In the beginning …

Boundaries

The village may be the conflation of three villages which may have existed as entities 1000 years ago.   Lockerley - the main village - is centred around Butts Green.  A second village called Lockerley Green seems to have existed and adjacent to it is Holbury.  Lockerley Green still exists by that name though it is now part of the overall Lockerley parish.  Holbury was, at times past, considered part of East Tytherley and part of East Dean and it might have included the area on the west side of Lockerley Green. This confusion seems to have persisted until quite recent times until it was decided to place the west side of Lockerley Green within Lockerley parish. East Dean parish boundary was moved a small distance and now no longer bisects a house on the corner of the green and East Dean road. It includes some property on either side of the railway line which would otherwise be considered as being on Top Green, Lockerley but, technically is in East Dean.

This goes some way - only - to explaining why the church - which was established ca 958 AD - is so far from either population centre of the village and explains why Lockerley village is possibly the largest village parish in Hampshire in terms of the area covered.

The name

The village name is known in the Domesday Book as Locherlega, 1086; Lokerlay, 1194; Lockerleye, 1271.  Coates in 1989 suggested the name probably contains the Old English ancestor of Middle English lokere=looker possibly derived from the anglo saxon (with possible roman influence) of loca meaning enclosure.   Lokere means keeper or shepherd and leah (from the Old English meaning a ley or open place in a forest) thus maybe indicates a shepherd's clearing or wood.

Before 1066

Lockerley has been known as a habitation since iron age times as earthworks in the area testify. Lockerley Camp – to the left on the road from Lockerley to Awbridge at Ordnance Survey reference SU 304 259 and approximately between Canefield and The School Farm – is a univallate nearly circular earthwork of 2.1ha, situated on a low gravel-capped plateau though it has been reduced by ploughing.  Archaeological findings in the Lockerley area include some roman coins and pottery dating around AD 259-350 which were found in an earthwork near Holbury Farm known as Holbury Wood Camp.  Palaeolithic artefacts have been recovered from gravel pits at nearby Dunbridge and Kimbridge.

After 1066 and the survey provided in the Domesday Book of 1086

The Domesday Book of 1086 records three manors and one hide (a hide is an area of land approximately equal to 120 acres) as belonging to the Bishop of Winchester. The manors were held by an overlord who, in turn, leased them to an underlord; this is known as alod.  

Prior to the Norman invasion of 1066 someone called Star held the manor from Edward the Confessor (b ca 1003 and ruled 1042 till his death in January 1066) in what was called alod (a freehold not held by the sitting lord).  We might suggest that this name lives on in the name of the Star Inn which is located between East Tytherley and Lockerley.

Following the Norman conquest the lands came into the possession of Hugh de Port as part of his 55 manors in Hampshire (Hantscire). The Domesday Book entry records that the land of Hugh de Port was located in the Broughton (Brocton) hundred (a hundred being an area of land equal to 100 hides) and included a manor in Lockerley which Star held from King Edward in freehold as a manor.  Then (1066) and now (1086) it paid tax for one hide, land for three plough and, in lordship, one plough, four small holders and four slaves with half a plough.  A mill at 10s (a shilling is equivalent to 50 pence), meadow six acres and woodland at three pigs. Star also held one hide which was part of the king's forest. This latter reference possibly indicating the extent to which the New Forest was then established.

A second manor had been held by one Wulfric from King William (the conqueror) and his father apparently held it from King Edward (the confessor). Wulfric had inherited one hide from his father and this was located in East Tytherley. A third manor was held by one Alfwy who held it from the king and who, prior to 1066, held in alod (qv) from King Edward.

For greater accuracy and a better overall view it is probably is useful to study the land ownership at this time over the area including Broughton, Mottisfont, East and West Dean, Lockerley, East and West Tytherley, Sherfield English and, if you're interested, you could start with some of the references which G Timmins provides and which are quoted at the foot of this entry.

