Titchfield, Hampshire

Description
Titchfield, a village and a parish in Hants. The village stands on the Titchfield river, 1 1/2 mile W of Fareham station on the L. & S.W.R., and 2 1/2 miles NNE of the river's influx to the Solent. It has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Fareham. Acreage of the civil parish, 15,784; population, 5412; of the ecclesiastical, 1554. It is an ancient place, was long a market-town, gives the title of Marquis to the Duke of Portland, and has two annual fairs. There are tanyards and a brewery. The manor belonged at Domesday to the Crown, was given by Henry III. to Peter de Eupibus, Bishop of Winchester, for the founding of a Premonstratensian Abbey, and went at the dissolution of monasteries to T. Wriothesley, afterwards created Earl of Southampton. The abbey stood to the N of the town, was richly endowed, and is commonly known as Place House. Titchfield House was built by Wriothesley out of the materials of the abbey, is described in records of the time as having been " righte statelie," gave sumptuous entertainment to Edward VI., afforded refuge after his escape from Hampton Court to Charles I., was the birthplace and the early residence of the heroic wife of Lord William Russell, and is now represented by a picturesque lofty gatehouse, and by some other remains. There are numerous good residences in the neighbourhood. The living is a vicarage, with Crofton chapelry, in the diocese of Winchester; gross value, £290 with residence. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Winchester. The church is variously Norman, Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular, and has been enlarged and restored. There are Congregational and Brethren chapels.