Alton, Hampshire

Alton

Alton. Looking north east along the High Street
Alton
 Alton shown within Hampshire
Population 17,816 
OS grid referenceSU716394
Civil parishAlton
DistrictEast Hampshire
Shire countyHampshire
RegionSouth East
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town ALTON
Postcode district GU34
Dialling code 01420
Police Hampshire
Fire Hampshire
Ambulance South Central
EU Parliament South East England
UK ParliamentEast Hampshire
List of places
UK
England
Hampshire

Coordinates: 51°08′59″N 0°58′37″W / 51.1498°N 0.9769°W

Alton is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It has a population of 17,816 according to the 2011 census and is administered by the East Hampshire district council (EHDC). It is located on the south west source of the River Wey and is the highest town in Hampshire. The town is famous for its connection with Sweet Fanny Adams.

Alton began as a Roman settlement known as Vindomis. The town was recorded in the Domesday Survey of 1086 under the name Aoltone and was notable for having the most valuable market recorded therein. The town contains three secondary schools and its own railway station. Alton is twinned with Pertuis in France, and Montecchio Maggiore in Italy.

History

Early history

Coins from the Alton Hoard, 1st Century AD

The Alton Hoard of Iron Age coins and jewellery was found in the vicinity of the town in 1996 and is now in the British Museum.[1] A Roman road ran from Chichester to Silchester and there is evidence of a Roman posting station at Neatham near Alton, probably called Vindomis, and a ford across the River Wey. Centuries later, an Anglo-Saxon settlement was established in the area and a large 7th century cemetery has been discovered during building excavations. It contained a selection of grave goods which included the Alton Buckle which is on display in the Curtis Museum, and is considered to be the finest piece of Anglo Saxon craftsmanship found in Hampshire. The buckle was found in the grave of a warrior, and has a silver-gilt body, set with garnets and glass.[2]

The River Wey has a source in the town, and the name Alton comes from an Anglo-Saxon word "aewielltun" meaning "farmstead at the source of the river".[3][4]

In 1001 Danish forces invaded England during the First Battle of Alton. When they reached Alton, the forces of Wessex came together and fought against them. About 81 Englishman were killed, including Ethelwerd the King's high-steward, Leofric of Whitchurch, Leofwin the King's high-steward, Wulfhere a bishop's thane, and Godwin of Worthy, Bishop Elfsy's son. Danish casualties were higher, however the Danes won the battle and fleeing Englishmen took refuge in Winchester.[5][6]

Alton is listed as having the most valuable recorded market in the Domesday Book under the name Aoltone in the 'Odingeton Hundred — Hantescire'.[2][2][7][7]

Henry I

The Treaty of Alton was an agreement signed in 1101 between William the Conqueror's eldest son Robert, Duke of Normandy and his brother Henry I of England. Henry had seized the throne while his elder brother was away on the first crusade. Robert returned to claim the throne, landing in Portsmouth. The two brothers met in Alton and agreed terms which formed the Treaty of Alton. Part of the main street through Alton is called Normandy Street, probably reflecting this event.

Middle Ages

The first recorded market in Alton was in 1232, although the market at Neatham first recorded in the Domesday Book may also have been in the town.[8] Blome wrote in 1673 of a 'market on Saturdays, which is very great for provisions, where also are sold good store of living cattle'.[9] The Saturday market is also featured on Kitchin's map of Hampshire (1751) which marks the town as Alton Mt. Sat.[10]

1307 was, in fact, the first year of Edward II’s reign but Edmund of Woodstock was not lord of the manor then. According to the Victoria County History (written after Curtis’ book):-

‘In 1273 Edward I granted the manor [of Alton Westbrook] to his mother, Queen Eleanor, who died in 1291, when it reverted to the Crown and was granted in 1299 as dower to his second wife, Margaret of France. On the death of Queen Margaret in 1317, it again came to the Crown, and Edward II gave it in 1319 to his brother Edmund of Woodstock, Earl of Kent.’

As can be seen, Queen Margaret held the manor until 1317 and so the fair could not have been granted to Edmund of Woodstock in 1307.

The correct date for the grant seems to be 22 November 1320 (according to the Charter Rolls, 14 Edward II, no.15). The grant was for a 9-day fair - the vigil [eve] and feast of Whitsuntide and seven days after.

The two main manors in Alton - Alton Eastbrook and Alton Westbrook - had a fair each. That of Alton Eastbrook has no extant charter, and may never have had one. It was originally held on St Lawrence’s Day and so its origin was, presumably, the patronal festival. The religious aspect would have ceased when the country was no longer Roman Catholic. This fair seems to have been held on Crown Close (which is in the manor of Alton Eastbrook) in the early 19th century. When this land was built upon, the fair moved and was held where ever the Westbrook fair was - the Market Place, various meadows and the Butts.

