Kingsclere is a large village and civil parish in Hampshire, England.
At the centre of the village is the Church of England parish church of St. Mary.
Geography Kingsclere is approximately equidistant from the towns of Basingstoke and Newbury on the A339 road.
History
Kingsclere can trace back its history to a place identified as belonging to King Alfred in his will between 872 and 888, the 'clere' possibly meaning 'bright' or 'clearing'. Kingsclere formed part of the ancient demesne of the Crown. In his will King Alfred left Kingsclere for life to his second daughter, Ethelgiva, Abbess of Shaftesbury,Walter de Gray Birch, Cartularium saxonicum: a collection of charters relating to Anglo-Saxon history 1883-1893: ii, 178, 182. and there are other mentions of it in Saxon charters. In 931 King Athelstan at a Witenagemot at Colchester granted 10 hides of land at Clere to Abbot Aelfric,Birch, Cart. Sax. ii, 357–9. and in 943 King Edmund bestowed 15 hides of land at Clere on the 'religious woman Aelfswith'.Birch, Cart. Sax. ii, 530–3. While sixteen years later King Edgar gave his thegn Aelfwine 10 hides of land at West Clere.Birch, Cart. Sax. iii, 268–9.
Local legend asserts that King John was troubled by a bedbug during a night in a Kingsclere inn, when prevented by fog from reaching his lodge at Freemantle Park on Cottington's hill. He ordained that the church should erect and evermore maintain upon its tower a representation of the creature that had disturbed his sleep. It is recorded that King John stayed at Freemantle Park on 8 and 9 September 1204Walter Money, Newbury, 1887, page 129.
The 'Kingsclere Massacre' On 5 October 1944, 10 American soldiers belonging to a US Army engineering support group based at Sydmonton Court nearby, broke bounds to visit The Swan public house, but were ordered back by two members of military police (MP). On their return to base, the soldiers broke into the armoury, then returned to the village and laid siege to The Crown public house, where the two MPs were drinking. Both MPs were killed, as was the pub landlady.Anon. (2011) The hidden tragedy of the Kingsclere pub massacre. The Reading Chronicle 11 November 2011.
Fairs In 1218, the king ordered that the market which had been held in Kingsclere on Sundays should in the future be held on Saturdays.Close, 2 Henry III, m. 2 Warner, writing in the 18th century, mentions a well-frequented market on Tuesdays, and fairs the first Tuesday in April and the first Tuesday after 10 October.Warner's History of Hampshire, 1795 In 1848 the market was still held on Tuesdays, but had fallen very much into disuse, only a few farmers meeting at the Swan Inn with samples,Post Office Directory of Hants (1848) and it probably ceased altogether about 1850. The fairs continued () to be held—on Whit Tuesday for pleasure on Ashford Hill and the Tuesday after Old Michaelmas Day for hiring servants and pleasure in the market place.Victoria County History, A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 4, William Page, ed. 1911.
Inns The former Falcon Inn, in Swan street, one of the oldest in Hampshire, is especially interesting as being at one time in the possession of William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, who in 1510 gave it to Winchester College upon trust for the maintenance and support of the scholars upon its foundation. The original 'Crowne' Inn is mentioned in the parish register in 1611 and the 'Golden Faucon' in 1628. The modern Crown Inn was built in 1853 and the Swan Inn dates back to well before 1848. Its sign proclaims it a 15th C. Rooming Inn.Hants N. and Q., v, 103–4, and Ex inform, the Rev. A. T. Finch, via VCH, Hants, 1911, ibid
In popular culture The nearby Watership Down is the setting for the 1972 novel of the same name by Richard Adams.
Watership Down was also the site of the 1982 World Field Archery Championship put on by the Overton Black Arrows archery club from the nearby village of Overton.
The actress Lavinia Fenton, most famous for her role as the first Polly Peachum in John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, was lover and then wife of Charles Powlett, 3rd Duke of Bolton of the parish. Their eldest son, Rev. Charles Powlett, was briefly vicar of Kingsclere.
