MAPLEDERWELL
Mapledrewelle (xi cent.); Mapelth, Mapeth,
Mapeldurewelle, Mapeldorwelle (xii cent.); Mapedrewell, Maperderewell, Mapeldereworth (xiii cent.);
Mapuldurwell (xv cent.).
The parish of Maplederwell situated 3 miles
south-east from Basingstoke covers an area of 829
acres, (fn. 1) rising from north to south and reaching a
height of 352 ft. above the ordnance datum on the
southern boundary. The Basingstoke Canal intersects
the parish from east to west, and it is also watered by
several rivulets which join at Andwell, forming one
stream which flows north to empty itself in the Loddon.
The village mostly lies to the south of the canal on
the brow of the northern slope of downs along a road
which runs north to join the road from Basingstoke
to Greywell, crossing the canal by Luke's Bridge.
St. Mary's Church stands south of the village near
the source of one of the streams, while a little to the
north is Manor Farm. The Congregational chapel
was built in 1864. There are 637½ acres of arable
land and 127½ acres of permanent grass in the parish, (fn. 2)
while East Moor, East Moor Copse, Middle Copse
and East Moor Upper Copse, all in the north of the
parish to the west of Andwell, are responsible for the
30½ acres of woods and plantations which it contains. (fn. 3)
The soil is loam and the subsoil chalk. The chief
crops are wheat, barley, oats and roots. Watercress
is also largely grown, while market gardening is carried
on by several of the inhabitants. Maplederwell
Common was inclosed in 1863, (fn. 4) the rest of the
common lands in the parish having been inclosed in
1797 by authority of a Private Act of 1796. (fn. 5) The
name 'Estmore' is found as early as the beginning ot
the 13th century. (fn. 6)
Manor
MAPLEDERWELL, which Anschill
had held of Edward the Confessor, was
owned by Hubert de Port in 1086, (fn. 7) being
his sole estate in Hampshire. It covered a far larger
area then than it does at present, comprising as it did
within its boundaries the modern parishes of Maplederwell, Newnham and Up Nately, and the extraparochial district of Andwell. The names of the
descendants of Hubert de Port, lords of the honour
of Kington, who must not be confused with the
successors of Hugh de Port, lords of the honour of
Basing, (fn. 8) can be ascertained from charters to Andwell
Priory now in the possession of Winchester College. (fn. 9)
At the beginning of the 12th century Adam de Port
was the lord of Maplederwell and founded the priory
of Andwell in the latter half of the reign of Henry I,
granting to it with various privileges £7 14s. worth
of his land of Nately, (fn. 10) which up to this time had
formed part of his manor of Maplederwell. He was
succeeded by his son Roger de Port, who granted to
the monks the mill and the miller of Andwell, (fn. 11) and
was in his turn followed by his son Adam de Port, (fn. 12)
who in 1172 was outlawed for treason and forfeited
all his possessions. (fn. 13) Cresselin the Jew paid Henry II
a large sum for the manor, but in spite of this William
Fitz Audelin was holding it of the king's gift in
1185, (fn. 14) and Cresselin died in 1190 without gaining
possession of the lands to which he was entitled. (fn. 15)
Richard I then granted the manor to Alan Basset to hold
of him with Woking (co.
