Marchwood

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Marchwood
Hampshire

Main Road, Marchwood
Location
Grid reference: SU385102
Location: 50°53’24"N, 1°27’14"W
Data
Population: 5,586  (2011)
Post town: Southampton
Postcode: SO40
Dialling code: 023
Local Government
Council: New Forest
Parliamentary
constituency:
New Forest East

Marchwood is a village located in Hampshire, sitting between Totton and Hythe on the western shore of Southampton Water and directly east of the New Forest. The population of the village was recorded by the Census 2011 at 6,141.

History

St. John's church, Marchwood

Marchwood has seen human activity since Roman times. The Roman road from the Calshot/Lepe area passed through here on its way to Nursling (Onna as it was called). Roman coins have been found at Bury Farm.

The name "Marchwood" is most probably from the Old English "merecewudu" meaning "smallage wood" ("smallage" is a term for wild celery). It appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Merceode", when the manor was held by Alwin, whose father Wulfgeat held the manor before 1066.[1]

The manor of Marchwood eventually became known as Marchwood Romsey.[2] John de Romsey held the vill of Marchwood in 1316. He was succeeded by Sir Walter Romsey of Rockbourne, who died in 1403–4 holding land in Marchwood. The manor then passed in the same way as the manor of Romsey Horseys, until the death of Thomas Horsey in 1477.[2]

John Romsey of Tatchbury died in 1494 holding the manor from John Horsey, as did his son, another John Romsey who died in 1503.[2] His son William Romsey sold the manor to Henry White. The manor passed from Robert White to his son William in 1564–5. In 1587 William White sold the manor to Nicholas Venables. William Rickman died in possession of the manor in 1599, leaving his daughter Katherine wife of David Urry his heir.[2] A hundred years later, David Urry, described as of St James, Westminster, sold the manor to Gilbert Serle of Leghorn, and it subsequently passed to Sir William Oglander. The manor afterwards passed into the Saunders family.[2]

One other manor close to Marchwood was called Bury (also Newton Bury). It occurs in a deed of the 13th century as the "manor of Eling called Burylond." In the 16th century it was absorbed into Colbury manor, and it is now represented by Bury Farm just north of Marchwood.

Marchwood was at one time in the parish of Eling, in that part of the ancient parish which lies low at the mouth of the River Test, southeast of Eling village.[2] Cracknore, in Marchwood, was the landing place of the ferry from Southampton long before the Hythe Ferry. There was an important beacon site here at Beacon Hill, receiving and sending messages to both ends of the Isle of Wight. Marchwood became a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1843. The church was built and endowed by Horatio Francis Kingsford Holloway in 1843.[2] By the beginning of the 20th century, there were Government gunpowder magazines and a Metropolitan Police barracks in Marchwood.[2]

Marchwood Military Port was built here during Second World War, which played a vital role in the Normandy landings.[3] The Royal Navy Ordnance Depot was where the famous Mulberry harbours were made. The port continues to service Britain's overseas military interests.[3]

Church

Marchwood has four Christian churches. The Parish Church of St. John's; The Gospel Church; New Forest Community Church; and Fijian church, which meets in the army estate, mainly for those from Fiji posted in the military houses and barracks.

The churches are active in the community: The New Forest Community Church run a local coffee shop in the village centre, the "sweet soul cafe"; The Gospel Church runs a Friday afternoon cafe "refreshers", ladies' and men's social groups, and various youth and children's clubs, meeting on Sundays at 10.30am at the Infant school; and the Parish church has strong links with the local schools.

Sport

Marchwood is home to Staplewood Training Ground the training facilities of Southampton F.C..

There is also Lloyds recreation ground which is home to a host of football clubs, as well as two tennis courts.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Marchwood)

References

  1. Marchwood in the Domesday Book
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 A History of the County of Hampshire - Volume 4 pp 546-558: Parishes: Eling (Victoria County History)
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Marchwood: An unknown hero", BBC News, 16 April 1999