The date of the Eastbrook fair was changed to Michaelmas in the mid-18th century as it came during harvest time and the farmers were not satisfied. Some accounts for this fair in the early 18th century do survive and show that there was a cheese fair as well the usual mix of travelling and local people with stalls and stands - people selling lace, gloves, books, gingerbread, bodices, sugar plums, toys [small items - not for children], soap and knives, to name but a few. By the late 19th century, this fair was said to be mainly for horses, sheep and, occasionally, hops.

Alton still has an annual fair, but it now takes the form of a carnival.[4]

Eggar's School was founded in 1640 by John Eggar of Moungomeries as the Free Grammar School. It later became known as Eggar's Grammar School. It occupied a site in Anstey Road until it moved to a new site in Holybourne in 1969.[11]

Church of St Lawrence. During the battle, many Parliamentary troops forced their way through the west door (right), now walled up.

A battle was fought in Alton during the English Civil War. A small Royalist force was quartered in the town when on 13 December 1643 they were surprised by a Parliamentary army of around 5,000 men. The Royalist cavalry fled, leaving Sir Richard Bolle (or Boles) and his infantry to fight. Outnumbered, the Royalists were forced into the Church of St Lawrence, where Bolle was killed along with many of his men. Over 700 Royalist soldiers were captured and bullet holes from the battle are still visible in the church today.

Map of Alton, 1666

In 1665, Alton suffered an outbreak of bubonic plague, but soon recovered.[12]

Victorian era

Main article: Fanny Adams

On Saturday, 24 August 1867, an eight-year-old girl, Fanny Adams, was murdered in Alton. Her assailant, Frederick Baker, a local solicitor's clerk, was one of the last criminals to be executed in Winchester. One of the original public notices advertising his forthcoming execution hangs in the Crown Public House. Fanny Adams' grave can still be seen in Alton cemetery. The brutal murder, so the story goes, coincided with the introduction of tinned meat in the Royal Navy, and the sailors who did not like the new food said the tins contained the remains of "Sweet Fanny Adams" or "Sweet F A", hence the expression which for over a century has meant "sweet nothing".

Recent developments

Here are a few events in the past two hundred years:[12]

Geography

Nearby Brockham Hill, situated 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometres) northeast of Alton, rises to 225 metres (738 feet) above sea level.

The nearby village of Bentworth is the highest village in Hampshire.

Climate

Along with the rest of South East England, Alton has a temperate climate which is generally warmer than the rest of the country. The annual mean temperature is approximately 9 °C (48.2 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal variation, but due to the effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the UK. January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 0.5 °C (32.9 °F) and 2 °C (35.6 °F). June and July are the warmest months in the area with average daily maximum around 25.5 °C (77.9 °F).[13] Alton is the highest town in Hampshire which receives colder than average weather and is usually seriously affected in the snow.

Economy

Coors brewery in Alton

Brewing used to be one of Alton's main industries. Hops and barley were grown in the surrounding area (indeed, Fanny Adams's butchered remains were found in a hop field) and the barley would have been malted in the town. The maltings still stand in Lower Turk Street, although it is no longer used for that purpose. They belonged to Halls Brewery from 1841 and were still producing malt in 1949.

The Pearce family in Alton owned and operated the Timber and Saw Mills from the 1890s to 1939, employing over 100 people and producing all the wooden tools used for the brewing industry in the town

There have been a number of breweries in Alton since 1763. Today, Coors Brewing Company (among the top ten largest brewers in the world) has a brewery in Alton which produces Carling, Grolsch and Worthington.

Alton was also famous in the 18th century for the manufacture of paper[4] and of dress materials including ribbed druggets, shallons, silks and serges, bombazine and figured barragons.[14][15]

Alton today has thriving businesses in the retail and service sectors in the centre of the town, and over a hundred businesses in the four industrial areas of Mill Lane, Newman Lane, Caker Stream and Omega Park, ranging from light industrial to computer software production.[16] Clarcor, TNT N.V. and Poseidon Diving Systems all have businesses in Alton's Industrial Site, Mill Lane.

One of Alton's largest commercial employers is the financial services sector. Lumbry Park, which used to be known as Lumbry Farm, is on the B3006 Alton to Selborne road, and is occupied by Inter Group Insurance Services (IGIS), a subsidiary of The Royal Bank of Scotland. Inter Group employs over 170 people on this site, and specialises in travel insurance. The company has operated in Alton since 1999. It was acquired by Churchill Insurance in 2001, becoming part of RBS Insurance division in 2003 as part of an RBS takeover. However, on 11 November 2008, Inter Group announced its proposal to close its office in Alton in August 2009 due to "changes in the travel insurance market",[17] leading to the loss of 104 full-time staff and around 16 part-timers. The head of Inter Group, Bob Andrews, said that the decision to close the Alton site had been forced by "a fundamental shift in the third-party travel insurance market in the last few years" and that "Major clients of Inter Group have recently taken their travel insurance business back in-house and sadly we have no alternative but to make this announcement today". He said, "We have explored every possible avenue before proposing this unfortunate action."

