National Gazetteer (1868) - Meonstoke

"MEON-STOKE, a parish in the hundred of Meon-Stoke, Droxford division of county Hants, 5 miles N.E. of Bishops-Waltham, and 4 S.W. of Petersfield. Droxford is its post town. The parish includes the village of Newtown, and is nearly separated by a small rivulet, which flows through several villages, and eventually discharges itself into Southampton Water. The greater part of the land is arable, the remainder downs or common. The village, which was partially burnt in 1740, is neatly built. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £280. The living is a rectory* with the curacy of Soberton annexed, in the diocese of Winchester, value £568, in the patronage of the bishop.

The parish church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient stone structure with a tower containing three bells, originally six. There is an E. window, in which is the rose of William of Wykeham, by whom this part of the building is said to have been erected. There is also a district church at Newtown, the living of which is a perpetual curacy,* value £100. There is a National school. The wardens and fellows of Winchester College are lords of the manor. On the north-eastern boundary of the parish is a Roman camp called Old Winchester, where a Roman lamp was discovered in 1834, also several barrows containing Roman pottery and calcined bones."

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