BROCKENHURST
The parish of Brockenhurst (Broceste, xi cent.;
Brokenst, xiii cent.; Brokehurst, xiv cent.; Brocknes,
xvi cent.; Brocknest, xvii cent.) contains 6,903 acres
of land, of which 37 are covered with water. The
village is situated on high ground on the main road
from Lyndhurst to Lymington, and owing to its
situation is extremely picturesque. The parish contains large patches of wood and moorland and the
timber is exceptionally fine. There is a station on
the London and South Western Railway. (fn. 1) The
Boldre or Lymington River after flowing through
the parish in a south-easterly direction passes out
into Boldre and thence to the Solent.
Brockenhurst Church, one of the only two churches
in the New Forest mentioned in the Domesday
Survey, is built on rising ground on the western
edge of Beaulieu Heath, a short distance out of the
village. It is picturesquely surrounded by trees, and
in the churchyard is a remarkably fine yew tree, and
to the south-west near the church is the hollow
stump of a still older yew.
Brockenhurst Park, containing 425 acres of land
the property of Mr. E. J. H. Morant, the lord of
the manor, descends eastwards from the village to
the Boldre River. Rhinefield is the residence of
Mr. Edward Lionel Walker-Munro, R.N.; Lady Cross
Lodge of the Hon. Sir Charles John Darling, Justice
of the High Court. New Park, which is Crown
property, is mentioned as early as 1484, when 'the
custody of the king's park called New Park' was
granted to John Hoton alias Huton. (fn. 2) In a
survey of 1615 it is described as 'divided with
pales, lodges and ditches into several meadows and
pastures and containing 416 acres and 12 perches,
with lodge stables and appurtenances worth yearly
£100: the timber trees and beech trees in the park
being in number 498. The park and lodge are in
the tenure and occupation of Sir George Carye, who
hath fully stocked the same with cattle and horses.
The oak and beech trees within the park marked out
for the use of the navy are in number 270.' (fn. 3) In
1670 it was added to by Charles II for the reception
of red deer from France and subsequently granted as
a farm to the Duke of Bedford, the Lord Warden.
Carys, the residence and property of the Rev.
Frederick Hermann Bowden-Smith, probably takes
its name from John Cary, who held the office of
riding forester to Charles II. (fn. 4)
There are 530 acres of woodland, 1,421 of grass
and 548 of arable land. (fn. 5) The soil is marl and loam,
the subsoil gravel and in some parts clay.
Rhinefield is a township consisting of 7,360 acres
2 miles south-west from Brockenhurst station, constituted by an Order of the Poor Law Board
23 November 1868, and consisting of parts of Rhinefield and Wilverley Walks in the New Forest, which
were extra-parochial before the passing of the New
Forest Poor Law Act of 1866.
Field-names which occur in the 16th century are:
Westsetley (fn. 6) and Banetts, (fn. 7) and in the 17th century
Guydintill, Whilepill, Colehayes, (fn. 8) Hinchersley (fn. 9) and
Ayshlatchmore. (fn. 10)
Manors
In 1086 Brockenhurst was held as
1 hide by Alvric as his father and
uncle had held it before him. Before
the Conquest it had been worth 40s., but its value
had doubled by the time of the Great Survey. (fn. 11)
Edward Vunithingi, probably a descendant of
Alvric, held Brockenhurst in the reigns of William
Rufus and Henry I. He was succeeded by a grandson Hugh, who presumably died before King
Stephen granted Brockenhurst to Alvric de Broclea
(Brookley) his kinsman to hold as his grandfather
Edward Vunithingi had held, together with 'ministerium suum' in the New Forest. Henry II when
Duke of Normandy granted Brockenhurst to William
Spileman as it had been held by his grandfather
Edward Vunithingi and his brother Hugh and Alvric
Parvus. King Stephen confirmed this charter, as did
Henry II also when he became king. (fn. 12) In 1212
William Spileman was still holding lands in Hampshire (including Brockenhurst) by the serjeanty of
finding litter for the king's bed and forage for his
horse when he came to hunt at Brockenhurst, and this
was probably the ' ministerium ' before mentioned. (fn. 13)
