Hayling, Hampshire

Historical Description

Hayling, an island, two villages, and two parishes in Hants. The island lies between Langston harbour and Chi-chester harbour, directly opposite Havant, and communicates with Havant by a swing bridge. There are stations at North and South Hayling, on the L.B. & S.C.R., 81 and 83 miles from London, and a post, money order, and telegraph office under Havant. Acreage of North and South Hayling, 1390 and 2582; population of North Hayling civil parish, 278; of South Hayling civil parish, 1217; of the ecclesiastical parishes of both, 1495. The island is 4 miles long from N to S, and perfectly level. An ancient circular camp is on a comer of it, on the E, covers about 7 acres, is engirt on three sides by tidal inlets, and bears the name of Tunorbury, which possibly has some reference to the old Saxon god Thunor or Thor. A priory, a cell to Jnmieges Abbey in Normandy, was founded on the island before the Conquest; passed, at the suppression of alien monasteries, to the Carthusians at Sheen, went afterwards in exchange for other lands to Arnndel College, and has left some small vestiges. The island is a resort in winter of numerous rare birds, and the waters adjacent to it used to abound with fish, and still have very large oyster beds. The two villages are North Hayling and South Hayling; they stand on the island 2 and 5 miles S of Havant, and South Hayling is on the shore of the British Channel, and is a watering-place and a coastguard station. The two parishes are also North Hayling and South Hayling, and they comprise the whole island and are jointly conterminate with it. Both of the livings are vicarages, and they are united to form one benefice, in the diocese of Winchester; value, £165 with residence. The church of North Hayling is very ancient, and has a spire; it was restored in 1881. The church of South Hayling is also ancient; comprises nave, aisles, and a long chancel, with a fine pointed five-lancet window, and has a tower and spire, and a Norman font; the building was enlarged and restored in 1885. The National Lifeboat Institution has a lifeboat here. There is a Congregational chapeL Golf links have been prepared on the beach common.

Land and Property

The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Hampshire (County Southampton) is available to browse.

Newspapers and Periodicals

The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following Hampshire newspapers online:

• Portsmouth Evening News
• Hampshire Telegraph
• Hampshire Advertiser
• Hampshire Chronicle
• Aldershot Military Gazette

Visitations Heraldic

The Visitations of Hampshire, 1530, 1575, & 1622-34 is available to view on the Heraldry page.