Surr.) for one knight's fee. (fn. 16)
The exact date of the grant
is uncertain, but in 1198
Alan granted 3 hides in
Newnham pertaining to his
vill of Maplederwell to Hugh
de Arundel to hold to him
and his heirs for the service
of half a knight's fee. (fn. 17) Alan
was confirmed in his possession of the manor by King
John in 1200, (fn. 18) and in 1223 to
end his disputes with the monks of Andwell restored them 'a way sufficient for a horse laden to
go along with his leader in the head of his tillage
toward the water of Maplederwell to the house of
Endewelle,' obtaining in return for them a release of
their claim in Hook wood and 'land in the field
"del su" of the chapel of Mapeldurwelle.' (fn. 19) Alan
died in 1232 and was succeeded by his son Gilbert, (fn. 20)
who sided with Richard Marshal Earl of Pembroke
in his attempt to make Henry III dismiss Peter des
Roches and his other alien counsellors. His property
in Hampshire suffered much during the civil wars,
his wood of Maplederwell being broken by command
of the king, timber carried away from his land, and
his houses razed to the ground. The king eventually submitted to the demands of the barons, and in
1234 made due reparation to Gilbert, giving him permission to re-inclose his wood, (fn. 21) to recover his timber
and to rebuild his premises. (fn. 22) Gilbert died in 1241
and was followed by his brother Fulk Basset, Dean of
York, and afterwards Bishop of London, (fn. 23) who died
eighteen years later, when his estates devolved upon
his next brother Philip Basset. (fn. 24) Philip stoutly adhered to Henry III and was the last man who quitted
the field at the fatal battle of Lewes when the king
was taken prisoner by the barons. (fn. 25) He died in 1271,
leaving as his heir his only daughter Alina, then wife of
Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk and Marshal of England,
and widow of Sir Hugh Le Despenser. (fn. 26) Ela widow
of Philip Basset (fn. 27) obtained a life-grant of the manor
from Roger and Alina in 1272, (fn. 28) and eight years later
was summoned to show by what warrant she took the
fines of the breaches of the assize of bread and ale in
Maplederwell, as also to show cause why she should
not permit her villeins of Maplederwell to make suit
at the king's hundred court of Basingstoke. (fn. 29) She
died in 1297, (fn. 30) and the reversion of the manor, then
held by Alan Plunkenet for life, (fn. 31) passed to Alina,
who died in 1306. (fn. 32) Her heir was Hugh le Despenser, generally called the elder, her son by her first
husband, (fn. 33) who was holding in 1316 (fn. 34) and two years
later obtained a grant for himself and his heirs of free
warren in his demesne lands of Maplederwell. (fn. 35) In
July 1321 the barons condemned Hugh le Despenser
and his son Hugh, generally
called the younger, to forfeit
all their estates and go into
exile. (fn. 36) Circumstances, however, enabled Edward II to
recall his favourites the following year, and in May 1322—two months after the royal
victory of Boroughbridge—a
commission of oyer and terminer was issued to John de
Stoner and others on the
king's information that John
Maltravers, William de Whitefeld and Nicholas
de Percy and their followers had entered Maplederwell and other manors belonging to Hugh le Despenser the elder and committed divers trespasses
there. (fn. 37) However, the triumph of the Despensers
was shortlived, the father being hanged by the forces of
Queen Isabel outside Bristol on 27 October 1326,
and the son a month later at Hereford. (fn. 38) Edward III
in 1327 granted the manor of Maplederwell to Alesia
the widow of Edmund Earl of Arundel (fn. 39) , who was
beheaded at Hereford a few days before the younger
Despenser, for his adherence to Edward II. (fn. 40) He
soon afterwards, however, made other provision for
the maintenance of Alesia and her children, as in
1330 he granted the custody of the manor to
William de Horewood le Fitz to hold for life at
a rent of £11 18s. 8d. (fn. 41) Finally, in 1337 the
king restored it to Hugh le Despenser, son of
Hugh le Despenser the younger, to hold to him
and his heirs by the services due, (fn. 42) and in 1346 Hugh
was stated to be holding half a fee in Maplederwell. (fn. 43)
In the inquisition taken after the death of Hugh in
1349 his nephew, Edward le Despenser, son of
Edward brother of Hugh, was named as his heir. (fn. 44)
This Edward, however, was not seised of Maplederwell at his death in 1375. (fn. 45) Two-thirds were
in the possession of his brother Thomas le Despenser when he died in 1381, his nephew
Thomas, son of Edward, being returned as his
heir. (fn. 46) This Thomas was a favourite of Richard II,
and in 1397 obtained the reversal of the attainder of
his ancestors. (fn. 47) On the accession of Henry IV he took
part in the conspiracy of the Earls of Huntingdon,
Kent, Rutland and Salisbury to restore Richard II.
