| BASINGSTOKE 4637 1522. Borough 1236
(BF, p. 118). 1334 Subsidy £123. Pre-conquest royal manor. Market town c.1600
(Everitt, p. 175). See also VCH Hampshire, iv, pp. 129, 133. |
|
M |
(Prescriptive: borough) recorded 1086, mercatum. The market
was worth 30s. in 1086 (Darby, p. 369). In 1203, the vill of Basingstoke
owed 2m. so that the day of the market could be changed from Sun
to Mon (PR, 5 John, p. 148). On 26 Jun 1214, the sh of Southampton
was notified that the market which was accustomed to be held at Basingstoke
would henceforth be held on Wed (RLC, i, p. 207). The previous day
of the market is not given. Market, the day of which is not given, noted
in 1234 (CRR, xv, no. 1100). Between 1267–8, it was claimed
that the A of Wherwell’s market at Wherwell, Hampshire
(q.v.) was damaging the king’s free market at Basingstoke (Abb
Plac., pp. 163, 173). Wed market continued until the twentieth century
(VCH Hampshire, iv, p. 133). |
|
F |
(Charter) Wed to Fri in Whit week (Easter dep); gr 16 May 1449, by
K Hen VI to men of Basingstoke. To be held at the chapel of the Holy Ghost,
from mid day on Wed to mid day on Fri (CChR, 1427–1516, p. 107).
Fair continued until the late eighteenth century (VCH Hampshire,
iv, p. 133). |
|
| A charter of 1622 mentions a second fair, ‘of ancient
date’, on f Michael the archangel (29 Sept). There is no further information
for this fair (VCH Hampshire, iv, p. 133). |
| CHRISTCHURCH 4158 928. Borough early
tenth century (Defence, pp. 198–9). Mint 1066–1135. 1334
Subsidy £39.75. Burh in Burghal Hidage. Borough in 1086. Also called Twineham
(Defence, pp. 198–9; Darby, p. 365). Market town c.1600
(Everitt, p. 175). See also VCH Hampshire, v, pp. 86–8; Historic
Towns in Dorset, pp. 38–44. |
|
M |
(Prescriptive: borough, mint) Mon; recorded twelfth century
(VCH Hampshire, v, pp. 88). Market mentioned in charter of William
de Redvers, earl of Devon, in 1193x1217. This charter was confirmed by K
Edw II on 27 Nov 1313. The day of the market was not given (CChR,
1300–26, pp. 229–30; GEC, iv, pp. 315–16). Market recorded
in 1620 (VCH Hampshire, v, p. 88). |
|
F |
(Prescriptive) Trinity Thurs (Easter dep); recorded twelfth century,
held by lord of the manor. Fair recorded in 1620; it continued until the
nineteenth century (VCH Hampshire, v, p. 87). |
|
F |
(Charter) vfm, Faith (6 Oct); gr 28 Dec 1257, by K Hen III to Baldwin
de Insula, son and heir of Baldwin de Insula, sometime earl of Devon. To
be held at the manor (CChR, 1257–1300, p. 2). Fair continued
until the eighteenth century (VCH Hampshire, v, p. 88). |
|
| A fair, the date of which is not given, was mentioned in a
charter of William de Redvers, earl of Devon, 1193x1217. This charter was
confirmed by K Edw II on 27 Nov 1313 (CChR, 1300–26, pp. 229–30;
GEC, iv, pp. 315–16). A fair (the date of which was not given) was
mentioned in a charter of Isabel de Forz, countess of Aumale and Devon,
in 1263x93. This charter was confirmed by K Edw II on 27 Nov 1313 (CChR,
1300–26, pp. 229–31; GEC, iv, pp. 315–16). |
| NEWTOWN, ISLE OF WIGHT 4422 907.
