| Sparsholt | |
|---|---|
 St Stephen's parish church | |
  Sparsholt Location withinHampshire | |
| Population | 982 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SU435312 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Winchester |
| Postcode district | SO21 |
| Dialling code | 01962 |
| Police | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Fire | Hampshire and Isle of Wight |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Sparsholt Parish Council |
| 51°04′42″N1°22′42″W / 51.078386°N 1.378251°W /51.078386; -1.378251 | |
Sparsholt (/ˈspɑːʃəʊlt/) is a village andcivil parish inHampshire, England,2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) west ofWinchester. In 1908 its area was 3,672 acres (1,486 ha).[1] The2011 Census recorded its population as 982.[2]
The parish also includes thehamlet of Dean, Farley Mount Country Park and Crab WoodSSSI.[citation needed]
There areBronze Agebowl anddisc barrows in the parish.[3] Just west of the village are the remains ofSparsholt Roman Villa. It was built in phases from the 2nd to the 4th century, and then abandoned. It was excavated in 1965–72. Nothing is visible at the site today, but finds from the excavations are on display in Winchester City Museum.[4] A replica of one wing of the villa has been built atButser Ancient Farm.[5]
There was a village at Lainston. It is now abandoned, leaving only the ruin of its 12th-centuryparish church ofSaint Peter, which is aScheduled Ancient Monument.[6]
The earliest known record of thetoponym is asSpeoresholt in anAnglo-Saxoncharter from AD 901 now reproduced in theCartularium Saxonicum. The name is derived fromOld English and probably means "wood where spear-shafts were obtained".[7]
A late-Saxon manuscript from about 1060–66, now reproduced in theCodex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici, records it asSpæresholt. Apipe roll from 1167 records it asSperesholt.[7] Spellings from the 16th century onwards includedSparshall andSpershott.[1]
The oldest parts of theChurch of England parish church ofSaint Stephen in Sparsholt are also 12th-century. Early in the 13th century it was enlarged by adding a southaisle andarcade to thenave. Thechancel was rebuilt in the 14th century. The chancel arch, west tower and some of the windows are 15th-century. The south doorway was added in 1631. The organ screen and lectern are also 17th-century. The church wasrestored in 1883 under the direction of the architectWilliam Butterfield. It is aGrade II* listed building.[8]
The west tower has aring of six bells. Until the 20th century it had only four bells: a treble, third and tenor cast in 1742 by Robert Catlin ofHolborn[1] and a second cast by Thomas II Mears of theWhitechapel Bell Foundry in 1829. Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry recast the three Catlin bells in 1905. In 1951 the same founders cast a new tenor, increasing the ring to five. In 1995 the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast a new treble bell, increasing the ring to six.[9]
St Stephen's parish is now one of five churches in The DownsBenefice. The others are atChilbolton,Crawley,Littleton andWherwell.[10]
3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) northwest of the village isSparsholt College,[11] a leadingland based college on the edge of the village, from whichBBC Radio 4'sGardeners' Question Time series broadcasts from its "potting shed".
1⁄2 mile (800 m) northeast of the village is theLainston House, a 17th-century country house that is now an hôtel.[12]
Sparsholt Manor was the home of businessman and philanthropist, SirAdrian Swire.[13]
Sparsholt has apub, the Plough Inn, which is controlled byWadworth Brewery.[14]
Stagecoach South bus route 7 links Sparsholt with Winchester bus station. Buses run hourly from Mondays to Saturdays. There is no Sunday orbank holiday service.[15]
The village has a primary school,[16]village hall, and a cricket club,[17] whose ground is1⁄4 mile (400 m) north of the village centre.
Sparsholt has a village shop withpost office. This small building was built as a well house for the village, holding water drawn from the well by a wind-pump for use by the villagers. The shop retains the name. Its post office section may be one of the smallest in the United Kingdom. In 2009 villagers bought the shop under anindustrial provident scheme to safeguard its future.[18]
Sparsholt is part of the Wonston and Micheldever ward which elects three councillors toWinchester City Council, as well as the Winchester Downlands ward whichelects a councillor toHampshire County Council.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
Electoral wards and parishes in theCity of Winchester District,Hampshire,England (since 2016 boundary changes) | ||
|---|---|---|
.svg) Wards.svg) Parishes | Wonston and Micheldever | |
| The Worthys | ||
| Alresford and Itchen | ||
| Winchester |
| |
| Badger Farm and Oliver's Battery | ||
| Colden Common and Twyford | ||
| Upper Meon Valley | ||
| Bishops Waltham | ||
| Central Meon Valley | ||
| Whiteley and Shedfield | ||
| Denmead | ||
| Southwick and Wickham | ||
(Wards ordered from north-west corner, across the map, and then progressively south and east) | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
