Medstead

Medstead
St Andrew's Church in the village centre
Medstead  Medstead shown within Hampshire
Population	2,036
OS grid reference	SU654371
Civil parish	Medstead
District	East Hampshire
Shire county	Hampshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ALTON
Postcode district	GU34
Police	Hampshire
Fire	Hampshire
Ambulance	South Central
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	East Hampshire
List of places UK England Hampshire

Coordinates: 51°07′46″N 1°03′56″W / 51.12948°N 1.06548°W / 51.12948; -1.06548

Medstead is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Alton, which lies 4.3 miles (6.9 km) northeast of the village. According to the 2011 census, the village had a population of 2036 people. The parish has covers an area of 1,536 acres (622 ha) and has an average elevation of approximately 600 feet (180 m) above sea level. The road between Medstead and Bentworth runs over King's Hill 716 feet (218 m), one of the county's high points. Medstead also has its own restored railway station on the Watercress Line, services from which connect with the nearest national rail station 4.6 miles (7.4 km) at Alton railway station.

Roman remains have been found in the area as well as Tumuli burial mounds which date from 1000 BC. A chapel in the village was first mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086, and was soon replaced by a Norman church. Medstead has six Grade II listed buildings, including the 12th century St Andrew's Church and its war memorial, a farmhouse, and a Victorian wheelhouse with a working donkey wheel.

History

Medstead has a known history going back 3000 years. The earliest evidence of settlement in the area comes from two Tumuli burial grounds which are believed to date from 1000 BC, as well as a ringfort which dates from approximately 500 BC.^[1][2] Roman pottery and coins have also been found in the village.^[3] The name has been spelt in many different ways in the middle ages, including: Maedstede, Maydstede, and Midsted. A theory for the name is that "Mid-Stead" signified a "half way place", as in feudal days the village was on a road from Farnham to Winchester.^[4]

Following the baptism of the King Cynegils in 635 and the re-establishment of the Christian faith in the kingdom of Wessex, Cynegils granted an area of land to the church at Winchester. This became known as the "Liberty of Alresford" and covered parts of present day Old Alresford, New Alresford and Medstead.^[4] The first mention of Medstead came from the Domesday Survey of 1086, in which the survey listed a chapel.^[2][5] In 1160, the church was built on the existing site of the chapel and some parts of the original chapel was enlarged.^[2][5]

Medstead manor can be traced from the 14th century. In 1316 the Bishop of Winchester held the manor of Medstead and all of its adjacent lands, however ownership had passed to Richard Houtot in 1346. Seven years later Martin de Hertham and his wife, Isabel, passed control of lands, rents, taxes in Medstead to William de Overton.^[6] He was followed by his son, also named William, who held lands in Medstead as well as a settlement called "Tadelyng" in 1428. In 1501 John Wayte of Titchfield bought the manors of Long Sutton and Medstead from Eleanor Courte – in 1530 Wayte transferred the manor to Richard Lyster, who then sold all his lands to Sir John Leigh in 1556.^[6]

In 1575, Sir John Leigh died in the village, leaving his infant son and heir, also named John, to inherit the manor of Medstead. John died in 1612, and was succeeded by his son Thomas, a child of six at the time upon his father's death. Thomas Leigh died in 1640, entitling his son, Philip, to inherit all of his lands and estates until the death of his mother. Philip Leigh still held Medstead in 1653, although the manor had changed ownership a few times until then.^[6] In 1748 Edward Rookes was holding Medstead, although it is uncertain if he purchased or inherited it. A year later, Rookes and sold it to Sir William Jolliffe for £1,400, after which the manor of Medstead ceased to disappear from records.^[6]

In 1852, The British Gazetteer described Medstead as:

Medstead, Hants, a parish in the hundred of Fawley, union of Alton, Fawley division of the county 49 miles from London (coach road 51), 4 from Alton, 6 from Alresford. South Western Rail, through Guildford to Alton, thence 4 miles: from Derby, through London, etc., 181 miles. Money orders issued at Alton: London letters delivered 8 a.m.: post closes 6 1/2 p.m. In the church there are some old Norman pillars of beautiful workmanship, and in an excellent state of preservation.The living (St. Andrew) is a rectory, annexed to that of Old Alresford, in the diocese of Winchester: present net income, £580: patron, Bishop of Winchester: present incumbent, Earl of Guildford, 1797: contains 2,530 acres: 78 houses: population in 1841, 450: ass' prop' £2,402: poor rates in 1848, £314.^[4]

