemasons #chantrychapels #hampshire #hampshirehistory ...

Tha point of this photo is to draw your attention to the circular indentation on the RH side of the plaque. It sits behind the altar in St Andrew's Church Owslebury. The vicar was celebrating Mass in Latin and it is alleged that King Henry VIII ordered his murder. The musket ball passed through him and struck the plaque behind him. It is also said that King Henry was privately married to Jane Seymour in the old hall at Marwell. Her brother Sir Henry Seymour obtained the lease for the estate, hence the connection. The descendants of the vicar were reduced to poverty and their estate passed to others. #hampshirehistory #hampshire #mysteriousthings #reformation #parishchurches ...

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