People from and associated with Kingsclere
Edith of Wessex ( – 18 December 1075) Queen Edith, widow of Edward the Confessor. Rosamund Clifford, the fair Rosamund, (before 1150 – ), a royal mistress, stayed at the royal residence at Tidgrove, on the southern side of the parish.By 1241 one eighth of Tidgrove had passed into the possession of the Augustinian Priory of Sandleford in Berkshire. John de Lancelevy, lord of the manor of Hannington.Essays in the early history of Kingsclere, by Rev. Robert R. Legg, Whitchurch, 2002. Peter Fitz Herbert, lord of the manors of North Oakley and Wolverton, held the church after Hyde Abbey.De Banc. R. 348, m. 370 d., via VCH, 1911 Ranulf de Broc (sometimes Rannulf de Broc; died around 1179), and his son-in-law Stephen of Thornham (died ), possessors of the manor of Frobury (Frollebury).A grant of money (muniments of St George's Chapel, Windsor: SGC XV.54.5), dated between 1217-1223, Frobury, Hampshire. Grant by Edelina de Broch, widow, to the Canons of the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Sandleford of 40s. and 8d. from her inheritance in Frollebire [Frobury] for the maintenance of a Canon Chantry Priest, for the souls of herself, her father, Randulf de Broch, and Dametta, her mother, and Stephen de Turneham, her husband. Such money to be received from Henry de Wudecote, Walter de Clera, Hugh de Swantun, Joceus de Brikeull, William Furmentin of Spenes, Symon Cath, Wulfric de Marisco, Nicholas de Wullavintun, John Trull. Witnesses: Peter [de Rupibus], Bishop of Winchester, William Prior of Syreburn [Sherbourne], Dan Roger de Leburna, William de Stanes and William de Sorewull, Sheriff of the County of Southampton, Henry de Wudecott, Henry de Fernlehd, Thomas Croc, Roger Lanceleue, John de Hamtun, John de Wultun, Walter de Clera, William de Edmundesdrop, William Toli seneschel of the donor, Master Wlater de Syreburne, Robert Fitzbernard of Hamtun, Richard, Clerk of Clera, Henry Blakemy, Wlater Clerk of the donor, Hugh de Swantun, Master Walter, Joceus de Brikeull, Bartholomew Crok, Richard Fitzruald, John his brother, Thomas the clerk. Walter de Coutances, Walter of Rouen (died 1207), Anglo-Norman bishop of Lincoln and archbishop of Rouen. King John (died 1216).The Story of the Parish Church at Clere, by A.T. Finch, M.A. (Vicar), 1905.VCH, 1911 Richard of Cornwall, encaustic tiles bearing his symbols used to be in the chancel aisle. William Melton (died 1340), 43rd Archbishop of York (1317–1340), held the manor of Kingsclere. Sir William Melton (died 1362), the nephew, obtained a grant of free warren in his demesne lands of Kingsclere in 1346,Chart. R. 20 Edw. III, m. 4. and was succeeded by his son, Sir William de Melton (MP for Yorkshire) who died in 1399.Vide Harl. Soc. Publ. xvi, 203.The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, edited by J. S. Roskell, L. Clark, and C. Rawcliffe, 1993 William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury, to whom the advowson was sold for 500 marks by Edward III in 1336.Chart. R. 10 Edw. III, m. 3; Abbrev. Rot. Orig. (Rec. Com.), ii, 111 (via VCH, 1911). He then passed it onto the monastery of Bisham.Close, 11 Edw. III, pt. ii, m. 13d.; Pat. 11 Edw. III, pt. i, m. 4. (via VCH, 1911). Pope Clement VI (1291–1352), (Pope 1342–1352), previously Peter, archbishop of Rouen 1331–1338, a.k.a. Peter III Roger de Beaufort. Although he never visited Kingsclere, he did own it as Bishop of Rouen. William of Wykeham, (died 1404), bishop and local magnate (Burghclere, Highclere and Earlstone). William Fauconer (died 1412), JP (Hants, 1407–1412), MP for Hampshire, 1407 and 1411, buried in St. Mary's.Bishop Wykeham's bailiff of Sutton, Alresford and Cheriton, Hants 18 April 1401-c.1405; Bishop Beaufort's bailiff of Highclere, c. Michaelmas 1405–1412.L.S. Woodger in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386–1421, edited