Borough 1254–5 (BF, p. 119). The borough of Newtown was established
by Aymer, bp-elect of Winchester in 1254–5, when it was described as
‘new’ in the bp’s account roll. Newtown was created within
the bp’s manor of Calbourne (also called Swainston after the site of
the episcopal manor house built c.1180) and was also known as Swainston
borough or as Francheville (‘free town’). Newtown was situated
where the Caul Bourne and other small watercourses entered an inlet of the
Solent. In 1256, Bp Aymer issued a charter granting the burgesses of Newtown
the same liberties as the bp’s burgesses of Taunton, Somerset; Alresford,
Hampshire; Witney, Oxfordshire and Farnham, Surrey. Newtown was a successful
port. It was surrendered by the bp of Winchester to K Edw I in 1284. The
following year, the king confirmed the burgesses’ privileges. Newtown
went into decline following French raids in the late fourteenth century
and as a result of competition from Yarmouth and Southampton, Hampshire (q.v.). In 1674, only eleven houses
were recorded at Newtown (M. Beresford, ‘The six new towns of the bishop
of Winchester, 1200–55’, Medieval Archaeology, 3 (1959),
pp. 202–13; VCH Hampshire, v, pp. 265, 267). It is possible
that the creation of the borough of Newtown was a second attempt by a bp
of Winchester to establish an urban centre in the area. On 19 Jul 1215,
the sh of Hampshire was instructed that K John had granted P[eter des Roches]
bp of Winchester, a Wed market in his manor of ‘Scauburn’. The
sh was ordered to cause the bp to have the market, according to the form
of the letters patent (RLC, i, p. 221). These letters patent have
not been found during the compilation of the Gazetteer. The location of
‘Scauburn’ is not known. However, it seems likely that it had
the same origin as the Caul Bourne, discussed above (see S.F. Hockey, Quarr
Abbey and its Lands, 1132–1631 (Leicester, 1970), pp. 40–2;
S.F. Hockey, The Charters of Quarr Abbey (Isle of Wight County Record
Office, 1991); A.D. Mills, The Place-Names of the Isle of Wight (Stamford,
1996), p. 93). Nothing further is known of the market at ‘Scauburn’.
It is not mentioned by either Beresford or VCH. The market may not
have been set up, or perhaps failed to thrive. |
|
M |
(Charter) Wed; gr 3 Mar 1318, by K Edw II to Edward, earl
of Chester, the king’s son. To be held at the manor (CChR, 1300–26,
p. 377). The market had ceased to exist before 1559 (VCH Hampshire,
v, p. 267). |
|
F |
(Charter) vfm, Mary Magdalen (22 Jul); gr 3 Mar 1318, by
K Edw II to Edward, earl of Chester, the king’s son. To be held at
the manor (CChR, 1300–26, p. 377). The fair continued into the
eighteenth century, but had ceased to exist by 1835 (VCH Hampshire,
v, p. 267). |
| ODIHAM 4740 1509. Borough
1219 (Bk of Fees, p. 259) or
possibly by 1204. 1334 Subsidy £41.33. Royal residence from early
twelfth century (H.M. Colvin ed., The History of the King’s Works,
ii, The Middle Ages (London, 1963), pp. 766–8). Market town
c.1600 (Everitt, p. 175). See VCH
Hampshire, iv, p. 92; S. Millard and E. Roberts, ‘Odiham
fairs, market and market buildings’, Hampshire Field Club and
Archaeological Society Newsletter 43 (Spring 2005), pp. 19–21. |
|
M |
(Prescriptive: borough). The market place was
mentioned in 1345 and the market continued to c.1930 (Millard and
Roberts, ‘Odiham’). |
|
F |
(Grant: other) feria recorded 1202, held by John fitz Hugh,
who owed two palfreys and twelve hounds for having a certain three day fair
at Odiham (PR, 4 John, p. 8). |
|
F |
(Prescriptive) f, Margaret (20 Jul); recorded 1399x1413 (VCH Hampshire,
iv, p. 92). During the reign of K Hen IV, a fair on Margaret’s day
was held at the manor. |
|
F |
(Prescriptive) f, day of Our Lady (25 March); recorded 1399x1413.
