Houghton, Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Houghton is a small village and civil parish
in the Test Valley
district of Hampshire
, England
. The village is situated alongside the River Test
. Its nearest town is Stockbridge
, which lies approximately 1.8 miles (3 km) north-east from the village. The village is mostly strung out along the single road through the village, which broadly follows the course of the River Test
north-south. Houghton is dominated by large agricultural estates at each end, the Houghton Lodge estate to the north and the Bossington estate to the south. Each owns a number of properties in the village.
itself is an example of the rare 'Cottage Ornée' style, of the British Regency period. Unusually, it also boasts a 'hydroponicum' - where you can see plants grown in water (alone) by the hydroponics
system. The village also has an old church, All Saints, where services run on a weekly basis (with more at the tiny St James's church Bossington, set in open fields just to the south of the village.) In the Summer of 1415, during the Hundred Years' War
, the army of Henry V of England
camped on Agincourt Field on the Bossington estate on its way to embark for northern France and the campaign which ended with the Battle of Agincourt
.
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
, a martial son of Edward III from whom the Plantagenet House of Lancaster
was to spring, had a palace in the neighbouring village of King's Somborne
and a medieval deer park
in the valley here in the fourteenth century. Some of the remains of the deer park's boundary embankments (or pale
) can still be seen near Black Lake Farm as you cross the valley on foot on the Clarendon Way
.
.
A number of public footpaths intersect in Houghton, including the Test Way
and the Clarendon Way
, which crosses the River Test
at the lovely spreading footbridge known locally as 'Sheep Bridge', a beautiful spot much frequented by swans. The spring-fed River Test
is clear and teems with trout
and grayling
. The village has a village hall, used for functions such as the annual village Harvest Supper. There is a small recreation ground next to the hall. The village also has declared its interest in developing its own community response to the challenges of global warming and sustainable living, as witnessed by its Parish Plan
and membership of the Test Valley Energy Initiative.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Test Valley
Test Valley
Test Valley is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England, named after the valley of the River Test. Its council is based in Andover....
district of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The village is situated alongside the River Test
River Test
The River Test is a river in Hampshire, England. The river has a total length of 40 miles and it flows through downland from its source near Ashe, 10 km to the west of Basingstoke , to the sea at the head of Southampton Water...
. Its nearest town is Stockbridge
Stockbridge, Hampshire
Stockbridge is a small town and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of and a population of little under 600 people according to the 2001 census in Hampshire, England. It lies on the River Test, in the Test Valley district and renowned for trout fishing. The A30 road goes through...
, which lies approximately 1.8 miles (3 km) north-east from the village. The village is mostly strung out along the single road through the village, which broadly follows the course of the River Test
River Test
The River Test is a river in Hampshire, England. The river has a total length of 40 miles and it flows through downland from its source near Ashe, 10 km to the west of Basingstoke , to the sea at the head of Southampton Water...
north-south. Houghton is dominated by large agricultural estates at each end, the Houghton Lodge estate to the north and the Bossington estate to the south. Each owns a number of properties in the village.
Manors and houses
Houghton LodgeHoughton Lodge
Houghton Lodge is a Grade II* listed fishing lodge on the River Test in Hampshire, England which was built c.1800, possibly by John Nash for the Pitt-Rivers family....
itself is an example of the rare 'Cottage Ornée' style, of the British Regency period. Unusually, it also boasts a 'hydroponicum' - where you can see plants grown in water (alone) by the hydroponics
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.Researchers discovered in the 18th...
system. The village also has an old church, All Saints, where services run on a weekly basis (with more at the tiny St James's church Bossington, set in open fields just to the south of the village.) In the Summer of 1415, during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, the army of Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
camped on Agincourt Field on the Bossington estate on its way to embark for northern France and the campaign which ended with the Battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
.
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, a martial son of Edward III from whom the Plantagenet House of Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
was to spring, had a palace in the neighbouring village of King's Somborne
King's Somborne
King's Somborne is a village in Hampshire, England. The village lies on the edge of the valley of the River Test.-General information:The 'Sombornes' comprise the scattered village of King's Somborne, together with the hamlets of Little Somborne, Up Somborne, and Ashley.Between King's Somborne and...
and a medieval deer park
Medieval deer park
A medieval deer park was an enclosed area containing deer. It was bounded by a ditch and bank with a wooden park pale on top of the bank. The ditch was typically on the inside, thus allowing deer to enter the park but preventing them from leaving.-History:...
in the valley here in the fourteenth century. Some of the remains of the deer park's boundary embankments (or pale
Pale
-Color:*Pale, an adjective meaning of a light shade or hue; approaching white*Paleness , a relative lightness of color*Pale, a variance of human skin color, especially:**Pallor, a symptom of low oxygen content in blood or avoidance of sunlight...
) can still be seen near Black Lake Farm as you cross the valley on foot on the Clarendon Way
Clarendon Way
The Clarendon Way is a recreational footpath in England. It starts beside the waters of the River Itchen in the centre of Winchester and ends near the River Avon at Salisbury Cathedral. The path passes through the Clarendon Estate and close to the 12th century ruins of Clarendon Palace...
.
Artchitecture
The architecture of the village is mainly Hampshire rural vernacular, with some timber-frame and thatch, as well as much brick and slate. There are nearly 50 listed buildings in the village, which include All Saints Church, the Manor House, the Old Rectory, Bossington Mill, Bossington House and Houghton LodgeHoughton Lodge
Houghton Lodge is a Grade II* listed fishing lodge on the River Test in Hampshire, England which was built c.1800, possibly by John Nash for the Pitt-Rivers family....
.
A number of public footpaths intersect in Houghton, including the Test Way
Test Way
The Test Way is a long-distance footpath in England from Walbury Hill in West Berkshire to Eling in Hampshire.The northern end of the footpath starts in the car park on Walbury Hill...
and the Clarendon Way
Clarendon Way
The Clarendon Way is a recreational footpath in England. It starts beside the waters of the River Itchen in the centre of Winchester and ends near the River Avon at Salisbury Cathedral. The path passes through the Clarendon Estate and close to the 12th century ruins of Clarendon Palace...
, which crosses the River Test
River Test
The River Test is a river in Hampshire, England. The river has a total length of 40 miles and it flows through downland from its source near Ashe, 10 km to the west of Basingstoke , to the sea at the head of Southampton Water...
at the lovely spreading footbridge known locally as 'Sheep Bridge', a beautiful spot much frequented by swans. The spring-fed River Test
River Test
The River Test is a river in Hampshire, England. The river has a total length of 40 miles and it flows through downland from its source near Ashe, 10 km to the west of Basingstoke , to the sea at the head of Southampton Water...
is clear and teems with trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and grayling
Grayling (genus)
Thymallus is a genus of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes; it is the only genus of subfamily Thymallinae. The type species is T. thymallus, the grayling. The genus's five distinct species are generically called graylings, but without qualification this also refers...
. The village has a village hall, used for functions such as the annual village Harvest Supper. There is a small recreation ground next to the hall. The village also has declared its interest in developing its own community response to the challenges of global warming and sustainable living, as witnessed by its Parish Plan
Parish Plan
Parish plans are a form of community-led plan.Parish plans determine the future of communities and how they can change for the better. They are documents that set out a vision for the future of a parish and outlines how that can be achieved in an action plan.The parish plan process may include:*a...
and membership of the Test Valley Energy Initiative.