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Between 1293, 1538 and the start of the plagues

In 1293 the manor in Lockerley was granted to John Butler (Le Boteler) by King Edward I (b 17 June 1239 and ruled from 1272 till his death in 7 July 1307) Information to the other two manors referenced in the Domesday Book may possibly found by researching the history of Holbury and East Tytherley. In this period the name was spelt Locherslei but it was also known as Lockerley Boteler and Lockerley Butler. As it happens Butlers Close is named after Stephen Butler a parish councillor ca 1960 and he is not, knowingly, related to the historical reference. But it remains possible that the location known as Butlers Barn, in Mount Lane may reflect the earlier historical ownership.

John Butler died in 1310 and he left the manor to his son (also John) who, in turn, designated it to his mother as a dower until her death. Of local note one John Payne was known to hold the area known as Painshill because, between 1333 and 1345 (his death) he had acquired a licence from the Bishop of Winchester to hear divine oratory within his home due poor health. This area is very likely to be that currently known as Painshill Farm and the lane leading to it south east from Lockerley is known as Pains Hill.

In 1346 Holbury - which you may recall was also included within East Tytherley at the time - was used by Queen Philippa. She was 16 when she married the 15 year old King Edward III in York Minster in January 1328 just in his first year as reigning king following the deposition of his father Edward II in January 1327. She seems to have had the use of the place since 1335 and she moved there with her court in order to avoid the first wave of the Black Death. It seems that two of her court were, or became, infected and that much of East Tytherley succumbed.

Historians estimate that the typical cull was around 30% and that infection was very rapid.  The disease had three forms. The mildest was around 80% fatal within seven days whilst the fastest, the septicaemic form which produced the dark patches under the skin known as purpura, was nearly 100% fatal. Historians suggest that the likely source of the disease was the far east and that the likely entry point mode have been the mediterranean Genoese and Venetian traders who worked into Southampton. Phillipa lost two of her 14 children to the disease in 1348.  It's possible that the area of East Tytherley and Lockerley were strongly affected also and that might explain the absence of a village centre for East Tytherley though there is evidence that there was habitation - now vanished - in Buckholt.

One side effect of the royal court sequestering itself in East Tytherley was a dislike in the area for royalty.  This dislike was not shared by the neighbouring West Tytherley and so each village supported a different side during the English civil war. 

In 1348 John (son of John Butler) requested a licence from the king to have the Lockerley manor settled on himself and his wife Margery. He died in 1349 but the licence seems to have been granted to his son and heir some time later - in 1375. One Lewis John - a nice coincidental twist given the model farm operated by the John Lewis partnership in Longstock a few kilometres north - held the manor in custody for the heir of a Francis Court. By 1476 the land at Holbury and Lockerley was included within the manor of East Tytherley. The manor at East Tytherley was probably that identified as held by Gilbert de Breteuil in 1086 as an overlord and previously held by Chening in alod from Edward the Confessor.

History passes and somehow the manor passes back to the crown which, in 1493, granted it to George Bainbridge. He was also granted East Tytherley manor in 1496 along with Butler's estate in Lockerley.

Ownership and enfiefment from the dissolution of monasteries 1538 to the 19th century

Henry VIII dissolved the monastaries in 1538 and granted the manor to Francis Dawtry. The history is once again murky because a certain Thomas Jeay died in 1626 leaving Lockerley manor to his son Stephen and yet it seems that Dawtry's nephew, George Thorpe, sold it to a Richard Zouche (a jurist born in Anstey in 1590 and died 1 March 1661 who was MP for Hythe (Hants) in 1621 and 1624). Zouche also owned land in Lockerley and East Dean. The years do not quite add up and further research is needed.

During this period Lockerley manor appears to correspond to Lockerley Water Farm which lies across the road from the Ford Mill. It should not be confused with Lockerley Hall nor, it would seem, with the place currently called Lockerley Manor which lies between Mount Lane and Pains Hill.

