Old Hampshire Mapped

Norden's Hampshire

hamshire

HAMSHIRE, OF THE SAXons hanteschyr of our Lawiers Com~ Sowtht. It hath not appeared whence this Shire shoulde take name. yet is ther probable coniecture, that it shoulde take name of some place within the same; as Buckingham-shire of Buckingham towne. Bedforde, Hertforde, Leicester, and others do give name to the Shire wherin they are. So, noe doubte, dothe Hant-shire take name, not of Hampton, but of Hant or Havant an auncient market town, scituate on the sea, and therof moste like to have it denomination Hantshire, the u consonant being drowned in pronuntiation. Yet some will have it of S. Hampton.

This Shire was parcell of that countrie where Ptollomey placeth the Belgae.

It appeareth that this shire hath bene well repleat wt woodes, thowgh now even the same, be wrowght to be goodlie sheepe pastures, and that especiallie upon the Loftie downes, which are universalie dispersed throwgh the whole Shire.
And it semeth that noe place wtin the same, of anie greate circuite is free from hills; nor not 2 parishes together. Yet, the hills, thus extraordinarelie mounting themselves on all sides, afforde in manie places, ye in everie p~ish some pleasing valley, which yeldeth the husbandman, not onlie his com~endable desire in tilling the earth, but also a riche requitall for his industrious toyle

And the sweete rivers so enterlace themselves betwene theis loftie hills, as that they yeldeth frutefull meadows, and deepe feedings for all sortes of cattle requisit. In so much as this Shire semeth to aunswer in three qualleties anie other for health, wealthe and pleasure. Which laste is amplified by the maine parkes, chaces warrens and forrestes: all which yelde there varietie of princelie delightes. as also apte coursing and hunting the hare, the multitude of pheasantes in the groves and woodes, the number of partriches, in the frutefull valleys wt other acceptable game for the skilfull fawkener in the pleasing streames.

To which may be added a fowrth benefite wherin also it matcheth anie shire, namelie the good neighborhood of the sea; and the manie and apte harbors havens and creekes all which, well used, can not but tende to the universall good. sed multa cavenda, de quibus alibi dicere in desiderio est.

Ther are within the shire theis forestes. The New Forreste. Buckholte. Chute, West-Beare. East Beare, Woolmer, Holte called Alice holte. & parte of Stansted forrestes.

It is well replenished with market townes, namelie theis.
     Andover
     Alton
     Alresforde
     Basingstoke
     Christchurch
     Fareham
     Havant
     Sowth Hampton
     Kinges-clere
     Limington
     Overton
     Odyam
     Petersfeilde
     Ringwood
     Rumsey
     Stoke-bridge for shepe
     Winchester
     Waltham

It is devided into theis Hundreds
     Crundall
     Odyam
     Alton
     Sutton
     Selbourne
     E. Meane wherof parcell is in Sussex
     Barton Stacie
     Finche-deane
     Bosmere
     Portes-downe
     Fareham
     Alverstoke and Gosporte
     Tytchfeilde
     Mansbridge
     Waltham
     Meanstoke
     Hambledon
     Fawley
     Buddlesgate
     Kinges-Sombourne
     Redbridge
     Andover infra
     Andover extra
     Horwell
     Evinger
     Pastroe
     Thorne-gate
     Kingesclere
     Overton
     Micheldevor
     Buntesboro
     Maynsboro
     Barmanspitt
     Basingstoke extra
     Chuteley
     Holdeshott
     New-forrest
     Christchurche
     Ringwood
     Fordingbridge

Townes finding burgesses to the parliament in Hamshire. Besides decayde Whytechurch & Overton.
     Winchester
     Sowthampton
     Portes-mouth
     Peters-feylde
     Stoke-bridge
     Christ-churche

As towchinge ecclesiasticall Jurisdictions it is under the Sea of Winchester and hath theis Deanries.
     Winchester Der
     Andover Der
     Alton Der
     Basingstoke Der
     Somborne Der
     Alresforde Der
     Fordingbridge Der
     Sowthampton Der
     Drokinsforde Der
     Insula Vecta Der