This conspiracy proved a failure; Despenser was put
to death at Bristol on 17 January 1400, and all his
honours were forfeited. (fn. 48) Maplederwell was first of all
taken into the king's hands, but later it was restored
to Thomas Percy Earl of Worcester, Hugh le Despenser, Thomas Lauton, John Cors, Hugh de Tildesley and Thomas Fauconer, on whom he had
settled it in trust three months before. (fn. 49) Richard le
Despenser son and heir of Thomas died without issue
and under age on 14 October 1414, leaving as his
heir his sister Isabel, (fn. 50) whose second husband Richard
Beauchamp Earl of Warwick (fn. 51) was stated to be holding in 1428 and again in 1431 half a knight's fee in
Maplederwell, formerly belonging to Hugh le Despenser. (fn. 52) Isabel died seised of the manor of Maplederwell in 1440, her heir being her son Henry
Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, (fn. 53) who died in 1446,
leaving as his heir his infant daughter Anne. (fn. 54) The
latter died three years later, and the manor then passed
to her paternal aunt Anne, (fn. 55) whose husband Richard
Nevill Earl of Warwick and Salisbury, the Kingmaker,
in 1464 claimed certain cattle from John Stukeley, lord
of Newnham, for issues and amercements of his court
of Maplederwell. (fn. 56) After the death of the Kingmaker at Barnet on 14 April 1471 the history of the
manor is somewhat obscure, (fn. 57) but it eventually came
into the possession of George Lord Abergavenny, son
and heir of Elizabeth, who was the only child of
Isabel le Despenser by her first husband Richard
Beauchamp Earl of Worcester. (fn. 58) George granted it
to William Frost of Avington and Juliana his wife,
and his grant was confirmed by his son and namesake
in 1513 in return for a payment of £150. (fn. 59) Sixteen years
later William granted the
manor to Corpus Christi College, Oxford, 'for the support
to the end of time of a fellow
of his own blood.' (fn. 60) In 1535
the Hampshire holdings of
the college included the
manor of Maplederwell, worth
by free tenants £1 13s., by
customary tenants £5 3s. 1d.,
and by rents of demesne lands
£6 4s. 10½d., and certain
tenements in Up Nately of
the annual value of £1 15s.
10d. (fn. 61) The manor and most
of the parish belong to the
college at the present day.
Basset. Barry wavy argent and gules.
Despenser. Quarterly argent and gules, the gules fretty or, with a bend sable over all.
Beauchamp. Gules a fesse between six crosslets or.
Nevill. Gules a saltire argent and a label gobony argent and azure.
Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Tierced in pale: I Azure a pelican or wounding itself, for Bishop Richard Fox; 2 Argent a scutcheon of the arms of the see of Winchester with a mitre; 3 Sable a cheveron or between three owls argent and a chief argent with three roses gules therein, for Bishop Oldham.
Neither of the mills included under Maplederwell
in the Domesday Survey (fn. 62)
was in the modern parish
of Maplederwell. One is probably represented by
Andwell Mill, which Roger de Port gave to the
monks of Andwell. (fn. 63) The site of the other is
perhaps marked by Lyde Mill in Newnham parish
which is worked by the tributary of the Loddon
called the Lyde River, and if so it was included in
the grant of the three hides of land in Newnham
made by Alan Basset to Hugh de Arundel in
1198. (fn. 64)
Church
The church of ST. MART THE
VIRGIN has a chancel 13 ft. 8 in.
long by 17 ft. 9 in. wide, with a
small south vestry, and a nave 36 ft. 8 in. by 18 ft.
10 in. inside, all of flint and stone.
