In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Highclere like this:
HIGHCLERE, a village, a parish, and a sub-district in Kingsclere district, Hants. The village stands 7 miles W of Kingsclere and 4½ S by W of Newbury r. station; is a beautiful place; and has a post office under Newbury. The parish comprises 3, 391 acres. Real property, £3, 045. Pop., 446. ...
Houses, 94. The property is divided among a few. The manor belonged to the bishops of Winchester; was given, by Edward VI., to the Fitzwilliams; passed to the Sawyers and the Herberts; and belongs now to the Earl of Carnarvon. A palace of the bishops of Winchester stood here, and was succeeded by a mansion of the Herberts. That mansion, now Highclere castle, the seat of the Earl of Carnarvon, is a stately pile, partly ancient, partly altered, partly modern; has pinnacles, perforated work, flanking towers, and a magnificent W front tower; contains some valuable pictures; and occupies a spot 587 feet in elevation above sea level, amid a wooded and very picturesque park, upwards of 13 miles in circuit. Siddon hill, covered with wood, 940 feet high, and commanding splendid and very extensive views, is within the park; and Beacon hill, 900 feet high, crowned by ancient fortifications, and also commanding very grand views, is close without the gates. Many tumuli are on the neighbouring downs; and a circular camp of about 8 acres, is on Ladle hill, 1 ½ mile E of Beacon hill. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Winchester. Value, £400. * Patron, the Earl of Carnarvon. The old church was built, in the time of Charles II., by Sir Robert Sawyer; was rebuilt in 1828, and repaired in 1859; and contains several interesting monuments. The new church was founded, close to the park, in 1869. There are a national school, and charities £11. Millar, the antiquary, was a native.—The sub-district contains seven parishes. Acres, 19, 500. Pop., 3, 257. Houses, 702.
Highclere through time
Highclere is now part of Basingstoke and Deane district. Click here for graphs and data of how Basingstoke and Deane has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Highclere itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Highclere, in Basingstoke and Deane and Hampshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/4765
Date accessed: 06th November 2024
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