Lasham
| Lasham | |
| Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Church, Lasham | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SU675424 |
| Location: | 51°10’36"N, 1°2’1"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 176 (2011) |
| Post town: | Alton |
| Postcode: | GU34 |
| Dialling code: | 01256 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | East Hampshire |
Lasham is a village in Hampshire, three and a half miles north-west of Alton and a mile north of Bentworth, just off the A339 road.
Lasham formerly had its own railway station, Bentworth and Lasham, on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway until the line's closure in 1936.
According to the 2011 census, the village had a population of 176.
The parish church, the Church of St Mary, was built in 1866 on the site of an older church, some of which went back to Saxon times.
History
The village’s name has been spelled in various ways, including Esseham (11th century), Lessham (12th century), and Lesseham or Lassham (14th century).[1] Lasham is first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as an alod, and was then assessed at two and a half hides.
Lasham Airfield
Lasham Airfield was constructed in 1942 on high ground north of the village. An avenue of beech trees that was originally planted by George Jervoise in 1809 was partially cut down to make way for the north side of the airfield, and the road running east–west just north of the airfield is still called "Avenue Road".
The Basingstoke to Alton road used to pass through Lasham village but as the land to the north was needed for the west end of the main runway, the road between the Avenue and Lasham village was diverted to the west on lower ground and now by-passes the village, passing between Lasham and Bentworth just west of the old railway station. This road was made of large concrete "sets" and was built by Italian prisoners of war who were housed in a camp at Thedden Grange southwest of Bentworth.
The airfield is now a major centre for the sport of gliding and is owned by Lasham Gliding Society, which bought the land from the Ministry of Defence. The airfield is also used by a company called ATC Lasham Ltd, which services airliners, mainly made by Boeing, in hangars on the south side of the main runway.
About the village
An avenue of beech trees was planted in 1809 by George Purefoy Jervoise MP, to commemorate the golden jubilee of King George III in 1810. The original avenue was one mile long but in 1942 when Lasham Airfield was constructed, some of the avenue was cut down. When the plans became known, Sir George Jeffreys MP wrote a letter of objection which was published in the London Times newspaper on 7 October 1941. The Jervoise family continue to own the land to the north of the airfield today.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Lasham) |
- A History of the County of Hampshire - Volume 4 pp 81-83: Parishes: Lasham (Victoria County History)
- Stained Glass Windows at St Mary, Lasham, Hampshire
References
- ↑ A History of the County of Hampshire - Volume 4 pp 81-83: Parishes: Lasham (Victoria County History)