Highclere, Hampshire

Historical Description

Highclere, a village and a parish in Hants. The village stands 7 miles W of Kinsclere, and has a station on the G.W.R. 59 miles from London, and a post and telegraph office under Newbury; money order office, Woolton Hill. Acreage of parish, 3484; population, 412. The manor belonged to the bishops of Winchester; was given by Edward VI. to the Fitzwilliams, passed to the Sawers and the Herberts, and belongs now to the Earl of Carnarvon. A palace of the bishops of Winchester stood here, and was succeeded by a mansion of the Herberts. That mansion, now Highclere Castle, the seat of the Earl of Carnarvon, is a stately pile, partly ancient, partly altered, partly modern, has pinnacles, perforated work, flanking towers, and a magnificent W front tower, contains some valuable pictures, and occupies a spot 587 feet in elevation above sea-level, amid a wooded and very picturesque park, upwards of 13 miles in circuit. Sid-don Hill, covered with wood, 940 feet high, and commandihg splendid and very extensive views, is within the park; and Beacon Hill, 900 feet high, crowned by ancient fortifications, and also commanding very grand views, is close without the gates. Many tumuli are on the neighbouring downs, and a circular camp of about 8 acres is on Ladle Hill, 1½ mile E of Beacon HUL The living is a rectory in the diocese of Winchester; net value, £186 with residence. Patron, the Earl of Carnarvon. The old church was built in the time of Charles II. by Sir Robert Sawyer, was rebuilt in 1828, and repaired in 1859, and contains several interesting monuments. The new church was founded close to the park in 1869. Millar the antiquary was a native.

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.

Civil Registration

For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.

Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Highclere from the following:

• Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Highclere (St. Michael))

Land and Property

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

Maps

Online maps of Highclere 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.