The nave dates from the end of the 12th or
beginning of the 13th century, but has been much
modernized; the chancel appears to have been entirely
rebuilt in modern times, some of the old stones being
re-used.
The east window is a modern pointed one of
three lights; in the north wall is a tiny lancet, of
which the head and a few of the angle quoins only
are old. A modern doorway in the south wall opens
to the small modern vestry. The chancel arch
is modern. The nave has three windows on
each side, all single lancets; the outer stonework is
all modern, also the heads inside; but there is old
chalk masonry in the jambs. In the west wall is a
round-headed doorway of a single chamfered order,
which is original work patched with late masonry;
the door is also old and has chamfered upright
battens on the outer face and cross framing on the
back. There is a very plain chancel screen, which
has four and a half bays on either side of the central
opening, and contains a little old work of 15th-century character. On the west end rises a plain
boarded wooden bell-turret.
The roof of the chancel is gabled and has a plastered
barrel vaulted ceiling; the roof of the nave has
rafters set on a four-centred curve and plastered
between with old plain tie-beams, braced collars, and
purlins.
The altar pulpit, font, &c., are all modern.
In the chancel floor is a slab containing a 16th-century monumental brass partly covered by the
organ; the part visible shows a man in a long fur
gown and his wife with four sons and four daughters
below. The inscription runs, 'Off your charite pray
for the souls . . . and Agnes his wyfe on whos
. . .'; the rest is hidden by boarding.
There are three bells: the first is inscribed
'Johannes est nomen ejus'; the second has 'Love
God 1659'; the third is by Richard Eldridge,
1620.
A silver chalice, paten cover, paten and flagon, all
of 1725, belong to Newnham (q.v.), but are used at
Maplederwell, which itself possesses only a silver alms
dish of 1841.
The first book of the registers contains baptisms
from 1618 to 1666 and burials 1618 to 1644; the
second book has baptisms and burials from 1666 to
1676 and marriages 1668 to 1673; the third has
baptisms, marriages and burials from 1685 to 1744
and continues the first and last to 1808; the fourth
has baptisms and burials 1808 to 1811, and the fifth
marriages from 1754 to 1812.
Advowson
The tithes of Maplederwell and a
yardland in Maplederwell were included in the grant of the chapel of
Newnham which Adam de Port made on the day of the
dedication of that chapel to the abbey of St. Vigor of
Cerisy, of which Monk Sherborne was a cell. (fn. 65) At this
date—early in the 12th century—there was no chapel
in Maplederwell, but one had been built before the end
of the 13th century. Maplederwell has continued in
a dependent position on the church of Newnham, the
living at the present time being a chapelry annexed
to the rectory of Newnham of the joint net income
of £250 with 25 acres of glebe and residence.
Ela the widow of Philip Basset founded and
endowed a chantry in the chapel, and granted the
presentation to the chantry to John of Pontoise,
Bishop of Winchester, and his successors. (fn. 66) The bishop
presented certain chaplains with the consent of
Ela, but on her death Alan Plunkenet, who had
obtained a life-grant of the manor, set over the chantry
Robert de Norhamptone, who was not instituted in
the regular way, his only title being the grant and
will of Alan. (fn. 67) An inquiry was held by the official
of the Archdeacon of Winchester by the orders of
Henry Woodlock, and a return was made on 13 August
1314. (fn. 68) The Bishops of Winchester recovered the
right to present, and in 1318 John Sendale conferred
the chantry, which was vacant by the death of the last
chaplain, Peter de Dupehale, on Ralph Frankelyn of
Reading. (fn. 69)
Charities
In 1678 John Smith by deed conveyed to trustees 6a. or. 2p. in the
parish of Rotherwick, the rents to be
employed in providing clothes for the poor of Maplederwell, among which the kindred of John Smith were
to take preference. The land was sold in 1899, and
the endowment is now represented by a sum of £469
11s. 3d. consols with the official trustees. The
income is £11 14s. 8d. annually.