The greens of Lockerley

These days the village is based around four main greens which are dedicated as common land.  The topic of common land dates back well before the Norman Conquest as William, by all accounts, not the most generous of men descended as he was from Norse stock (hence norman or norse-man) would not have been given to acceding access to land such as the New Forest to commoners unless the right had been well established before his arrival.  There is a passage in the laws of King Ine dating in the eara 688 to 694 AD which suggests that open fileds (incidentally the origin of the name Sherfield and of Shirley in Southampton) were common meadows and pastures in Wessex.  

The book The Common Lands of England and Wales by L Dudley Stamp and W G Hoskins (Collins, 1963)  is based on a review of common land, including village greens, carried out by Dr Tavener for the UK government in 1957 (published 1958).  It provides a detailed review of common lands and the law relating to it.  Common landis land which, though owned, provides the right of free access and prevents the owner from erecting any structure, fence or building. 

The four greens identified in the reference are Lockerly [sic] Green (approx 6.5Ha), Butts Green (1.54Ha), Top Green (4.5Ha) and Critchalls [sic] Green (3Ha) and,  in the reference, are noted in Tavener's review as "controlled for use by residents of the parish". The village has some 324 dwellings which are home for around 827 people (2001 census). Butts Green owes its name to the period following 1536 - the period of the dissolution of the monasteries, when a royal decree required each able bodied man to spend an hour each Sunday at archery practice. The archery target is known as the butt from the old french “but” and this is meaning of a target is one which the modern french retains. The law is still in force though few observe it. The green hosts the annual village fete.


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History through maps, canals and rail

There is a range of early maps referring to Lockerley dating from 1575. An early ordnance survey map of 1895 shows a number of public houses and wells as well as the path of the Southampton to Salisbury railway line. This line was completed around 1890 completely removed the need for the Salisbury to Southampton canal to be completed. There is a Flush Bracket on the foot of the bridge over the railway line connecting Lockerley Green to Top Green. This was placed in the second geodetic levelling 1912 - 1921 and was levelled at 123.970 feet (27.786m) above Newlyn. It can be seen from the south west corner of the bridge.

Only limited work was undertaken on the canal project - it was begun in 1796 - and parts of this can still be seen running parallel to the river Dun. The canal bridge at SU 269 268 was built in 1800 and the best preserved remains of the whole canal are those of the canal lock which can be found on the west side of the road from Lockerley Green to Holbury Wood. It comprises a brick wall some 10m long and 1.5m high it formed the south side of the lock. The bridge at Lockerley Mill over the river Dunn was built at the same time though this was rebuilt as a two span bridge in 1909. The canal would never be successful because, at its high point near Alderbury, there was no water source from which to feed the necessary locks. This is the real reason why it was not finished.

The railway line is the main line between Southampton and Salisbury and thence to the west country and Wales. It passes by Romsey, Dunbridge and West Dean stations. Lockerley was never blessed with its own station. It is well used for goods traffic and, until recent times, was the primary supply line for the Royal Navy Armaments Depot situated in tunnels underneath the Dean Hill.

The depot at Dean Hill will have been in extensive use in the 1943 – 1944 period as a US Army stores and comprised some 15 miles of rail sidings and some 24 weapons storage tunnels. The Royal Observer Corps were stationed in the area during this time as was a Canadian Corps and the foundations of their barracks can still be seen. For a short while the depot at West Dean was used to store nuclear weapons in transit. One notable occasion being a very frosty Sunday in 1987 when one of the delivery convoy slipped off the road. The press was restricted from reporting the incident. There was even a full size airstrip in the grounds of Lockerley Hall though no trace of this is apparent and it is not referenced in the review of airstrips in use in Hampshire.

The Church of Lockerley

Thie site of the church at Lockerley has been a source of conjecture becasue it is so well separated from the poulation centre of the hamlet of Butts Green or the hamlet of Lockerley Green.  Possibly one hint is given by the age of the Yew tree which stands in the grounds of St Johns as this has been dated to 200 years ago - before the time of christianity.  One thought is that the site was always one with religious significance as there will once have been marsh there and even now the field between the church and the river Dun may still flood. 

