NORTH BADDESLEY, a small scattered village, chiefly of small thatched houses, on an open heath, three miles E by S of Romsey, and two miles W of Chandlersford Station, has in its parish 305 souls, and 2570 acres of land. About 1000 acres are cultivated, 580 woods and plantations, and 790 open heaths and commons, but the latter are now being enclosed by act of parliament, and are called Baddesley Common, Ash Shade, Castle Hill and Rownhams Commons.
THOS. CHAMBERLAYNE, Esq, owns most of the soil, and is lord of the manor, which was held, at the Domesday Survey by RALPH DE MORTIMER, and it remained with the descendants of that powerful baron several centuries. It afterwards passed to the FORSTER, BARROWE, FLEMING, MORE, DUNCH AND DUMMER families.
The Parish Church is a small Norman structure, with a tower and two bells. It has a tiled roof, and contains many memorials of the DUNCH, MORE, and other families. The tower and part of the body were rebuilt in 1674. The perpetual curacy, valued at £112, is in the gift of THOMAS CHAMBERLAYNE, Esq, and incumbency of the Rev JAMES DAVIES, MA, of Chilworth. Rownhams House, about three miles SW of North Baddesley village, and S by E of Romsey, is the seat of Mrs COLT, who, in 1854-'5, built near it Rownhams Church (St John) a small neat structure, in the decorated style, with stained glass windows, and 220 sittings, all free. She also built the Parsonage House and School, and is patroness of the perpetual curacy, now valued at £60, in the incumbency of the Hon and Rev C A HARRIS MA, son of the second Earl of Malmesbury. Rownhams Church District was formed in 1856, and comprises about 400 souls in this and the adjacent parishes of Romsey and Nursling.
| Surname | Forename or Title | Occupation | Abode |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLT | Mrs Jane | - | Rownhams House |
| COOPER | George | Blacksmith | - |
| DAVIES | Rev James, MA | Incumbent | Chilworth |
| HARPER | James | gameskeeper | - |
| HARRIS | Hon and Rev Chas Amyand, MA | Incumbent of Rownhams, Prebendary of Sarum etc | - |
| HAWKINS | Sarah | Schoolmrs | - |
| HOSKINS | James | Carpenter | - |
| ROGERS | Wm | Parish Clerk | - |
| SMITH | Wm | Shopkeeper | - |
| DENNIS | Mrs | Farmer | Sions hill |
| HAMPTON | George | Farmer | - |
| ROSE | William | Farmer | Rownhams |
| RICHARDS | Charles | Farmer | Rownhams |
| SELF | George (Exors of) | Farmer | Knightwood |
| VINE | William | Registrar, etc | - |
| WATTRIDGE | John | Farmer | Manor Farm |
© Sandra J Smith MBE 2003