In the reign of Henry III William Spileman, probably a son of the first William, was holding 1
carucate of land in Brockenhurst by the serjeanty of
serving the king eleven days in England in time of
war. (fn. 14) He died in or before 1232 (fn. 15) and was
succeeded by a son William, who survived him only
six years, leaving as heir a minor, (fn. 16) presumably the
William Spileman who died in 1290 seised of the
manor of Brockenhurst, leaving a son and heir
Peter, aged twenty-eight years. (fn. 16a) Peter Spileman
died two years later, (fn. 17) leaving as co-heirs his two
sisters, Maud wife of John de Grimsted and
Catherine married to Richard de Testwood. The
former inherited the manor of Brockenhurst, and her
husband John de Grimsted was holding it at his
death in 1314–15 by the serjeanty of providing a
horseman for twenty days in time of war and doing
suit every forty days at the court of the forest. (fn. 18) He
was followed by a son John, during whose tenure a
dispute arose as to his right of taking estovers of
housebote, haybote and firebote in the demesne woods
of the New Forest, then in the hands of Queen
Philippa. John pleaded that this right had always
belonged to his ancestors as lords of the manor of
Brockenhurst and his claim was allowed. (fn. 19)
John de Grimsted died before 1346, and Margery
his widow was granted one-third of the manor in
dower and the custody of the remaining two-thirds
during the minority of her son Thomas. (fn. 20) The latter
died, however, in 1350, (fn. 21) and his uncle and heir Peter
de Grimsted granted the manor subject to the dower of
Margery the same year to John de Beauchamp, (fn. 22) who
held it till his death in 1361. (fn. 23) His nephew and
heir Thomas de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick the
same year surrendered it to Edward III, (fn. 24) who in
1363 granted the custody of the manor for life to
Richard de Pembridge for a yearly rent of £10, (fn. 25)
and ten years later to John de Foxle on the same
condition. (fn. 26) In 1388 a grant of the manor was
made by the king to his half-brother Thomas de
Holand Earl of Kent, (fn. 27) who could have held it for a
short period only, as in 1399 John de Buckingham,
Bishop of Lincoln, died seised in his own right of
the manor of Brockenhurst. (fn. 28) He left no heir, and
Brockenhurst consequently escheated to the Crown,
which continued in possession until the middle of the
following century, when it was granted to Henry Earl
of Arundel. (fn. 29) He sold it in
1571–2 to Reginald Howse, (fn. 30)
a merchant of Southampton,
who conveyed it shortly afterwards to Walter Sherwood,
from whom it passed to Richard
Knapton, who was holding
in 1582. (fn. 31) It was next held
by Alban Knapton (fn. 32) his son,
who was in turn succeeded by
his son Robert in 1630. (fn. 33)
William Knapton son of the
latter was the next and last
member of this family to hold
the manor, and in 1670 he
appeared before the judgement seat of the New Forest held at Lyndhurst
formally to assert his claim to the manor of Brockenhurst. (fn. 34) He sold the manor in 1700 to Jeremiah
Grey of Ibsley, who died in 1709, leaving it to his
nephew John. (fn. 35) In the latter half of the 18th century the Morant family acquired Brockenhurst, (fn. 36) and
Mr. Edward J. H. E. Morant, J.P., is the present
lord of the manor.
Knapton. Gules a che-veron dancetty ermine between three chaplets or.
Brockenhurst in common
with all manors within the
bounds of the New Forest
enjoyed many special privileges. The lord had the right
of common of pasture in all
open places of the forest for
eleven months in the year for
all beasts except goats; also
common of pannage for hogs
and right of estovers of dead
wood for all necessary fuel.
He also claimed to hold his
land ' quit and free from
verderers and foresters without
hindrance from the king.'
The view of frankpledge was attached to the manor. (fn. 37)
A water-mill described in 1 350 as ' broken down ' (fn. 38)
belonged to the manor. This is, however, the only
mention of it.
Morant. Gulet a fesse argent fretty azure between three sitting talbots argent.
