Twyford, Hampshire
Encyclopedia
For other places of the same name, see Twyford
.
Twyford is a village and civil parish
in Hampshire
, England
, approximately three miles south of Winchester
and near the M3 motorway and Twyford Down
. In 2001, the population of the parish was 1,456. The village lies on the River Itchen
, which passes through nearby watermeadows, and has been important economically for its residents.
and was noted from as early as 963, being also mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book
as 'Tuiforde'. From medieval times, the river supported a very large number of water mills for grinding corn.
In Thomas Moule
's English Counties 1837 edition, Twyford is referred to as: "on the river Itchin [sic], 3 miles S. from the City of Winchester, contains 169 houses and 1048 inhabitants. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary,is a vicarage, value £12 12s. 8d., in the patronage of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. In the chancel is a mural monument, with a bust, by Joseph Nollekens
, in memory of Dr. Jonathan Shipley, Bishop of St. Asaph, who died in the year 1788."
The village benefits greatly from three parks; Ballards Close, Hunters Park and Northfields Park, as well as many footpaths and large areas of water meadow which are held in trust or otherwise protected from building development.
Twyford School
is a preparatory school
in the centre of the village, which had the distinction of expelling the poet Alexander Pope
in the early 18th century for lampooning a master in verse.
Twyford St Mary's Parish Church was designed by Alfred Waterhouse
the renowned Victorian architect who designed London's Natural History Museum.
s, 328 semi-detached
or terraced house
s or bungalows, and 61 flats, apartments, caravans or temporary structures.
to the south. This road is called the High Street for the most of its route through the village; before completion of the M3 to the west it was the main A333 from Winchester to Portsmouth
. In the centre of the village is a crossroads, where an unclassified road crosses the High Street. The east turn-off, Finches Road, becomes Shawford Road which runs through to the nearby village of Shawford before joining the main road from Winchester
to Otterbourne
. The west turn-off, Hazeley Road, travels past the (water) pumping station, to Hazeley Down and on towards Morestead
and Owslebury
.
The nearest rail station is Shawford railway station
to the east. Twyford is served by several regular bus routes, operated by Bluestar (bus company)
and Stagecoach Group
among others, linking the village with Winchester, Eastleigh
, Southampton
and Fareham
. The Monarch's Way
long distance footpath passes through the village from east to west. The Itchen Way
follows the western boundary.
at the northern edge of the Hampshire Basin
, dipping south from the southern limb of the Winchester anticline
. Successively younger layers of chalk are exposed from north to south, from Turonian
New Pit Chalk in the Plague Pits Valley south of St. Catherine's Hill
, the Lewes Nodular Chalk at Twyford Down
, the Seaford Chalk under the village, to the Santonian
or Campanian
Newhaven Chalk to the south. In the Itchen valley to the west the chalk is overlain by alluvium and tufa
deposits. The chalk is deeply incised by a series of dry valley
s running south and west towards the Itchen.
Twyford
Twyford is the name of more than one place. The place name is Anglo-Saxon and means 'double ford'.-Places:In the United Kingdom:*Twyford, Berkshire*Twyford, Buckinghamshire*Twyford, Derbyshire*Twyford, Dorset*Twyford, Hampshire*Twyford, Herefordshire...
.
Twyford is a village and civil parish
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 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...
, approximately three miles south of Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
and near the M3 motorway and Twyford Down
Twyford Down
Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The down's summit, known as Deacon Hill, is towards the north-eastern edge of the area which is renowned for its dramatic rolling scenery, ecologically rich grassland and as a...
. In 2001, the population of the parish was 1,456. The village lies on the River Itchen
River Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of , and is noted as one of England's - if not one of the World's - premier chalk streams for fly fishing,...
, which passes through nearby watermeadows, and has been important economically for its residents.
History
The name "Twyford" means "two fords" (Old English 'twifyrd'), which cross the River ItchenRiver Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of , and is noted as one of England's - if not one of the World's - premier chalk streams for fly fishing,...
and was noted from as early as 963, being also mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as 'Tuiforde'. From medieval times, the river supported a very large number of water mills for grinding corn.
In Thomas Moule
Thomas Moule
Thomas Moule was an English antiquarian, writer on heraldry, and map-maker. He is best known for his popular and highly decorated county maps of England, steel-engraved and first published separately between 1830 and 1832....
's English Counties 1837 edition, Twyford is referred to as: "on the river Itchin [sic], 3 miles S. from the City of Winchester, contains 169 houses and 1048 inhabitants. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary,is a vicarage, value £12 12s. 8d., in the patronage of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. In the chancel is a mural monument, with a bust, by Joseph Nollekens
Joseph Nollekens
Joseph Nollekens was a sculptor from London generally considered to be the finest British sculptor of the late 18th century. He was also a founder member of the Royal Academy in 1768.-Life:...
, in memory of Dr. Jonathan Shipley, Bishop of St. Asaph, who died in the year 1788."
Amenities
Twyford includes a village school, St. Mary's Primary School, a travel agency Roger Walker Travel, a doctor's surgery and pharmacy, a grocer's shop and Post Office, as well as numerous other small businesses.The village benefits greatly from three parks; Ballards Close, Hunters Park and Northfields Park, as well as many footpaths and large areas of water meadow which are held in trust or otherwise protected from building development.
