National Gazetteer (1868) - Kingsclere

"KINGSCLERE, a parish and market town in the hundred of Kingsclere, county Hants, 6 miles S. of Thatcham, 6 N. of Ashton, and 7 S.E. of Newbury, its post town. The parish, which is extensive and highly cultivated, is situated on the Downs, near the northern extremity of the county. It contains the tythings of Woodlands and Clerewoodcot, with nine others. The land is well wooded, and the extensive common was enclosed under an Act passed in 1842. The soil is various, but generally fertile. A small spring near the town turns four mills within 1½ mile of its source. Barley is widely sown, and malting is carried on rather extensively.

The town, which is very ancient, was formerly a seat of Saxon kings, who had a palace here. After the Norman Conquest it came to the De-la-Poles, &c. It is now a small agricultural place, scarcely retaining any semblance of a market town. It is the seat of a Poor-law Union and the head of a superintendent registry district. Petty sessions are held monthly, and the board of guardians meet every alternate Tuesday. It is a polling place for the northern division of the county. The rectorial tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £1,850, and the vicarial for £444.

The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Winchester, value £300. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a very ancient cruciform structure with a massive square tower rising from the centre, and containing six bells. In the chancel is a monument to Edward Webbe, D.D., chaplain to King Charles II.; it has also several brasses, one bearing date 1519. It was thoroughly restored in 1848, and a vicarage house built in 1840. The new district church, dedicated to St. Paul, has a square tower crowned with a lofty spire, and has upwards of 500 sittings. It was erected in 1845, and a parsonage house for the incumbent about the same time. The parochial charities produce about £130 per annum. The Wesleyans, Baptists, and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel. There is an ancient free school for boys, endowed by Sir James Lancaster in 1618. The schoolroom and master's house was rebuilt in 1861. Lord Bolton is lord of the manor. On the adjacent hills are the remains of two Roman encampments. Market day is Tuesday. Fairs are held on Whit-Tuesday for pleasure, and on the first Tuesday after the 10th October for sheep. "CLEREWOODCOTT, a tything in the parish of Kingsclere, in the county of Hants. "ECCHINSWELL, (or Itchinswell), a chapelry in the parish of Kingsclere, hundred of Evingar (Lower half), county Hants, 6 miles S.E. of Newbury. The village is considerable. The chapel-of-ease is dedicated to St. Lawrence. "EDMONDSTRIP BEENHAM, (and Edmondstrip Lances), two tythings in the parish of Kingsclere, county Southampton, 1 mile N. of Kingsclere. "FROBURY, a tything in the parish of Kingsclere, county Hants, 1 mile N.W. of Kingsclere, and 19 N. of Winchester. It is situated on the Downs. "GUILDABLE, a tything in the parish and hundred of Kingsclere, county Hants, 19 miles N. of Winchester. It is situated on the Downs, in the vicinity of the town of Kingsclere. "HANNINGTON LANCES, a tything in the parish of Kingsclere, county Hants, 2 miles from Kingsclere. "NORTH OAKLEY, a tything in the parish of Kingsclere, hundred of Chutely, county Hants, 3 miles N.W. of Church Oakley, and 6 W. of Basingstoke. "PARSONAGE, a tything in the parish of Kingsclere, county Hants, near Kingsclere. "SANDFORD, a tything in the parish of Kingsclere, county Hants, near Kingsclere. "SYDMONTON, a chapelry in the parish and hundred of Kingsclere, county Hants, 7 miles N.E. of Whitchurch. The chapel, dedicated to St. Mary, is in the park, and has a Norman arch. "WOODLANDS ST. PAUL, an ecclesiastical district in the parish of Kingsclere, county Hants, 2 miles from Kingsclere, 7 S.E. of Newbury, and 6 S. of the Thatcham railway station. The ecclesiastical district, which was formed in 1852 out of the chapelries of Itchingswell and Sydmonton, contained in 1861 a population of 1,175. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Winchester, in the patronage of the Vicar of Kingsclere. The church, dedicated to St. Paul, was erected in 1845."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]