The church of St Johns was first recorded in Norman times though the original saxon church dated well before this. There is a model - approx 20:1 scale - of the original saxon style church. Similar architecture can be seen in the very pretty church at East Dean. It is well worth a visit. There is also a very simple but well executed watercolour sketch of Lockerley church made around 1863 by Charlotte Austen. It shows the church from the river side and before the Parish Room was built and with the yew tree in view. The church presence in the area is related to the priory in the nearby village of Mottisfont. The church was demolished in 1891 after the new church was put into use and the site of the earlier norman building is marked by a few stones to the north of the burial ground and a line of daffodils. A number of properties in Lockerley may have stones which, from their dressing and size, could have been retrieved from this demolition.

The current building dates from 1889 and was consecrated in 1890. Lockerley is a parish - together with East Tytherley, East Dean (St Winfrid's - see above) and West Tytherley which forms a United Benefice - in the union of Romsey and the hundred of Thorngate. The Thorngate name remains in use to this day to associate the active village of Lockerley with the overall area. Mottisfont itself was originally an Augustinian priory founded in 1201 but dissolved in 1536. An extensive period as a private house followed in which much of the ancient fabric was preserved. It is now owned by the National Trust and the grounds contain the National Trust collection of historic roses.

The church of East Dean

This is perhaps the most picturesque church within the united benefice.  It owes its name to St Winfriþ who later was to change his name to Boniface - the doer of good works.  Originally born in Crediton it seems he passed some time at the abbey in what we now know as Nursling (Nurshalling) and the church there takes his name accordingly.  It is a fable to suggest that he passed by and established the church at East Dean as the church was only accorded the dedication around 1901.  Correctly spelled his name should end with the old english letter "thorn" hence the spelling above.  St Boniface was martyred along in 754 AD in Dokkum - now in The Netherlands. 

The church of East Tytherley

The original church, which was a saxons styled building,  fell into great disrepair and by 1863 it was so poorly in state that it was demolished and the present church erected on the site.  The original church had a separate bell tower made of wood.  This was quite usual and historians may note that Salisbury cathedral also had a separate bell tower at one time as can be evidenced in early engravings.  Bells were originally sounded for advising the local popualtion of attack or disaster so it is a relatively recent affair that they are used to summon the faithful.  Well ... relatively recent, let us say mid 19th century.

The church of West Tytherley

The original church was demolished in 1831 as it had fallen into disrepair the decision apparently discussed on Boxing day 1831 though the record of the discussion has been carefully cut out of the vestry record book.  The new church was built by 1833 on land donated by the Barings and with a contribution of £500 towards the costs.  The present building houses what is possibly the oldest bell in Hampshire.  It is dated 1263.  It is not working because of the parlous state of its mounting.  A project is underway to remount the bell and its two companions and it will then become the oldest bell in the world - well, at least England - which can be fully tolled (that is it can be held at top dead centre).   There are fewer than ten older bells in England at the present time and some five of these are still sounded but none can be fully swung.  

Mills and old buildings

Lockerley Mill – also known as Ford Mill - and Holbury Mill are amongst Lockerley’s listed buildings. Holbury mill has been the site of a mill for nearly 1000 years and the undershot wheel was fed from a large mill pond fed by the Dun. The current building is much younger than that but there is no working machinery remaining. Ford mill still provides the rush of water though there is no working machinery there either.

Just south of the present church at East Tytherley was located East Tytherley Hall.  This building was probably erected in the 17th century on the site of an earlier mansion.  It fell heavily into disrepair and it was demolished in 1903.  Photos show that it had some elaborate french plasterwork.  Some of its materials may have found their way into the present Lockerley Hall much before this and the staircase appears to have been sold a long time before demolition to a purchaser in Gloucestershire.  Almost no trace of this buiilding exists save for the curiously impacted ground south of the present church and its graveyard.  Some of the area has recently been adapted as a children's play area and this came into use in 2010. 

