More information : Swainston - now Swainston House - Basic Village quota
233/0, Poor reliefs - 5/8, 8/2, 8/0. The high quota is due to the
establishment of Newton (SZ 49 SW 8) within the parish as a borough
in 1255, and its inclusion in the figures for taxation. The poll has
79 for Newton and 196 for Swainston.(1) Mainly same information (2).
The manor of Swainston (Sweyneston, XIII cent. Swyneston XIV cent)
occurs in 826 and Domesday Book as held by the church at Winchester
(a). A market and fairs in the manor were granted in 1255 to Aymer
of Winchester (b). The See held the manor until 1284 when it was
siezed by the king (c). In the following year, Edward 1 stayed at
the manor which must have been a house of some importance (d).
From 1307 it occurs regularly until the present (1912) owner, Sir
Edmund Simeon. (1-3)
The tithings of Swainstone, Binstead, Brighstone and Limerstone did
suit at the courts and view of frankpledge which were held at
Swainstone. (4)
A park was attached to the house in the 16th century (e)
The house, though mainly 18th century taking the place of a 16th-
17th century structure, has, in the offices at the back, a 13th
century hall with a late 12th century annexe. This latter was
evidently part of the
original hall built 1174-88 and still retains a two-light,
round-headed window in the end wall and remains of a blunt lancet in
the south wall.
The hall, probably built 1268-80, is a long narrow room, 51 feet by
15 feet and may have had its east end partitioned off as a chapel
or oratory, which is mentioned in 1304 (f). Two openings, possibly
16th or 17th century, between hall and annexe are now blocked and
access to the hall is by a modern north-west door. The undercroft
has been much altered.(3) Similar information, architectural dates
(4). Similar information architectural description and dates (5).
(SZ 44108781) Swainston (T.I.). (6)
The house and estates are called Swainston. Nearly all the house
except the hall and annexe was burnt down in the 1939-45 war and is
now being rebuilt. To the best of my knowledge there has never been
a village as such here but of course a manorial estate would have
had many resident retainers. (7)
SZ 44138782 Both hall and annexe, which fully conform to the
architectural description in T.I. are now used as lumber rooms while
the remainder of the house is being rebuilt. Neither seems to have
suffered any structural damage and are in good preservation.
No evidence of a former village was gathered in field investigation
and it would seem most probable that the decline in population
revealed by M.Beresford's statistics was that of a large landed
estate. (8)
Swainston: recently rebuilt Georgian but incorporating the substantialand outstanding remains of a 13th c. and earlier hall. The only
evidence of a park occurs in the name North Park SU 4388. Grade
2*. (9)
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