Medstead's railway station was first opened in August 1868, and was renamed to Medstead and Four Marks railway station on 1 October 1937.^[7] The station, along with the Watercress Line, was restored and re-opened in May 1983.^[8]

Geography and demographics

Medstead is located in the eastern central part of Hampshire, in South East England, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) southwest of Alton, its nearest town.^[9] The parish covers an area of 1,536 acres (622 ha) and has an average elevation of approximately 600 feet (180 m) above sea level.^[2] The landscape is dominated by farms and woodland such as Medstead Grange, Imber Farm and Bushy Leaze Wood.^[9] The parish contains three individual hamlets; South Town, Soldridge, and Hattingley.^[9] According to the 2011 census, the parish of Medstead had a population of 2036 people. There are 808 households in the parish with an average size of 2.52 people.^[10] The road between Medstead and Bentworth runs over King's Hill 218 metres (715 ft), one of the county's high points.^[9]

Neighbouring towns, villages, and places

	Upper Wield	Bentworth	Beech
	Bighton		Chawton
		Medstead
	Ropley	Four Marks	Four Marks

Notable landmarks

The Norman church of St Andrew was first mentioned in the Domesday Survey in 1086 as a chapel. The northern aisle was first constructed in 1160 after the previous chapel was demolished.^[12] The church has flint walls cemented to its chancel with stone dressings. Windows dating from the 14th century also feature in the chancel. There is also a 13th century bracket which once supported a statue next to the east window, although the statue has been moved next to the south door. The church was restored in the 19th century.^[12] The churchyard has a Grade II listed war memorial which is dedicated to fallen soldiers of the First World War. The monument was dedicated in 1920 and sculpted G. Maile of London. The memorial is made out of Cornish granite and features a Celtic cross with a crusader's sword sculpted in its centre. It was unveiled on 17 October 1920 by Admiral Jervoise and dedicated by the rector of St Andrew's Church.^[13]

Medstead contains a total of six Grade II listed buildings.^[11] Southdown Old Farmhouse is a small manor which dates from the 18th century, in addition to 20th century restorations. It consists of two storeys and an attic, five windows and three hipped dormers. It was designated as a listed building on 31 May 1985.^[14] Another Grade II listed building is a Victorian wheelhouse with a donkey wheel which lies immediately southwest of Southdown Old Farmhouse. The wheelhouse was built in the early 19th century and consists of weatherboarded timber frames on brick plinths. The donkey wheel is in working order and is made of a large timber axle with a rope hanging over a well.^[15]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Medstead, Hampshire.

• Medstead Parish Council website
• Medstead Village website - medstead.org
• Stained Glass Windows at St. Andrew, Medstead, Hampshire

Towns, villages and hamlets in the East Hampshire district
Adhurst Alton Arford Ashley Barford Beech Bentley Bentworth Binsted Blackmoor Blacknest Blendworth Bordean Bordon Bradley Bramshott Bucks Horn Oak Buriton Burkham Catherington Chalton Charlwood Chawton Clanfield Cold Ash Hill Colemore Conford Deadwater Ditcham Durford Wood East Meon East Tisted East Worldham Empshott Farringdon Finchdean Flexcombe Four Marks Froxfield Froxfield Green Froyle Golden Pot Grayshott Greatham Griggs Green Hartley Mauditt Hattingley Hawkley Headley Headley Down High Cross Holt End Holybourne Hollywater Horndean Idsworth Isington Kingsley Kitwood Langrish Lasham Lindford Liphook Liss Liss Forest Longmoor Lovedean Lower Wield Medstead Monkwood Neatham New Copse Newton Valence North Street Nursted Oakhanger Oakshott Passfield Petersfield Pinewood Priors Dean Privett Ramsdean Ropley Ropley Dean Rowland's Castle Selborne Shalden Sheet Sleaford Soldridge South Hay Southrope South Town Standford Stansted Steep Steep Marsh Stroud Tickley Thedden Upper Wield West Liss West Tisted West Worldham Weston Wheatley Whitehill Wivelrod Wyck