Just as vanished is Harmony Hall in Queenwood - also known as Queenswood built around 1838 by the Quaker movement and architected by the architect of Birmingham City Hall.  It was, for a time, a school which for the princely annual fee of 65£ undertook to teach its pupils the rudiments of arithmetic, Euclidean geometry, planes and conic sections.  They don't do that in school these days ... sadly.  The front page of the New Moral World a Gazette of the Rational Society no 29 Vol IV dated Saturday 14 January 1843 carries a glowing report of visitors to the hall.  It seems that Harmony Hall became bankrupt not long after and it was sold and renamed Queenswood Hall.  The building was completely gutted by fire before the end of the century and perhaps a line of trees which might have marked its entrance drive is all that exists. The building was completely gutted by fire before the end of the century and perhaps a line of trees which might have marked its entrance drive is all that exists. 

We should record here the benignant acts of the Rolle family in the 1700s.  The lasting effect was the establishment of a trust to enable six boys and six girls to attend school.  Part of the trust income came form the rental of School Farm though this has been sold.   The trust still operates. 

Lockerley Hall was built 1839 - records of earlier buildings on the site exist from 1496 - funded by the fortunes of the Dalgety family who operated a large business in flour at the time.

Dating from around this time - the 15th century - is School Farm house whose core is a Wealden type house which has long since been provided with a brick façade.

Dating from the mid 1600s is the Black Horse public house in West Tytherley.  The present building apparently combines a number of earlier buildings.  The fireplace surround was rescued form the original Norman Court building when that we demolished.  The present building at Norman Court is now a preparatory school. 

The old farmhouse and the barn on stone blocks on Critchells Green dates from the 17th century.

Spring Cottage – aptly named as it located near a spring – was originally a pair of cottages which dated from the 16th century. They were damaged badly in a fire in 1966 and have since been restored.

Cromwells was also a fine timber framed thatched cottage standing on the edge of Lockerley Green opposite the remaining timber framed house. Cromwells burnt down in the 1980s and has since been totally rebuilt.

The Old Smithy on Butts green is said to date from the 18th century as are two half timbered and thatched cottages in The Street. Critchells Cottage may have timbers dating to the 15the century and the Kings Arms public house, also in The Street, dates from the 18th century.

The old signalling station, Telegraph House, dates from 1826 but it has since been extensively modified.

The mill at Dunbridge was steam powered but suffered a major fire in the early evening of 27 October 1939. The mill was operated by the Aylward family who also owned a number of properties in Lockerley. The mill was a major employer in the area at the time and the fire resulted in the loss of some 20 jobs. These days the Mill Arms remains as a hostelry.

  

The basic geology

The underlying geology is Reading Beds, overlain with an inlier of London Clay. This has a strong influence on the extensive woodland cover and the high proportion of oak trees within the hedgerows. The area drains into the River Dun, via a number of small streams. Small ponds and lakes are a feature of the area. Along the river Dun there is a number of springs. Some of these dry up during dry summers but one or two are known as perpetual springs. One, for example, always produces water adjacent to Spring Cottage.

 

Farmland and trees

The farmland is predominantly improved pasture and arable farmland, divided by hedgerows. Several areas of broadleaved woodland are found in this area. Oak is the most common tree species, with abundant birch. Ash is uncommon and field maple is rare. Sweet chestnut is also locally abundant and has often been planted as coppice. Other trees found in low frequencies include holly, whitebeam, beech and rowan. Damper soils have alder and poplar. The shrub layers usually have abundant hazel and hawthorn. Ground flora includes bluebell, wood anemone, red campion, honeysuckle, bramble, woodruff, wood sorrel, dog violet, wood spurge, twayblade and greater stitchwort with others such as herb robert and marsh celandine.

Typical orchids include lesser butterfly orchid, early purple orchid, narrow-leaved helleborine. There is a variety of flowering plants including white clover, red clover, birds-foot trefoil, knapweed, bulbous buttercup, yarrow, yellow rattle, selfheal and oxeye daisy.

