Old Hampshire Mapped
Cox's Hampshire
Transcription (31)New Alresford
sheep
New Market
fire
Alresford Pond
Alresford, a Market and Borough Town, lying in the Road between Winchester and London: It is governed by a Bailiff and eight Burgesses, but sends no Members to Parliament. It has a great Market on Thursday weekly, especially for Sheep, and all sorts of Provision, and two Fairs yearly, on Holy Thursday and Midsummer Day.
This Town (according to the Register of the Church of Winchester) was given by the religious King Kinewale with great Devotion to the Church of Winchester, after he had received the Christian Sacraments from Bishop Birinus, at the Beginning of Christianity in these Parts; and Godfrey Lucy, who was Bishop there is 1220, renewed the Market here, and called the Place New Market, perhaps to distinguish it from old Alresford; but the People would not comply with the Alteration, and so it kept its Name.
This Place on May day, 1610, was burnt down by a Fire that broke out in several Places almost at the same Time, and spared not the Church or Market House. Before this Fire there was not one poor Person who received Collection in the Parish. The Town is restored again since, and appears much fairer than it did before, the Market House and many private Houses being built with Brick.
From this Place to Alton there goes a Roman Highway, of which part serves for an Head or Stank to a great Pond, or little Lake, at this Town.
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