Old Hampshire Mapped

Leland's Hampshire 1635-43


introduction Extracts from the Itinerary written by John Leland, 1535-43. These notes are from Minns reading of the Itinerary, deriving from the third edition published by Thomas Hearne, 1769.
Minns, G W, Rev: (1910s?): Leland in Hampshire: ProfHFC: 6 supplement: pp43-68
Minns prefered to 'retain Leland's quaint spellings and archaic words, which are a study for the English philologist.' He incorporated Leland's marginal notes (and probably commentary by William Burton soon after Leland's death.) Minns's commentary notes are included.

Leland's journey enters Hampshire from Wiltshire near Clarendon Park, travels via Stockbridge, Winchester, Otterbourne, Southampton, Hamble, Titchfield, Gosport, Portsmouth, Southwick, Wickham, Bishops Waltham, to Winchester again.

As for typing errors - we have done our very best!

John
Leland 		John Leland was born in London about 1506, educated at St Paul's School, London, and at Christ's College, Cambridge. He seesm to have been a difficult character. After lowly posts as a tutor he was made Royal Librarian at Windsor, then 'King's Antiquary' to Henry VIII, 1533. This post never existed before or after. Leland had orders to search every college and religious house in the country for rare manuscripts for Henry VIII's library; or rather, perhaps, for evidence to enable Henry to reunite to the crown goods which churchmen held of it; this is the time of the second wave of commissioners closing down religious houses; these are the final days of the Middle Ages.

John Leland set out to write a topographical account of the country, and from 1534 to 1542 travelled all over England and Wales:-
... both by the sea coasts and the middle parts, sparing neither labour nor costs, that there is neither cape, nor bay, haven, creek or pier, river or confluence of rivers, breaches, washes, lakes, meres, fenny waters, mountains, valleys, moors, heaths,forests, woods, cities, boroughs, castels, principal manor places, monasteries and colleges, but I have seen them.
John Leland's work was never finished; he realised it never could be complete and finished. Involved in quarrels about the protestant revolution and with more successful scholars, his manuscript notes became a chaos of unnumbered pages. Leland lost his wits; nothing had been published, or even put into fair copy. The notes of his Itinerary were first sorted and published in 1710.

Bust of John Leland.
Old Hampshire Mapped