Sparsholt, Hampshire
| Sparsholt | |
| Hampshire | |
|---|---|
 St Stephen's parish church | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SU435312 |
| Location: | 51°4’42"N, 1°22’42"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 982 (2011) |
| Post town: | Winchester |
| Postcode: | SO21 |
| Dialling code: | 01962 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Winchester |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Winchester |
| Website: | Sparsholt Parish Council |
Sparsholt is a village in Hampshire, two and a half miles west of Winchester. In 1908 its area was 3,672 acres.[1] The 2011 Census recorded its population as 982.
The parish also includes the hamlet of Dean, Farley Mount Country Park and Crab Wood, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Name
The earliest known appearance of the villaeg's name is as Speoresholt in an Anglo-Saxon charter from 901. The name is derived from Old English and probably means "wood where spear-shafts were obtained".[2]
A late-Saxon manuscript from about 1060–66 records it as Spæresholt. A pipe roll from 1167 records it as Speresholt.[2] Spellings from the 16th century onwards included Sparshall and Spershott.[1]
Archaeology
There are Bronze Age bowl and disc barrows in the parish. Just west of the village are the remains of Sparsholt Roman Villa. It was built in phases from the 2nd to the 4th century, and then abandoned. It was excavated in 1965–72. Nothing is visible at the site today, but finds from the excavations are on display in Winchester City Museum.[3] A replica of one wing of the villa has been built at Butser Ancient Farm.[4]
There was a village at Lainston. It is now abandoned, leaving only the ruin of its 12th-century parish church of St Peter, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[5]
Parish church
The oldest parts of the Church of England parish church of St Stephen in Sparsholt are also 12th-century. Early in the 13th century it was enlarged by adding a south aisle and arcade to the nave. The chancel was rebuilt in the 14th century. The chancel arch, west tower and some of the windows are 15th-century. The south doorway was added in 1631. The organ screen and lectern are also 17th-century. The church was restored in 1883 under the direction of the architect William Butterfield. It is a Grade II* listed building.[6]
St Stephen's parish is now one of five churches in The Downs Benefice, with Chilbolton, Crawley, Littleton and Wherwell.[7]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Sparsholt, Hampshire) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Page 1908, pp. 444–447.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ekwall 1960, Sparsholt
- ↑ Wilson 2002, p. 113.
- ↑ Johnston 2002, pp. 61–62.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1001909: St Peter's Church (Scheduled ancient monument entry)
- ↑ National Heritage List 1095764: Church of St Stephen (Grade II* listing)
- ↑ "St Stephen's Sparsholt with Lainston". The Downs Benefice. http://www.downsbenefice.org/index.php?&pg=St_Stephen%27s_Sparsholt_with_Lainston&album=Sparsholt.
- Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 1960. ISBN 0198691033
- Johnston, David E (2002). Discovering Roman Britain. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 61–62.
- A History of the County of Hampshire - Volume 3 pp 444-447: Parishes: Sparsholt (Victoria County History)
- Nikolaus Pevsner: The Buildings of England: Hampshire & The Isle of Wight, 1967 Penguin Books ISBN 978-0-300-09606-4page 113