 

Park land

Several areas of formal parkland and deer park are present within East and West Tytherley and Mottisfont wooded farmland including Mottisfont Abbey and Lockerley Hall Park, a deer park. In the case of Lockerley Hall Park, extensive replanting of pre-1810 woodland both within and along its formal park borders may indicate landscape design on a truly massive scale.

A considerable length of park pale survives associated with the deer park and fishponds north of Holbury Wood. This may suggest the presence of a now vanished or incorporated monastic grange associated with Mottisfont Abbey to the east.

 

Dean Hill and the Defence Munitions store

The 243 Ha site of the former Royal Navy Armament Depot (RNAD) is located at Dean Hill on the border of Hampshire and Wiltshire. It is now occupied by Dean Park and is home to a number of small enterprises. It operated between 1941 and 2004 as a munitions storage and maintenance facility initially for the Royal Navy but, in later times, for all branches of the Armed Forces. Work began on the site in 1938 prior to the outbreak of WWII and it was opened operationally as RNAD Dean Hill in 1941.

A wide variety of naval munitions was kept there before being transported by rail to the forward coastal RNAD locations at Frater in Gosport and Priddy's Hard where they were loaded onto navy vessels for active service. The depot was connected to the main Salisbury to Southampton railway line by a standard gauge railway via a large marshalling year at the east side of the depot. Munitions were stored in a series of 24 underground magazines cut into the chalk hillside. The magazines were formed of short tunnels built in a curve such that, should there be any accident, any blast might be better contained.

An internal narrow gauge - 715mm based on bronze rails - linked the magazines to the workshops. The workshops, together with a network of laboratories, were responsible for the refurbishment of the weapons they contained and they were heavily protected and reinforced.

Contrary to popular belief, nuclear weapons were stored there only on a very temporary basis - often little more than overnight. Nuclear weapons were transported by road in large lorries from the Atomic Weapons Establishments at Aldermaston and Burghfield near Reading. The associated nuclear materials wre transported from Ministry of Defence reactors at Chapelcross and Calder Hall in convoys supported by detachments of marine commandos and supported by fire service appliances and motor cycle out-riders from the Special Escort Group of the Ministry of Defence Police.

Nuclear weapons were stored in the specially reinforced number 1 magazine and the detachment of Royal Marines were accommodated on their own specially defended block - the number 37 building. The depot and its nuclear associations came to public attention in January 1987 when a lorry containing nuclear weapons skidded off the road on ice near the west gate.

Throughout the existence of the depot security and crime prevention was provided by its own police detachment of officers from the Ministry of Defence Police. Prior to 1971 this force had been known as the Admiralty Department Constabulary and the Royal Marines Police.

In 1988 the rail connection to the main line was discontinued. In 1991 RNAD Dean Hill was renamed DM (Defence Munitions) Dean Hill. The entire rail installation, including that of the marshalling yard, was removed in 1994. Following a study by the DM Rationalisation Study team the decision was taken to close the site and its activities were moved to other defence munitions establishments across the UK. DM Dean Hill finally lowered the Defence Munitions and Union flags at the main gate during a sunset ceremony on 31 March 2004.

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References and further reading

You might like to check out the Mid-Thorngate Society and the Lockerley Old Mechanicals and make contact with our local history enthusiasts.

The Church of St Winfrid, A Very Short Guide to a Very Long History, Kate Clark, 2010, locally published. 

This list of references is taken from :

Lockerley a Village History, G Timmins, available in Romsey Library
Victoria County History of Hampshire vol 4 Ed W Page, 1911, pp500 - 502.
Concise Oxford Dictionary of Place Names 4th ed, Eckert , E K Wall, p302
Domesday Book, Phillimore, Ed J Morris
Hampshire Record Office, Winchester
The Hampshire Subsidiary Rolls 1586, C R Davey
The Hampshire Hearth Tax Assessment 1665, E Hughes and P White
Parson and Parish in 18th century Hampshire, W R Ward
Hampshire Treasury, Hampshire County Council
Register of William Edington Bishop of Winchester 1346 - 1366, Ed dom S F Hockey