During the reign of K Hen IV, a fair on the ‘Day of Our Lady’
was held at the manor. A fair on the Annunciation (25 Mar) was recorded
in 1431 (VCH Hampshire, iv, p. 92). |
|
| One or more of the fairs was still held in 1736–7
(Millard and Roberts, ‘Odiham’). |
| PETERSFIELD 4748 1232. Borough 1183x97 (BF, p. 119). 1334
Subsidy £25.50. Manor was part of the honor of Gloucester and was held by
the Clare family until the early fourteenth century, when it passed to the
Staffords. It remained with the family until 1521. Market town c.1600
(Everitt, p. 175). Fair 1587, 29 Jun; 30 Nov (Harrison, pp. 394, 396). See
also VCH Hampshire, iii, pp. 113, 116. |
|
M |
(Prescriptive: borough) recorded 1232, mercatum, held
by R[ichard] earl of Cornwall and Isabel, countess of Gloucester, his wife.
In 1232, it was alleged that the market was being damaged by that at Chalton,
Hampshire (q.v) (CRR, xiiii, nos. 2022, 2404). A Sat market
at Petersfield was noted on 14 Jul 1392, amongst the property of the recently
deceased Thomas, earl of Stafford (CIPM, xvii, no. 211). Market was
granted in dower to Anne, who was the wife of Thomas, late earl of Stafford,
on 8 Feb 1393; the day of the market was not noted (CCR, 1392–96,
p. 39). A Sat market was noted on 11 Oct 1403, amongst the property of the
recently deceased Edmund, earl of Stafford (CIPM, xviii, no. 807).
Sat market continued until the nineteenth century (VCH Hampshire,
iii, p. 116). |
|
F |
(Charter) vfm, Peter and Paul (29 Jun); gr 16 Sept 1255,
by K Hen III to William de Clare. To be held at the manor (CChR,
1226–57, p. 449). A fair on f Peter (presumably, Peter and Paul, i.e.
29 Jun) at Petersfield was noted on 14 Jul 1392, amongst the property of
the recently deceased Thomas, earl of Stafford (CIPM, xvii, no. 211).
This was presumably one of the two fairs granted in dower to Anne, who was
the wife of Thomas, late earl of Stafford, on 8 Feb 1393 (CCR, 1392–96,
p. 39). A fair on f Peter (presumably, Peter and Paul, i.e. 29 Jun) was
noted on 11 Oct 1403, amongst the property of the recently deceased Edmund,
earl of Stafford (CIPM, xviii, no. 807). Fair continued until 1902
(VCH Hampshire, iii, p. 116). |
|
F |
(Charter) vfm, Andrew (30 Nov); gr 16 Sept 1255, by K Hen
III to William de Clare. To be held at the manor (CChR, 1226–57,
p. 449). A fair on f Andrew at Petersfield was noted on 14 Jul 1392, amongst
the property of the recently deceased Thomas, earl of Stafford (CIPM,
xvii, no. 211). This was presumably one of the two fairs granted in dower
to Anne, who was the wife of Thomas, late earl of Stafford, on 8 Feb 1393
(CCR, 1392–96, p. 39). A fair on f Andrew (30 Nov) at Petersfield
was noted on 11 Oct 1403, amongst the property of the recently deceased
Edmund, earl of Stafford (CIPM, xviii, no. 807). |
|
| On 11 Oct 1403, the annual value of the Sat market and the two fairs
at the f of Peter and Andrew was £6. 10s. (CIPM, xviii, no.
807). |
| PORTSMOUTH 4648 993. Borough 1106
(BF, p. 120). 1334 Subsidy £126.08. This new town replaced the earlier port
and settlement of Portchester, Hampshire (q.v.)
(Beresford, pp. 448–9). Market town c.1600 (Everitt, p. 175).