Alton was also home to the travel company TravelBag, the travel company owned by ebookers, who still have a shop in the town as well as The Adventure Company.

Today, Alton's town boasts a range of big-name brands including: W H Smith, Dorothy Perkins, Waterstones, Peacocks, M&Co., Boots Clintons, and Clarks, and independent shops including greengrocers, butchers and a hardware shop. The three main supermarkets that serve the town are Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Iceland, the biggest Iceland store in the country. A newly opened small Waitrose supermarket is situated near the rail station. A Tesco superstore has also been given the go-ahead by the Planning Inspectorate and is scheduled to open for 2014. Work has been started to demolish the existing structure on the site to prepare it for construction.

The town has developed a cafe-culture in recent years, with cafe's including Costa Coffee and Caffè Nero opening in the town. The town also houses various pubs and restaurants, including PizzaExpress and Prezzo. An application by Wimpy has also been recently received by the council.

Culture

Alton WordFest is a celebration of the spoken and written word held in late September or early October each year.[18] The festival includes writing competitions for children and adults, a children's spelling bee, a literary lunch, book launches and talks by authors and workshops. Since 2010, Alton WordFest has hosted The Pint Pot of Fire - a story-telling competition among champions representing writers' circles, public speaking groups and oral-tradition story-telling clubs from around the area. The Pint Pot of Fire has run annually since 2005 and was formerly held in Guildford (2005) and Farnham (2006–2009).[19]

The Allen Gallery serves as Alton's art gallery. It houses a large, permanent ceramics collection as well as temporary exhibitions.[20]

Alton Fringe Theatre was formed in 1988, regularly performing at Alton Maltings and other venues in the region.. Holybourne Theatre is on the site of a former Nissen hut that was converted into a theatre by German prisoners-of-war during World War II.[21] Plays have been performed there since 1950, but the official opening was not until 1971.

Alton Morris was formed in 1979, and have been Morris Dancing both in the United Kingdom and abroad. They often perform at Alton street events.[22]

Local choirs include Alton Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, established in 1921, who perform two musical shows and one play each year in a wide variety of musical and dramatic styles.[23] Alton Community Choir sings unaccompanied Hampshire folk songs as well as some African, gospel, blues and calypso music.

Alton Natives is a regular poetry and music open mic held in various public houses in the town.

Since January 1948, Holybourne Dramatic Club has put on performances of plays and pantomimes in Holybourne Theatre.

Recreational and leisure facilities

Alton has a Non-League football club Alton Town F.C., which plays at the Bass Sports Ground. The club has been under threat of eviction as a result of action by landlords Molsom Coors, but the local council is supporting Alton Town's bid to improve a nearby council-owned playing facility to a standard good enough to ensure they survive at Wessex Premier Division level.

Alton Library, Vicarage Hill

Alton also has the following facilities:

Education

Alton is home to Treloar's, an independent educational establishment founded in 1907 by Sir William Purdie Treloar, Lord Mayor of London, to provide education for young people with physical disabilities . Treloar's now runs Treloar College, a college of further education in Holybourne, and Treloar School in Upper Froyle about three miles (5 km) away. Treloar's provides specialist facilities, therapy and medical care to enable pupils to achieve their academic potential and develop their confidence and independence. Former pupils include comedian and actor Spike Breakwell, actress Julie Fernandez, mouth and foot painting artist Tom Yendell, and actress and aspiring playwright Robyn Hunt.

The State secondary schools in Alton are Eggar's School (formerly the Grammar School), and Amery Hill School.

There is also an independent Catholic day school, Alton Convent School, which educates boys from 3 to 11 and girls from 3 to 18 .

Sixth-form education is provided by Alton College, which has gained outstanding inspection reports from Ofsted. Former students of Alton College include Yvette Cooper (Member of Parliament) and Alison Goldfrapp (musician).

Alton lies approximately mid-way between the University of Winchester and the University of Surrey at Guildford.

Transport

Alton station is located on the National Rail network at the end of the Alton Line with a regular service to London Waterloo. Journey time is usually just over an hour, stopping at Bentley, Farnham, Aldershot, Ash Vale, Brookwood, Woking, Surbiton and London Waterloo.