by J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe, 1993. Anne of Cleves, rectory and the advowson of the vicarage of Kingsclere fell again into the hands of the king, who in 1541 granted them to Anne of Cleves.L. and P. Hen. VIII, xvi, 717. She presented to the vicarage in 1543 (Egerton MS. 2034, fol. 166 d.). On her death in 1557 they reverted to William, Marquess of Winchester. Sir George Darcy, 1544 sold the manor to Sir William Paulet, Lord St. John. Ingram Frizer, murderer of Christopher Marlowe. Born in Kingsclere 1561, died 1627. Mary Johnson, a Negro, buried Kingsclere, 18 May 1713.Burials at St. Mary's Parish Church, Kingsclere, Hants 1680 to 1880, Extracted by Barrie Brinkman 2010 - 11 (v2.0)Possibly connected to Anthony Johnson (colonist). Various Dukes of Wellington owned some of Kingsclere and Wolverton.Capt. A. S. Wills, Middleton House, Longparish, purchased 60 acres of land at Kingsclere belonging to the Duke of Wellington's Parliamentary estates, 1940–1946, (Museum of English Rural Life: Wellington/1298). The great Duke of Wellington,(1769–1852),Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS. gave £300 towards the 1848 remodeling of the church.The story of the parish church at Clere, by Arthur Thomas Finch (died 1920), MA, Winchester & London, 1905. Sir James Lancaster VI (-1618) was an Elizabethan trader, privateer and philanthropist. Endowed Kingsclere £30 per annum.See monumental inscription on wood in the church of St Mary. Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington ( – 1652), possessor of Freemantle from 1631.'A History of the County of Hampshire', Volume four, edited by William Page, VCH, London, 1911. Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (1661–1720), Anne Kingsmill, a.k.a. Lady Finch, gave a pulpit cushion. William Mount (1753–1815) of Wasing Place and others conveyed North Oakley manor to Oliver Cromwell of Cheshunt Park, Hertfordshire, the last direct male descendant of Henry Cromwell, the Protector's fourth son, in 1787. Sir Wyndham Spencer Portal, 1st Bt., (1822–1905), of Laverstoke, local philanthropist who paid for some of church's 1848 re-fit. A younger brother of Melville Portal.common knowledge Colonel Gervase Francis Newport Tinley, CB (1909), CMG. (Grahamstown, 1857 – Marseille, 18 February 1918).see WWI memorials Sir Rowland Arthur Charles Sperling, KCMG, CB (1874–1965), was a British diplomat. HM Minister at Berne; Sofia, and then Finland.see tomb in Kingsclere graveyard & Kelly's handbook. Colonel the Hon. George Hysteron-Proteron, CB (–1942). Fictional character created by J. K. Stanford.see obituary of Stanford in MSM Lt. Col. John Keith Stanford OBE MC (1892–1971), Stanton's farm.Isle of Wight County Press, Saturday 17 June 1939, page 5. Soldier, civil servant, writer and part owner of Stanford's Ltd, cartographer. James Stanford, OBE, director general of the Leonard Cheshire Foundation, and organiser of the Liberty and Livelihood Countryside March, 2002. Grew up at Stanton's farm.Daily Telegraph, 30 December 2016. Martin Evans (1904–1998), cricketer and Royal Navy sailor Ronald Alfred Goodwin, (1925–2003), composer, buried in St Paul's, Kingsclere Woodlands; David Wynne (1926 – 2014), OBE, sculptor, parents buried in St Paul's, Kingsclere Woodlands, and sculpture in the church; David Howell, Lord Howell of Guildford, opened the Kingsclere bypass on 13 September 1982.Kingsclere A Social history, by Margaret Ingham, Kingsclere, 2008, page 53. Rev. David Shearlock, vicar of Kingsclere, 1964–1971; Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lord Lloyd-Webber lives at Sydmonton Court, near Kingsclere. Tom Croft England International Rugby Player grew up in Kingsclere. Ralph Dellor, (1948 – 2017), cricket journalist.see MSM obituary Kit Malthouse, sitting MP for North-West Hampshire, which includes Kingsclere.