See also VCH Hampshire, iii, pp. 176–182. |
|
M |
(Grant: other) Thurs; gr 2 May 1194, by K Ric I to burgesses of Portsmouth
(T. Rymer ed., Foedera, Conventiones, Litterae et cujuscunque generis
Acta Publica, new edn, i, pt i, ed. A. Clark and F. Holbrooke (Record
Commission, 1816), p. 63); conf 23 Oct 1200 by K John to burgesses of Portsmouth
(RCh, p. 77). Confirmed by K Hen III on 18 Nov 1229 (CChR,
1226–57, p. 106). The charters were confirmed several times in the
fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. Market continued into the twentieth century
(VCH Hampshire, iii, pp. 176, 183). |
|
M |
(Prescriptive: borough) Sun; recorded 12 Dec 1228, mercatum
(CR, 1227–31, p. 136). K Hen III granted that the market which
was accustomed to be held on Sun would henceforth be held on Mon, at the
cross towards Portsdown. Mandate to the sh of Southampton. |
|
F |
(Grant: other) f+14, Peter ad Vincula (1 Aug); gr 2 May 1194, by
K Ric I to burgesses of Portsmouth (T. Rymer ed., Foedera, Conventiones,
Litterae et cujuscunque generis Acta Publica, new edn, i, pt i, ed.
A. Clark and F. Holbrooke (Record Commission, 1816), p. 63); conf 23 Oct
1200 by K John to burgesses of Portsmouth (RCh, p. 77). Confirmed
by K Hen III on 18 Nov 1229 (CChR, 1226–57, p. 106; PR,
14 Hen III, p. 196). The charters were confirmed several times in the fourteenth
to sixteenth centuries. Fair continued until the seventeenth century (VCH
Hampshire, iii, pp. 176, 182). |
| ROMSEY 4351 1212. Borough 1236 (BF,
p. 120). 1334 Subsidy £120.25. Market town c.1600 (Everitt, p. 175).
See also VCH Hampshire, iv, p. 452. |
|
M |
(Grant: other) Sun; gr 1100x06, by K Hen I to St Mary of Romsey [Romsey
abbey] and Qu Matilda, his wife (Regesta, ii, no. 802; CChR,
1257–1300, p. 102). Granted to the ch of St Mary of Romsey by K Hen
II. Market confirmed to the ch of St Mary at Romsey by K Hen III on 10 Jul
1268 (CChR 1257–1300, pp. 102, 104). Market recorded in 1544
(VCH Hampshire, iv, p. 452). |
|
F |
(Grant: other) Ethelfleda (23 Oct); gr 1100x06 , by K Hen I to St
Mary of Romsey [Romsey abbey] and Qu Matilda, his wife. To be held on the
feast of Ethelfleda, to last for four days and this shall be on the 15th
day after the feast of Denis (9 Oct) (Regesta, ii, no. 802; CChR,
1257–1300, p. 102). Granted to the ch of the blessed Mary of Romsey
by K Hen II. Fair confirmed to ch of blessed Mary at Romsey by K Hen III
on 10 Jul 1268 (CChR, 1257–1300, p. 104). |
|
F |
(Charter) f+3, Philip and James (1 May); gr 3 Feb 1272, by K Hen
III to As and C of Romsey (CChR, 1257–1300, p. 179); conf 14
Jun 1309 by K Edw II to As and N of Romsey (CChR, 1300–26, p.
128). To be held at the manor. |
|
Fairs, the days of which were not given, were recorded in 1544,
but had apparently ceased to be held by 1891 (VCH Hampshire, iv,
p. 452). |
| WINCHESTER 4480 1295. Borough early
tenth century. Mint before 924–1154. 1334 Subsidy £515.17. Roman city.