Watercress Line

Alton railway station also serves as a terminus for the Mid Hants Railway commonly called 'The Watercress Line', a restored steam railway running between Alton and New Alresford, so called because it used to be used to transport fresh watercress to London.

The origins of the Watercress Line date back to 1861, the year in which Parliament granted consent for what was then known as the 'Alton, Alresford and Winchester Railway'. Four years later the Mid Hants Railway opened, and the train service continued until the line was closed in 1973. Then in 1977 the line was partially re-opened, in 1983 it was extended further, and in 1985 it was re-opened as far as Alton to connect with the mainline London service.[25]

Alton used to be a railway junction. As well as the Mid-Hants Railway, from 1903 to 1955 the Meon Valley Railway ran from Alton down the Meon Valley to join the Eastleigh to Fareham line at Fareham. There was also a (now closed) line, the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway, north to Basingstoke.

Passenger buses in the Alton area are mainly operated by Stagecoach and run to many of the towns and villages in the area.

Notable people

Jane Austen

Twin towns

Alton is twinned with:[29][30]

Nearest places

Nearest Settlements
Bentworth
Lasham		 Shalden Holybourne
Bentley
Beech
Medstead		 East Worldham
   Alton  
Four Marks Chawton
Upper Farringdon
Lower Farringdon		 Selborne

References

  1. ↑ British Museum Collection
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Wey River (2006). "More about Alton, Hampshire". River Wey & Navigations. Retrieved 20 May 2006.
  3. ↑ Coates, Richard (1989), Place Names of Hampshire, Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-5625-6
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Roberts, John (2005), Alton 2020, Alton: Alton Steering Group
  5. ↑ Ingram, Rev. James (trans.) (1823), The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, London
  6. ↑ Hutton, Edward (1914), England of My Heart — Spring, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Domesday Book, 1086
  8. ↑ Page, Mark (2003), "Medieval Alton: the Origins of a Market Town", Alton Papers, no. 7 (Friends of the Curtis Museum and Allen Gallery): 3–6
  9. ↑ Blome's Hampshire, 1673
  10. ↑ Kitchin, Thomas (1760). A NEW Improved MAP of HAMPSHIRE from the best SURVEYS & INTELLIGENCES Divided into its HUNDREDS Shewing the several ROADS and true Measured Distances between Town and Town ALSO the Rectories & Vicarages the Parks and Seats of the Nobility & Gentry with other useful Particulars Regulated by ASTRONL. OBSERVATIONS. By T. Kitchin Geographer. Printed for R: Sayer in Fleet Street, Carrington Bowles in St. Pauls Church Yard, & R. Wilkinson No.58, Cornhill. (viewed on website: Jean and Martin Norgate (1996–2003). "Kitchin's Hampshire 1751, whole map". Old Hampshire Mapped. Retrieved 24 April 2006.)
  11. ↑ County Secretary (1989). "Former Alton Eggars Grammar School premises — transfer of charitable trusts". Hampshire County Council Schools Sub-Committee. Retrieved 28 March 2006.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Tim Lambert (2001-6). "A History of Alton, England". Local and National Histories — Histories of British and Irish towns, Histories of Nations, Ancient Civilisations and Miscellaneous Articles. Archived from the original on 15 June 2006. Retrieved 4 June 2006. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ↑ "About south-east England". Met Office. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Wyatt, Sue (ed.) (1997), The Hidden Places of Dorset, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Altrincham, Cheshire: M & M Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-871815-42-8
  15. ↑ Brookes, R., 1815 (16th edn): The General Gazetteer: (London)
  16. ↑ "Industrial Developments". Alton Chamber of Commerce & Industry. 2006. Archived from the original on 7 October 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2006.
  17. ↑ "Travel Insurance giant to close". Alton Herald. 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
  18. ↑ Alton WordFest
  19. ↑ Pint Pot of Fire, Alton
  20. ↑ Allen Gallery
  21. ↑ "Holybourne Theatre". Hampshire County Council. Holybourne Theatre. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  22. ↑ "Alton Morris". Alton Morris dance. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  23. ↑ "Alton local choirs". AODS. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  24. ↑ Glancey, J. Sense and sensitivity: Alton's new library... The Guardian, 25 April 2005. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
  25. ↑ Mike Pearson (2007). "Mid Hants Railway (The Watercress Line) - a Guide". The Watercress Line Official Website. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2007.
  26. ↑ Transcribed from The Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales, 1894–5 (2005). "Alton, Hampshire". UK Genealogy Archives. Archived from the original on 11 May 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2006.
  27. ↑ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  28. ↑ "Alton". Hampshire County Council. 2006. Archived from the original on 14 May 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2006.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 "Alton Town Twinning Association". Hampshire County Council. May 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  30. ↑ Alton Town Twinning Association, UK.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alton, Hampshire.