Titchfield (St. Peter)

TITCHFIELD (St. Peter), a town and parish, in the union of Fareham, hundred of Titchfield, Fareham and S. divisions of the county of Southampton, 2½ miles (W.) from Fareham; containing, with the chapelries of Crofton and Sarisbury, 4030 inhabitants. The parish is bounded on the west by the Southampton Water, and comprises 15,407 acres, of which 1372 are common or waste. The town is well built, and pleasantly situated in a valley on the road from Southampton to Portsmouth, about two miles west of the Titchfield river. A customary corn-market is held on Tuesday; and fairs take place on the Saturday fortnight before Lady-day, on May 14th, September 25th (for hiring servants), and the Saturday fortnight before December 21 st. A court baron occurs twice a year, and a court leet annually, the latter with jurisdiction in all pleas of debt under 40s. The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £6. 17. 3½.; patron, H. P. Delmé, Esq.; appropriators, the Dean and Chapter of Winchester. The great tithes have been commuted for £2886, and the vicarial for £35; the incumbent receives also £150 from the appropriators: there is a parsonage-house, and the glebe comprises 7 acres. The church is a fine edifice: the north aisle was built by William of Wykeham; the chancel is kept in repair by the Duke of Portland, and contains a handsome monument to Henry, first earl of Southampton. At Crofton and Sarisbury are separate incumbencies. There are places of worship for Independents and other dissenters. Twelve girls are educated from funds arising out of land and premises demised in 1620 by Henry, Earl of Southampton, for charitable uses, and now producing about £70 per annum. At a short distance north of the town are the remains of Palace or Place House, erected by the earl, on the site and with the materials of an abbey for Præmonstratensian canons founded by Peter de Rupibus, in 1231, and the revenue of which at the suppression was valued at £280. 19. 10. In this mansion Charles I. was concealed after his escape from Hampton Court in 1647, and again previously to resigning himself to Col. Hammond, who conducted him to Carisbrooke Castle, in the Isle of Wight. The entrance gateway is the only part standing. It is asserted that the nuptials of Henry VI. with Margaret of Anjou were celebrated at Titchfield. Rachel, wife of Lord Russell who was beheaded in the reign of Charles II., was born here. The place confers the title of Marquess on the family of Bentinck.