Twyford School
Twyford School
Twyford School is a co-educational, independent, preparatory boarding and day school, located in the village of Twyford, Hampshire.-History:Twyford claims to be the oldest preparatory school in the United Kingdom....
is a preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
in the centre of the village, which had the distinction of expelling the poet Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
in the early 18th century for lampooning a master in verse.
Twyford St Mary's Parish Church was designed by Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
the renowned Victorian architect who designed London's Natural History Museum.
Demography
According to the 2001 UK census, the village has a population of 1,456 people, comprising 735 males and 721 females, living in 613 households. In 2001 there were twelve vacant dwellings in the parish, and the average household in Twyford had 6.40 rooms. 433 of these households were owner occupied, 105 were privately rented and 75 rented from the Council, housing association or registered social landlord. Housing in the parish consists of 241 detached houses or bungalowBungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
s, 328 semi-detached
Semi-detached
Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin...
or terraced house
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
s or bungalows, and 61 flats, apartments, caravans or temporary structures.
Transport
The B3335 road runs north-south through the village, linking with Junction 11 of the M3 Motorway to the north and the neighbouring village of Colden CommonColden Common
Colden Common is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England, lying just east of the M3 motorway between Winchester and Southampton. The nearest town is Eastleigh to the south west. Colden Common is in the Winchester District. To the east are the South Downs and to the west is the River Itchen...
to the south. This road is called the High Street for the most of its route through the village; before completion of the M3 to the west it was the main A333 from Winchester to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. In the centre of the village is a crossroads, where an unclassified road crosses the High Street. The east turn-off, Finches Road, becomes Shawford Road which runs through to the nearby village of Shawford before joining the main road from Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
to Otterbourne
Otterbourne
Otterbourne is a village in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately four miles south of Winchester and eight miles north of Southampton. In October 2002, its population was approximately 1,520, and there were 602 dwellings....
. The west turn-off, Hazeley Road, travels past the (water) pumping station, to Hazeley Down and on towards Morestead
Morestead
Morestead is a small village situated near the South Downs in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It lies 3 miles south-east from its county town, Winchester....
and Owslebury
Owslebury
Owslebury is a village and civil parish in the county of Hampshire, in the South of England approximately outside of Winchester. It lies within the administrative district of the City of Winchester.-Geography:...
.
The nearest rail station is Shawford railway station
Shawford railway station
Shawford railway station serves the villages of Twyford, Compton and Shawford in Hampshire, England. This station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains.-Layout and facilities:...
to the east. Twyford is served by several regular bus routes, operated by Bluestar (bus company)
Bluestar (bus company)
Bluestar is a trading name of Solent Blue Line Ltd. Based in Eastleigh, the company operates bus routes in Hampshire that previously traded under the Solent Blue Line name. Blue Line was started by bus company Southern Vectis as it sought to expand from the Isle of Wight in 1987...
and Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
among others, linking the village with Winchester, Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
, Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
and Fareham
Fareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
. The Monarch's Way
Monarch's Way
The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester.Most of the footpath is waymarked...
long distance footpath passes through the village from east to west. The Itchen Way
Itchen Way
The Itchen Way is a long-distance footpath following the River Itchen in Hampshire, England, from its source near Hinton Ampner House to its mouth at Woolston. The walk finishes at Sholing railway station. The route has been promoted by the Eastleigh Group of the Ramblers with grant aid from...
follows the western boundary.
Geology
Tywford lies on the chalkChalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
at the northern edge of the Hampshire Basin
Hampshire Basin
The Hampshire Basin is a geological basin of Paleogene age in southern England, underlying parts of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, and Sussex...
, dipping south from the southern limb of the Winchester anticline
Anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core. The term is not to be confused with antiform, which is a purely descriptive term for any fold that is convex up. Therefore if age relationships In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is...
. Successively younger layers of chalk are exposed from north to south, from Turonian
Turonian
The Turonian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the second age in the Late Cretaceous epoch, or a stage in the Upper Cretaceous series. It spans the time between 93.5 ± 0.8 Ma and 89.3 ± 1 Ma...
New Pit Chalk in the Plague Pits Valley south of St. Catherine's Hill
St. Catherine's Hill, Hampshire
St. Catherine's Hill is a small but dramatic chalk hill to the south east of Winchester in Hampshire, England. Rising steeply some from the water meadows of the River Itchen, the summit of the hill at provides a fine view over Winchester....
, the Lewes Nodular Chalk at Twyford Down
Twyford Down
Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The down's summit, known as Deacon Hill, is towards the north-eastern edge of the area which is renowned for its dramatic rolling scenery, ecologically rich grassland and as a...
, the Seaford Chalk under the village, to the Santonian
Santonian
The Santonian is an age in the geologic timescale or a chronostratigraphic stage. It is a subdivision of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series. It spans the time between 85.8 ± 0.7 mya and 83.5 ± 0.7 mya...
or Campanian
Campanian
The Campanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch . The Campanian spans the time from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma ...
Newhaven Chalk to the south. In the Itchen valley to the west the chalk is overlain by alluvium and tufa
Tufa
Tufa is a variety of limestone, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from ambient temperature water bodies. Geothermally heated hot-springs sometimes produce similar carbonate deposits known as travertine...
deposits. The chalk is deeply incised by a series of dry valley
Dry valley
A dry valley is a valley found in either karst or chalk terrain that no longer has a surface flow of water.There are many examples of the latter along the North and South Downs in southern England...
s running south and west towards the Itchen.