Eastmeon
East Meon, Eastmeoncounty:
coords:
Hampshire
SU6822
otherwise: meone, 873-888; Menes, 1086; Mienes, 1158; Estmunes, 1270
EAST MEON
The name comes from the river name, qv East and West Meon start being referred to separately in the later 13th century, but East Meon is once (1203) 'Kingesmeon'. The persistent final 's' may be due to the unexplained Norman French peculiarity noted by Zachrisson (1924), or may be a plural form due to the existence of the two villages, for which cf 'Harting' in Place Names of Sussex.
The place is described in text Cobbett 1830
... the danger of breaking my neck at Hawkley and of getting buried in the bogs of Woolmer Forest. My route was through East-Meon, Froxfield, Hawkley, Greatham, and then over Woolmer Forest, (a heath if you please) to Headley.
...
Off we set over the downs (crossing the bottom sweep of Old Winchester Hill) from West End to East-Meon. We came down a long and steep hill that led us winding round into the village, which lies in the valley that runs in a direction nearly east and west, and that has a rivulet that comes out the hills towards Petersfield. ...
I am sure that East Meon has been a large place. The church has a Saxon Tower pretty nearly equal, as far as I recollect, to that of the Cathedral of Winchester. The rest of the church has been rebuilt, and, perhaps, several times; but the tower is complete; it has had a steeple put upon it; but, it retains all its beauty, and it shows that the church (which is still large) must, at first, have been a very large building. Let those, who talk so glibly of the increase of the population in England, go over the country from Highclere to Hambledon. Let them look at the size of the churches and let them observe those numerous small inclosures on every side of every village, which had, to a certainty, each its house in former times. But, let them go to East-Meon, and account for that church. Where did the hands come from to make it? Look, however, at the downs, the many square miles of downs near this village, all bearing the marks of the plough, and all out of tillage for many many years; yet, not one single inch of them but what is vastly superior in quality to any of those great 'improvements' on the miserable heaths of Hounslow, Bagshot, and Windsor Forest. ...
...
... to EASTON, a village about six miles from Alresford down by the side of the Hichen River. ...
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- settlement, village - East Mean Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- settlement, village - Eastmeane Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
Shown on an old map by Blaeu 1645
- settlement, village - Eastmeane Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Speed 1611
- settlement, village - Eastmeane Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Norden 1607
- settlement, village - East Meane Hundred - Hamshire
Period - 1590s-1600s
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- settlement, village - Southamtoniae
The place is described in text Leland 1535-43
... Tichefeld Water.
This ryver risith about Estmayne a x. miles by north est from Tichefeld. It cummith from Estmaine to Wikeham or Wicombe ...
- Mene Hundred - Hantescire
Period - 11th century
TERRA WINTONIENS. EP~I ... Ipse eps. ten. MENE vi hid~ et una~ v. cu~ aeccla ...
Listed in Domesday Book
- Mene Hundred - Hantescire
Period - 11th century
TERRA REGIS ... Ipse Rex ten. MENES . Stigand tenuit ...
Listed in Domesday Book
- Mene Hundred - Hantscire
Period - 11th century
