Manor Profile
Havant, Hampshire· Havant (liberty) Hundred· 935 – 1908
Also known as: Havehunte
The manor of Havant lies in the south-east of Hampshire at the head of Langstone Harbour, an ancient market town on the road from London to Portsmouth. King Athelstan granted seven mansae at Havant to the thegn Witgar in 935 for three lives (Birch, Cart. Sax. ii, 411). By the late tenth century the manor had passed to the monks of St Peter and St Paul at Winchester, confirmed by King Ethelred in 980 and again in 984 (Kemble, Codex Dipl. 624, 642). At the Domesday survey of 1086 the monks of St Swithun held the manor, assessed at ten hides, with two mills recorded.
In July 1284 the monks exchanged Havant with the Bishop of Winchester for certain privileges (Add. MS. 29436, fols. 49, 85; Chart. R. 12 Edw. I, m. 5). The bishop thereafter held the manor as part of the see of Winchester. In 1200 the monks had obtained a weekly Tuesday market for sheep and cattle (Rot. Chart. i, 78). In 1450-1 the bishop was granted a Saturday corn market and an annual fair on the feast of St Faith, 6 October (Pat. 27-39 Hen. VI, m. 34). The fair continued until 1871, when it was abolished (Lond. Gaz. 7 Oct. 1873).
During the Commonwealth, William Wolgar of Havant purchased the manor under the act for sale of bishops' lands (Close, 23 Chas. I, pt. xi, 16). At the Restoration the bishop recovered the manor, though Wolgar obtained a lease. The bishop continued to lease the manor periodically. In 1827 Sir George Thomas Staunton, then lessee, purchased the fee from the see (Longcroft, Hund. of Bosmere). In 1875 Sir F. W. FitzWygram purchased from W. H. Stone, and the manor subsequently passed to his son Sir F. L. FitzWygram.
Havant was an important market town with established industries from the sixteenth century onwards, including cloth manufacturing, parchment works, tanneries, and the fellmonger trade. The church of St Faith has served the parish since the medieval period, its advowson following the descent of the manor.
| # | Name | From | To | Acquired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Witgar(Thegn) | 935 | royal grant | King Athelstan granted seven mansae at Havant to Witgar for three lives. | |
| 2 | Monks of St Peter and St Paul, Winchester | 980 | 1284 | gift confirmed by King Ethelred | Also known as the monks of St Swithun or Winchester Priory.King Ethelred confirmed the gift to the monks in 980 and again in 984. Held the manor at Domesday for ten hides. |
| 3 | Bishop of Winchester | 1284 | 1827 | exchange with monks of St Swithun | Granted a Saturday corn market and annual St Faith fair (6 October) in 1450-1.The monks exchanged the manor with the bishop in July 1284 for certain privileges. The bishop held the manor as part of the see of Winchester, leasing it periodically. During the Commonwealth William Wolgar purchased under the bishops' lands sale act, but the bishop recovered the manor at the Restoration. |
| 4 | William Wolgar | purchase (Commonwealth bishops' lands sale) | Purchased the manor during the Commonwealth under the act for sale of bishops' lands. Obtained a lease after the bishop recovered the manor at the Restoration. | ||
| 5 | Sir George Thomas Staunton(Bt.) | 1827 | purchase (as lessee, bought the fee) | Purchased the fee from the see of Winchester in 1827 while serving as lessee. | |
| 6 | W. H. Stone | 1875 | Held the manor before selling to Sir F. W. FitzWygram in 1875. | ||
| 7 | Sir F. W. FitzWygram(Bt.) | 1875 | purchase | Purchased from W. H. Stone in 1875. | |
| 8 | Sir F. L. FitzWygram(Bt.) | inheritance | Son of Sir F. W. FitzWygram. Lord of the manor at the date of the VCH publication. |
Crown
Weekly Tuesday market for sheep and cattle, granted 1200 to the monks of St Swithun.
Source: VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 122-127; Rot. Chart. i, 78
Crown
Saturday corn market and annual fair on the feast of St Faith (6 October), granted to the Bishop of Winchester in 1450-1.
Source: VCH Hampshire Vol. 3, pp. 122-127; Pat. 27-39 Hen. VI, m. 34
Winchester Priory (St Swithun)
priory · held · 980 – 1284
Kemble, Codex Dipl. 624, 642; confirmed by King Ethelred 980 and 984
Bishop of Winchester
diocese · held · 1284 – 1827
Add. MS. 29436, fols. 49, 85; Chart. R. 12 Edw. I, m. 5
Havant and Warblington are adjacent parishes in the Bosmere area. The Cotton family held both Warblington and Bedhampton, neighbouring Havant.
The four hides held by the monks of St Swithun on Hayling were later annexed to the Havant manor liberty. Both manors were held by Winchester Priory before 1284.
Havant and Bedhampton are adjacent parishes. Both were held by Winchester Priory before the Conquest. The Cotton family held both Bedhampton and Warblington, neighbouring Havant.
Langstone was a tithing within the parish and liberty of Havant. It formed part of the manorial framework governed by the lord of Havant manor.
Brockhampton was a tithing within the liberty of Havant. The monks of St Swithun's land and mill at Brockhampton amalgamated with Havant manor.
Grant of King Athelstan to Witgar of seven mansae at Havant, 935 AD.
Confirmation by King Ethelred of the gift to the monks of St Peter and St Paul, Winchester, 980 and 984.
Monks of St Swithun held the manor at ten hides. Two mills recorded.
Exchange of manor between monks and Bishop of Winchester, July 1284.
Referenced in VCH for the purchase of the fee by Sir George Thomas Staunton in 1827.
Principal source for the parish and manor of Havant, including market grants, advowson, and charities.