Seat of the West Saxon bishopric from about 660. Anglo-Saxon burh noted
in Burghal Hidage. Borough and civitas in Domesday Book (Defence,
p. 225; Darby, p. 365). Market town c.1600 (Everitt, p. 175). Fair
1587, 22 Jul (Harrison, p. 394). See also VCH Hampshire, v, pp. 36–40. |
|
M |
(Prescriptive: borough, mint) recorded c.900 (F. Barlow,
M. Biddle, O von Feilitzen, D.J. Keene, Winchester in the Early Middle
Ages: an edition and discussion of the Winton Domesday (Oxford, 1976),
pp. 41, 285). The streets and other open spaces of Winchester accommodated
a complex and continuously changing system of markets. The medieval street
system was probably laid out in the late ninth century. High Street, the
principal trading street was known c.900 as ‘market street’.
Between 1066 and c.1110, a market was established on what had been
a private site in High Street, probably by throwing the land open to the
street. There were also market areas just inside and just outside some of
the city gates. From the twelfth century a large market area was established
to the south of High Street in the cathedral cemetery, on parts of the sites
of the former royal palace and New Minster. In 1349, following the pressure
on burial space during the Black Death, this trading area was much reduced
and a wall was constructed to divide the cemetery from the market place.
On 15 Jul 1449, the mayor bailiffs and citizens of Winchester were holding
markets on Fri and Sun, which were said to have been held within the city
from time immemorial. They wanted to abandon the Fri and Sun markets and
were granted a Sat market in lieu (CChR, 1424–1516, p. 113).
In the fourteenth century and earlier, markets had probably been held more
often, perhaps on the days the city court met (Mon, Wed and Fri c.1300)
as well as others (J.S. Furley, City Government of Winchester (Oxford,
1923), p. 134). After the creation of the bp’s soke during the thirteenth
century, there were probably lesser local markets in those parts of the
suburbs which were under the bp’s control, but little is known of them
(D. Keene, Survey of Medieval Winchester (Oxford, 1985), ii, pp.
70–5). |
|
F |
(Charter) vfm, Giles (1 Sept); gr 1096, by K Wil II to St Peter the
Old Minster, Walchelin the bp and the M (Regesta, i, no. 377; CChR,
1300–26, p. 351). To be held at the ch of Giles on the eastern hill
of Winchester, with all the customs which the king would have if the fair
were his own. The fair quickly became one of the major international fairs
of England and the only one in the first rank south of the Thames. It suffered
a sharp loss of business in the late thirteenth century and was insignificant
after 1400. In 1110, K Hen I extended the length of St Giles’ fair
by 5 days, giving an eight day fair (Regesta, ii, nos. 947, 949).
This charter was inspected and confirmed by K Edw II on 10 Jun 1317 (CChR,
1300–26, p. 346). In 1114, K Hen I reiterated this grant (Regesta,
ii, no. 1070). In 1234–5, the citizens of Winchester complained about
the disturbance caused by the sixteen day fair held by the bp of Winchester
on St Giles’s hill (CRR, xv, no. 1033). On 4 Jul 1317, K Edw
II inspected and confirmed this charter (CChR, 1300–26, p. 351).