Before the Conquest BROOKLEY (Broclea,
Brochelie, xi cent.; Brokle, xiv cent.), assessed with
Mapleham at 2 hides, had been held by a certain
Ednod, but by 1086 it had been taken into the New
Forest and was then worth 2 or. (fn. 39)
No further mention is found of Brookley until
1262, when John le Gras and Dionysia his wife conveyed half a carucate of land and 11s. 6d. rent in
Brookley to William Spileman, member of the family
who held the adjoining manor of Brockenhurst. (fn. 40)
Before 1316, however, it had passed to Henry
Toulouse. (fn. 41) Nine years later he obtained permission
to grant the manor to Richard de Tudeworth, (fn. 42)
who conveyed it in 1334 to John son of Ralph
de Bokland and Margaret his wife, with remainder
to their three sons, John, Thomas and Nicholas. (fn. 43)
In 1347 John obtained a grant of a weekly market
on Tuesday in his manor of Brookley and a yearly
fair to last four days. (fn. 44) He was succeeded in 1362 (fn. 45)
by his brother Thomas, who died without issue in
1377 seised of Brookley, which then passed to his
daughter Margaret, who had married John Worth. (fn. 46)
The latter died in 1396, leaving a son John, (fn. 47) who
succeeded, and on whose death in 1407 the manor
came into the king's hands during the minority of
John's heir. (fn. 48) The latter died under age in 1412,
when his sister Elizabeth, who had married William
Palton, became his heir. (fn. 49)
On her death in the following year (fn. 50) the estate
passed to the Tiptofts through Agnes, one of the
daughters of John Worth,
who had married Sir Payne
Tiptoft. She had died in
1396, but the estate came
to her son Sir John, who died
seised of the manor in 1444. (fn. 51)
He left a son John Earl of
Worcester, who was beheaded
in 1470 and whose son Edward
died unmarried in 1485. (fn. 52)
Joyce sister of the latter was
the wife of Sir Edmund
Dudley, and in 1490 their
son Edward Lord Dudley jointly with his wife Cecily
conveyed the manor to Geoffrey Downes. (fn. 53) Before
1551 it had passed probably by purchase to John
Mill. (fn. 54) It remained in this family (vide Nursling)
until the death of Richard Mill in 1613. (fn. 55) His wife
Mary, who survived him, married Thomas Wroughton,
and in 1620 the latter conveyed the manor to
William Castell. (fn. 56) From him it apparently passed
to the family of Knapton, who held the neighbouring
manor of Brockenhurst, and in 1629 Alban Knapton
was holding the manor of Brookley. (fn. 57) He was succeeded by his son and grandson, Robert and William
Knapton respectively. (fn. 58) In 1682 the latter, who had
married Cecily daughter of John Button of Lymington, conveyed the manor to Paul Burrard, (fn. 59) who had
married Anne sister of Cecily. (fn. 60) Paul appears to
have left the Brookley estate to his cousin John
Burrard, High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1738. (fn. 61) The
latter bequeathed it at his death in 1765 to his
natural son Edward Brailsford, the will being disputed
without success by Sir Harry Burrard, eldest son of
Paul. (fn. 62) Edward was still holding the manor in
1782, (fn. 63) after which there is no further trace of
manorial rights, which probably were allowed to lapse.
Tiptoft. Argent a saltire engrailed gules.
The grange of ROYDON was granted by Henry
III (fn. 64) to the abbey of Netley, though there is no
evidence to show at what precise date, and it remained
with this house until the Dissolution.
Thomas Curteis was apparently lessee of the manor
in 1377, (fn. 65) and he was succeeded in that year by John
Lyly. (fn. 66) The next recorded tenant is John Cooke,
' friend ' of Thomas Cromwell, who held a lease of
Roydon at the beginning of the 16th century. (fn. 67) In
1533 the latter wrote to Thomas Abbot of Netley
desiring him ' to grant to John Cooke a new lease
for sixty years at the old rent of the farm called
Roydon,' as being near the sea it would be
convenient for him to serve in his office of
Admiralty. (fn. 68)
At the Dissolution Roydon returned to the Crown,
and in 1577 it was granted to Roger Manners, third
son of Thomas Duke of Rutland. (fn. 69) He died in
1587, and shortly afterwards it was apparently acquired
with Brockenhurst by the family of Knapton, (fn. 70) who
held it until 1700, when William Knapton conveyed
the manor jointly with his son William to Jeremiah
Grey, (fn. 71) who died in 1709, leaving it to his nephew
John. (fn. 72) The latter appears to have sold it before
1738,as at that date it was held by Naphtali Hussey
and Jane his wife, George Baker and Thomas South,
from whom it passed to William Jenkins, (fn. 73) who
twenty years later sold it to William Steele. (fn. 74) From
the latter it was acquired in 1771 by Mr. Edward
Morant, (fn. 75) whose son John was holding in 1812. (fn. 76)
Mr. Edward J. H. E. Morant is the present lord of
the manor.
In 1086 Wislac held half a hide in Hincelveslei
assessed at 20s., which was taken by the Conqueror
into the forest. (fn. 77) This estate has been identified
with Hinchelesey in Brockenhurst, but it does not
appear to have ever had any manorial history. In
1670 Henry Goddard appeared before the judgement
seat held at Lyndhurst to assert his claim to a messuage
called ' Hinchersley,' (fn. 78) and this appears to be the
only mention found of it. The name survives today in Hinchelsea House and Wood.
