Bitterne, Hampshire
Historical Description
Bitterne, a village, a tithing, and a chapelry in South Stoneham parish, Hants. The village stands on the left side of the Itchin river, near Bitterne Road station on the L. & S.W.R., 76 miles from London, and 2 NNE of Southampton. It is 80 feet above the sea, and the soil is gravel and sand. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act in 1885 it was included in the parliamentary borough of Southampton, under which it has a post, money order, and telegraph office. The tract around it was long held by the Bishops of Winchester, and had a residence of theirs. There is a parish-room and a workman's hall erected in 1882. Population of the chapelry, 2258, Remains of the Roman station Clausentum, including walls of, flint and small stones with Roman grouting, are in the village. This station was connected by roads with Winchester, Porchester, and the ferry to the Isle of Wight, and probably was intended to defend the approach to them, and it became the headquarters of Tetricus, one of the British usurpers after Gallienus. Numerous coins and medals, chiefly of Claudius and Constantine, and numerous inscriptions, chiefly relating to Tetricus, have been found, and many of the inscriptions may be seen on the spot. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Winchester; net value, £240. Patron, the Bishop of Winchester. The church, which stands on an eminence at the village, is a handsome structure in the Decorated style, with a lofty spire, and was enlarged in 1885. There is a Wesleyan chapel.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
Ancient County | Hampshire | |
Civil parish | South Stoneham | |
Hundred | Mansbridge | |
Poor Law union | South Stoneham |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Church Records
The register dates from the year 1853.
Churches
Church of England
Holy Saviour (parish church)
The church of the Holy Saviour, consecrated in 1853, is a building of stone in the Gothic style, consisting of clerestoried nave of five bays, aisles, north porch and a tower, with spire, containing one bell: the south aisle was erected in 1885 at a cost of £1,440, defrayed by the Rev. Henry Usborne B.A. vicar, 1852-87: there are about 650 sittings.
Congregational
Congregational Chapel
The Congregational chapel, erected in 1863, has 320 sittings.
Methodist
Wesleyan Chapel
The Wesleyan chapel was erected in 1906 at a cost of £3,000.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Bitterne from the following:
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Hampshire (County Southampton) is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Bitterne are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
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.