In 1136, K Steph extended the fair from 8 days to 14 days (Regesta,
iii, no. 952). On 4 Jul 1317, K Edw II inspected and confirmed this charter
(CChR, 1300–26, p. 352). In Mar 1155, K Hen II, ignoring K Steph’s
grant, doubled the number of days from 8 to 16, in a grant confirmed by
K Ric I on 8 Sept 1198. On 4 Jul 1317, K Edw II inspected and confirmed
K Ric I’s charter (CChR, 1300–26, p. 356). On 26 Dec 1199,
K John confirmed the extension of the fair from 8 days to 16 days (RCh,
p. 32). On 6 Sept 1212, K John extended the fair by a further 8 days to
24, but up to 1317, the bp’s rights seem usually to have covered no
more than the first 16 days (RLC, i, p. 123b). Fair of St Giles mentioned
in 1172, 1189, 1197, 1200, 1204, 1207, 1208, 1220, 1223, 1224, 1239, 1254
(PR, 18 Hen II, pp. 84–6; PR, 1 Ric I, p. 5; PR,
9 Ric I, p. 128; PR, 10 John, p. 171; RCh, p. 77; CRR,
iii, p. 166; RLC, i, pp. 91b, 104, 429, 562, 619b; CRR, xvi,
no. 738; CChR, 1226–57, p. 445). During the thirteenth century
temporary extensions were often granted, usually in response to special
commercial and political conditions (D. Keene, Survey of Medieval Winchester
(Oxford, 1985), ii, p. 1114). In Aug 1259, the custodian of Winchester was
ordered to make sure that after the Winchester fair held at St Giles Hill
ended, trading should continue in the city of Winchester (CR, 1256–9,
p. 430). On 13 Sept 1260, the custodian of Winchester was ordered to proclaim
this again (CR, 1259–61, p. 114). On 7 Sept 1261, K Hen III
repeated this mandate. He also ordered that by his special grace merchants
were allowed to sell their wares in the city of Winchester from the Sun
after the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 Sept) (CR,
1259–61, pp. 436–7). In the late thirteenth century it appears
to have been normal practice for merchants to descend on the city on 15
Sept, where the fair continued to the end of the month (D. Keene, Survey
of Medieval Winchester (Oxford, 1985), ii, p. 1114). On 5 Jun 1284,
K Edw I quitclaimed to John, bp of Winchester, all of his right in the fair
of St Giles (CChR, 1257–1300, p. 274). On 20 Jul 1317, K Edw
II extended the fair by 8 days, from vf+14 to vf+22 (CChR, 1300–26,
p. 359). |
|
F |
(Prescriptive) f, Barnabas (11 Jun); recorded 1285 (F. Barlow, M.
Biddle, O von Feilitzen, D.J. Keene, Winchester in the Early Middle Ages:
an edition and discussion of the Winton Domesday (Oxford, 1976) p. 518).
In the late thirteenth century the fair on f Barnabas (11 Jun), was held
in Winchester, perhaps near Hyde Abbey. |
|
F |
(Prescriptive) Swithan (15 Jul); recorded 1285 (F. Barlow, M. Biddle,
O von Feilitzen, D.J. Keene, Winchester in the Early Middle Ages: an
edition and discussion of the Winton Domesday (Oxford, 1976) p. 518).
This may be one of the fairs which in 1349, the citizens were said to have
held in the cathedral cemetery (D. Keene, Survey of Medieval Winchester
(Oxford, 1985), ii, p. 549). It was probably renewed on 15 Jul 1449, by
the gr of K Hen VI to the mayor bailiffs and citizens of a fair on vf+8
Swithan (15 Jul), to be held in the city and granted in lieu of markets
on Fri and Sun (CChR, 1427–1516, pp. 113–14). The renewal
was probably associated with the reconstruction of the shrine of St Swithan
in the cathedral (D. Keene, Survey of Medieval Winchester (Oxford,
1985), ii, p. 1123; J. Crook, ed., Winchester Cathedral Nine Hundred
Years, 1092–1993 (Chichester, 1993), p. 64). |
|
F |
(Prescriptive) Nicholas (6 Dec); recorded 13 Jun 1337, when Alexander,
P of Winchester, granted a corrody of bread for life to Nicholas de Hanytone,
for the duration of the fair of Nicholas (A. Goodman ed., Cartulary of
Winchester Cathedral (Winchester, 1927), no. 284). |
|
F |
(Prescriptive) probably held on f Mary Magdalen (22 Jul);
recorded by 1444, held by the Cathedral Priory on Magdalen Hill Down, to
the east of the site of St Giles fair and close to the leper hospital dedicated
to Mary Magdalen. It prospered in the seventeenth century (D. Keene,
Survey of Medieval Winchester (Oxford, 1985), ii, p. 1123). |
|
| In 1518 the citizens were licensed to hold two additional fairs,
one on the Mon and Tues in the first week of Lent (Easter dep), the other
on fm Edw Confessor (13 Oct) (VCH Hampshire, v. p. 40). |