History Hook, Fareham

1 history

1.1 prehistory
1.2 medieval settlement
1.3 industrial hamlet

history
prehistory

there appears have been activity on site @ hook since prehistory, number of palaeolithic handaxes , other implements found in gravel terrace excavations in , around hook during 18th , 19th century later prehistoric artifacts have been found in area, including bronze age beakers. , bucket urns, , late bronze age enclosure on hook lane.

medieval settlement

the name ‘hook’ refers hook shaped spit of land @ mouth of river hamble. in medieval times protected entrance tidal inlet known fleet, hence local name ‘fleet end’. medieval hamlet , port of hook occupied southern shore of inlet, situated distance west of present settlement. @ height settlement little more scatter of cottages , chapel significance port indicated records of conflict france in 1345. recorded 21 ships , 208 men left england hook fight in battle of crécy. sixteenth century fleet beginning silt , combined gradual increase in size of ships led decline port.

it mentioned in domesday book name ‘houche’ , reference ownership of manor of hook can traced fourteenth century. manor once property of richard, duke of york, , there evidence henry viii once granted ownership of anne of cleves.

a map commissioned in 1595 queen elizabeth 1st , drawn christopher saxton, refers area around hook ‘hoke’.

industrial hamlet

titchfield st peter s church in 2006

the modern hamlet of hook linked return england of william hornby, governor of bombay. after return in 1783 british government granted hornby land @ hook where, between 1785 , 1789, set building country mansion modelled upon government house in bombay. there memorial window william hornby in st peter s church in titchfield. parkland, laid out setting mansion, resulted in removal of remained of medieval hamlet. work involved diversion of existing local roads , construction of sea wall across creek, reducing former inlet small stream. @ time mansion built there no bridge across fleet @ newtown there today, , access estate titchfield via abshot , hook park road.

william hornby died in 1803 , ownership of estate passed son john. when john hornby died in 1832 ownership passed on son, william. william hornby, grandson of governor hornby, constructed estate buildings form industrial hamlet @ hook. these comprised blacksmiths house, smithy , 4 workers cottages serve estate. there evidence wheelwrights house of earlier date although shop adjoining built (or rebuilt) @ time. 4 cottages built in 1846. built serve estate, smithy , wheelwright’s shop gradually expanded serve wider area of warsash , locks heath, becoming small industrial centre providing woodwork , ironwork district.

the mansion destroyed fire around midnight on night of 17 july 1903. group of listed buildings associated house, lie west of conservation area, survive reminder. these include georgian stable block, known golf house, walled garden , orangery. scatter of older cottages still survive on hook park road, including former schoolhouse, these mark route old hamlet , former hook house. industrial hamlet survives notable example of group of victorian estate buildings , buildings form core of hook conservation area.