National Gazetteer (1868) - Ringwood

"RINGWOOD, a parish, post and market town in the hundred of Ringwood, county Hants, 29 miles S.W. of Winchester, 20 S.W. of Southampton, and 18½ from Salisbury. It is a junction station on the Salisbury section of the London and South-Western railway. It comprises the hamlets of Crow, High Town, Upper and Lower Kingston, and Poulner, with the extra parochial liberties of Burley Lodge, Godshill, Linwood, and Woodgreen. It is situated on the border of the New Forest, on the eastern bank of the river Avon, which, after dividing eastward into three branches, over each of which is a stone bridge, again unites its waters into a broad expanse, with an island in the middle, crossed by a causeway. Ringwood was a place of importance at a very early period, and was originally named Regnum, or the town of the Regni, mentioned by Antoninus. It was occupied both by the Romans and Britons as a military post, and was called Renoved and Regnewood by the Saxons, who set much store by it.

The town is well built and lighted with gas, and contains many neat residences. It consists principally of four streets, diverging from the market-place. The public buildings consist of a commercial branch bank, library, with reading-rooms, police station, gasworks, union poorhouse, &c. There are steam and water biscuit manufactories, and two breweries. Ringwood was once celebrated for its strong beer, but the trade of late years has considerably declined, as have also the manufactures of woollen cloth and stockings, once extensively carried on. Ringwood is a polling-place for the county elections. Petty sessions are held on the first Wednesday in every month, at the Crown Hotel. The Poorlaw Union at Ringwood comprises 5 parishes and townships. The board of guardians meet every Monday from the 10th October to the 5th April, and from the 5th April to the 10th October, on every alternate Monday. Courts-leet are held by the lord of the manor at Lady-day and Michaelmas, when a constable is appointed.

A large portion of the land is in meadow, but the lower grounds frequently suffer from inundation, caused by the overflow of the Avon. The river abounds with trout and other fish. The living is a vicarage* with the curacies of Harbridge and Bisterne annexed, in the diocese of Winchester, value £960, in the patronage of King's College, Cambridge. The church is dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul; its former architectural beauty has been almost effaced by modern alterations. The chancel has been rebuilt at an outlay of £850, defrayed by the Provost and Fellows of King's College, Cambridge. There is also the district church of St. John's, Burley, the living of which is a perpet: curacy, value £100, in the patronage of the bishop. The church was rebuilt about a quarter of a century ago by the Mills family. The parochial register dates from 1561.

There are charities in connection with the church producing about £24 per annum, exclusive of the endowment of the free grammar school, founded in 1586 by Richard Lyne, which now produces near £35 per annum. In 1843 almshouses were erected and founded by the late William Clarke, Esq. There are National schools for both sexes, and also schools for the Dissenters. The Independents, Wesleyans, and Unitarians have each a place of worship. St. Ive's House and the Manor-House are the principal residences. John Morant, Esq., is lord of the manor. The late Lord Chief Justice Mansfield was born in this parish. Market day is on Wednesday; also a market for cattle every alternate Wednesday. Fairs are held on the 10th July and the 11th December. "CROW, a tything in the parish of Ringwood, in the county of Hants, 1 mile from Ringwood. It is united with Bistern "KINGSTON, a tything in the parish of Ringwood, county Hants, 2 miles S.E. of Ringwood. "NORTH ASHLEY, a tything in the parish of Ringwood, hundred and division of Ringwood, in the county of Southampton. It is situated on the river Avon, and contains the workhouse of Ringwood Union."

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