Before the Conquest a certain Bolle held half a
hide assessed at 40s. in Gretheham, (fn. 79) which has been
identified as Greatnam on the borders of Lyndhurst
and Brockenhurst parishes. The name still survives
in Greatnam.
Church
The church (of unknown dedication)
consists of a chancel 24 ft. by 13 ft. 3 in.,
a nave 34 ft. 6 in. by 17 ft. 4 in., a north
aisle 16 ft. 2 in. wide, a west tower 9 ft. 6 in.
square surmounted by a short spire, a south porch
and a small vestry to the east of the aisle. The
earliest detail of the church is that of the south door
of the nave, which is of mid-12th-century date, and
the south and west walls of the nave are perhaps
of the same date. Late in the 13th century the
chancel was rebuilt in its present dimensions and in
the 18th century the aisle and tower were added in brick.
The east window of the chancel is of four uncusped
lights contemporary with the wall, with interlacing
tracery formed by curved continuations of the mullions.
There are two similar windows of two lights in the
north and two in the south wall. All have been
somewhat restored. Between the pair on the south
is a small contemporary door with a plain pointed
chamfered head. At the south-east is a small defaced
piscina, probably original. Under the south-west
window is a tomb niche of 14th-century date with a
moulded septfoiled head curiously cusped. The
chancel arch is quite plain, round-headed and plastered,
dying into the chancel walls, and is of no great age.
The nave is of three bays. The north wall has
been almost completely removed and the roof on that
side is carried on a beam supported by two iron posts.
To the south are two windows. The first is of 16th-century date and two trefoiled lights under a squareheaded external label with head drips. Over this
window is inserted a carved stone shield bearing a
leopard rampant quartering a fretty coat. The second
is a wood sashed opening to light the west gallery
and is of late 18th-century date. Between them is
the original south door with a round head of two
orders, the outer enriched with horizontal zigzag, the
inner square, and there is a label with a hatched
ornament. The outer order is carried upon circular
shafts with scalloped capitals, the abaci being broken
round both orders. The west door to the tower and
the door above it to the gallery are of late date.
The tower is of brick and of two stages with a
curiously designed short octagonal brick spire springing
from a circular dome. The angles are quoined and
rusticated in brick and there is a moulded brick
cornice. The belfry openings and the west door
have semicircular heads.
The font of Purbeck marble has a square late 12 th-century bowl with shallow round-headed arcades and
square leaf pattern on the sides. The circular central
and angle shafts are modern.
The chancel roof is of 17th-century style, plastered,
of a pointed barrel form with moulded wooden ribs,
at the crowns of which are moulded and pierced
wooden pendants. The nave roof is modern.
There is a 17th-century altar table, and the altar
rails of early 18th-century date have turned balusters
and moulded sills and ramped handrail of good design.
The font cover is 17th-century work, and in the
nave is a large family pew, the west face of which has
four panels of 17th-century woodwork.
There is a small 18th-century achievement of the
royal arms carved in wood in high relief and a slightly
earlier one bearing France modern and Hanover.
A large west gallery runs across nave and aisles.
The bells are six in number, recast by Pack &
Chapman 1775.
The plate consists of a silver chalice, paten cover,
flagon and alms-plate of 1735, given in that year by
Dame Margaret Vandeput.
The registers are as follows: Book (1) mixed entries
1537 to 1673, (2) the same 1673 to 1750, (3) 1750
to 1796 for baptisms and burials and 1750 to 1754
for marriages, (4) baptisms and burials 1796 to 1802,
(5) baptisms 1 802 to 181 2, (6) burials 1803 to 1812,
(7) marriages 1754 to 1778 and 1778 to 1812.
Advowson
The description of Brockenhurst
in the Domesday Survey included a
church (fn. 80) which afterwards became a
chapelry dependent upon Boldre. A vicarage was
instituted in Brockenhurst in 1866, (fn. 81) the patronage
being vested in the Morant family. Mr. E. J. H. E.
Morant is the present patron.
There is a Baptist chapel erected in 1841 and
also a Wesleyan Methodist chapel. An elementary
school was built in 1863.
Charities
The school founded and endowed
by will of Henry Thurston, proved
in the P.C.C. 1745. (See article on
Hampshire schools. (fn. 82) )
The endowment funds consist of £440 2½ per
cent, annuities and £608 4s. 3d. consols held by the
official trustees, producing £26 4s. a year, which
under a scheme of 22 July 1862 is applicable for the
support of the schoolmaster and schoolmistress for the
education of children and adults or children only of
labouring or other poorer classes.