PRIVETT
Pryvet (xiv cent.); Pryvate (xvi cent.).
The parish of Privett, containing about 1,279 acres,
31¼ acres of which are arable land and 30¼ acres
permanent grass, (fn. 1) lies east of Winchester on high
ground which rises to nearly 600 ft. above the sea
level in several parts of the parish. The village is in
the south of the parish, and consists mainly of a
number of scattered farms and cottages grouped for
the most part at Filmer Hill in the west, at Bailey
Green, and at the junction of the road from West
Tisted to Petersfield with a branch road coming from
Froxfield. Holy Trinity Church with the vicarage
and schools is in this latter group, the nucleus of the
village, the church standing in a fine situation on high
ground overlooking the Meon valley south of the
Froxfield road, while the vicarage is to the north.
The schools lie away a few yards to the south, to the
west of the road to Petersfield, which here makes a
rapid winding descent to the south to meet the main
road from Winchester to Petersfield. The Wheatsheaf Inn and the smithy are situated in the midst of
pine trees near Filmer Hill.
Privett station on the Meon Valley line lies north of
the village a few yards east of the Alton road. After
passing the railway station the Alton road runs parallel
to the railway line, which is, however, hidden by high
hedges and pine trees. One of the entrances to
Basing Park (which is in Froxfield parish, though some
of the copses and farms in the southern part of the
estate are in Privett) is on the right of this road, which
leaves the parish after passing Basing farm.
The soil is varied: on the chalk-hills it is loam and
stiff clay, in the valleys it is stiff clay. The subsoil
is chalk. The chief crops are oats, wheat, barley and
beans.
MANORS
There is no manor of PRIVETT
at the present day; and there is no
reference to a manor in Privett before
the seventeenth century.
Privett seems to have been merely part of the manor
of West Meon; for in 1391 the chapel of Holy
Trinity at Privett in the parish of West Meon is
mentioned, (fn. 2) and it is mentioned as part of the manor
of West Meon in the valuation of the lands lately
belonging to St. Swithun's monastery, which were
granted by Henry VIII to the dean and chapter of
Winchester. (fn. 3) From this time the descent of Privett
follows that of West Meon manor (q.v.). (fn. 4)
CHURCH
The modern church of the HOLY
TRINITY, PRIVETT, is a fine flint
structure with Doulting stone dressings in
thirteenth-century style. It consists of a chancel, a
clearstoried nave of four bays with aisles, transepts, and
north porch, and a western tower with a spire, containing eight bells, cast in 1878.
The church was built in 1876–8, from the designs
of J. L. Pearson, and occupies the site of the old
church, of which nothing now remains. It is a very
fine specimen of Pearson's work, its tall spire being a
landmark for miles around.
The plate is modern (1878), and consists of chalice
and paten and credence paten with a silver-mounted
glass flagon.
The first book of registers contains the baptisms
1538–1632, marriages 1545–1626, and burials
1552–1632. The second contains all entries from
1653 to 1714, and a note of briefs 1705–12. The
third runs from 1712 to 1776, the marriages ceasing in
1752, and the fourth has baptisms and burials
1776–1812. All entries between 1632 and 1653,
and the marriage registers 1753–1812, appear to
be missing.
ADVOWSON
The earliest mention of a chapel
in Privett is in the year 1391, when
an indulgence was granted to penitents who gave alms to 'the fabric' of the chapel of
Holy Trinity at Privett, in the parish of West Meon. (fn. 5)
The chapelry of Privett continued to be attached
to the church of West Meon (fn. 6) (q.v.) until 1874, when
it was formed into a separate (fn. 7) ecclesiastical benefice;
the church was rebuilt in 1834. (fn. 8)
The living is now a vicarage in the gift of Mr.
William Nicholson of Basing Park, who bore the
expense of the last rebuilding.