Footsteps from the Past

“Understanding the past to find meaning in the present” : Events in the times of Parish Priests of Compton All Saints

Footsteps from the past - Charles Wickham — Charles Wickham, rector from 1872 to 1902

Nigel Ovenden, the last rector to live in Compton

Table of Contents

Originally published in five instalments in Compton & Shawford Parish Magazine, February-June 2016

In this series of articles, we are looking at the historical events around the times of All Saints (formerly All Hallowes) Church and its named priests in Compton.

Part 1 (February 2016) concerns the beginnings of Christianity in the area and the building of the churches, through turbulent times, including the Black Death until the death of Henry IV in 1413. Then Part 2 (March 2016) deals with the period of the Tudor Reformation; Part 3 covers the Civil War and the Restoration; Part 4 Georgian expansion, Victorian Empire, agricultural & industrial revolutions; and Part 5 from Edward VII to Elizabeth II.

We have shown the “footsteps” in a table, to help match the parish priests (names listed in church) against the ruling monarch at the time and some significant events both locally and nationally.

Part 1 Beginnings. 600-1400

This “beginning” shows when Christianity first came to the area. The original Saxon church was probably built around the time of King Alfred. The stone church dates from around 1160.

Compton was a farming hamlet with the old Roman road (The King’s Highway) running by it. The fields were in the valleys, with common land at Church Fields, Mead Furlong & Hurdle Way. The “Closes” were rented out by the Prior (Cathedral) but much of the Downland was still covered in forests, with some emerging clearings. Generally, Compton was fairly well insulated from national events, but was occasionally affected by marauding gangs, crop failures, famine and by plague. Church services would have been in Latin; very few people would have been literate and villagers would not have travelled far from home.

Part 2 Tudors – the Reformation

This period of the Tudors and the Reformation was a turbulent time nationally. But in many ways, the Compton community was able to stay relatively stable, despite the shifts between Catholicism and Protestantism, and the dissolution of monasteries. However, one significant event was the martyrdom of Revd John Philpott from Compton Place. Austin Whitaker writes:

The village must have been shaken by the martydom of the Revd. John Philpott, the archdeacon of Winchester, in 1555; he was the son of the squire Sir John Philpott, and broke away from the traditional Catholic faith of his family. He was a man of uncompromising views, always ready to defend them, and his courage in facing death at the stake is dramatically honoured by a golden circle of flame around his name in a fine family-tree of 1620.

[editor’s note: Whitaker is probably mistaken – most sources state that Archdeacon Philpott was the son of Sir Peter Philpott]

Locally, the community had problems with the “Kings Highway” between Compton and Otterbourne. It was often impassable and villagers were often forced to make repairs. Also, the Parish Priest was often absent, and curates would run the church.

Part 3 Civil War and the Restoration. 1603 to 1714

The 17th C can be described as “stirring times” with much political agitation. The parish saw clashes between the opposing forces of the King and Parliament and penal measures directed spasmodically against a Roman Catholic minority. They were often called “recusants” and were given fines for not attending church. Priest Thomas Hackett appears to have steered a “steady ship” during this period with Priest John Webb steadying it until the next period of change.

1651: A Royal visitor. Drew records that

There seems to be little doubt that on Sunday, October 12th there passed through the parish a tall dark young man ’over two yards high’, and on whose head there was a price of £1000.
This was King Charles II fleeing from the debacle of Worcester and seeking a port where a ship might be found to carry him back to France.
He had discarded the ‘old sweaty leather doublet, green threadbare coat and greasy steeple hat without band or lining’ which had formed his first disguise, and was now dressed more decently in ‘a suit and cloak of country grey and a high black hat’.
Attended by one companion only he had left Heale House, near Old Sarum, at 3 a.m. that morning and he arrived near Hursley about noon.
He is known to have crossed the Itchen near Twyford and his route must have been either by Shawford or by the old ford at the Malm.

Part 4. Georgian expansion, Victorian Empire, agricultural & industrial revolutions

The 18/19th Centuries were times of significant changes in the role of monarchy, parliament, an expanding world and European rivalry. They saw improved communication with roads, carriages, post, canals and eventually railways, matching the march of agricultural and industrial revolution. Compton and Shawford was not immune from these changes.

Part 5. Edward VII to Elizabeth II

The 20th century and into the 21st century has been a time of significantly accelerating change and a fair degree of turmoil, with two World Wars, industrial expansion, space exploration and rampant communication in an ever shrinking world. These are times of significant challenges, social, political and spiritual.

Timeline

Usage Notes:

You can scroll through the table, or search for people and events by name.
To search the table for any mention of the Philpotts, enter Philpott in the search box. To look for a specific phrase such as John Philpott, enter “John Philpott” (with quotes) in the search box.
A search on John Philpott (without quotes) will retrieve entries containing the words John and Philpott not necessarily next to each other.
If you are using a smartphone, the table is probably easier to read in landscape mode.

Events in the times of Parish Priests of Compton

Date	Monarch	Priest	Significant Events
591			St.Augustine Christian Missionary England
633			St.Birrilus. Christian Missionary Winchester
611-641	Cynegils.W. Saxon		King Cynegils baptised in 633.
666-675	Cenwealh.W. Sax		Starts Old Minster, estate of 7 leagues distance
676			Bishop Haeddi. 1st Bishop of Winchester
860-871	Aethelred		St.Swithun dies in 861
871-899	Alfred the Great	monks	Likely Saxon Church in Compton, wooden structure on ancient stones. Alfred translates the 10 commandments (Latin into Old English)
899-925	Edward the Elder	monks	King of all Britain. Starts New Minster.
946-955	Eadred	monks	St. Dunstan brings crown & state together
1016-1035	Cnut	monks	Remains in Winchester Cathedral
1042-1066	Edward Confessor	monks
1066-1087	William Conqueror	monks	Norman conquest. Domesday Book 1085-6. 9 churches in Manor of Chilcomb, incl Compton. 1079 New Cathedral starts under Prior Simeon
1087-1100	William II Rufus	monks	Killed in New Forest taken to Winchester via Silkstede, Compton/Shawford. "Red Lane".
1100-1135	Henry I	monks	Elected King in Winchester
1135-1154	Stephen	monks
1154-1189	Henry II	monks	By 1160 Compton stone church is built, north door of this date as is the font. "All Hallowes" 1170 Thomas Beckett murdered in Canterbury
1189-1199	Richard I Lionheart	monks	Crusades. 1195 origin of JPs
1199-1216	John	monks	1215 Magna Carta
1216-1272	Henry III	Hugo de Lavington	1st Parliament of County Representatives.
1272-1307	Edward I	Henry Simplingham
1289	Edward I	William de Essex	1290 Jews are banished, did not return until 17.C
1304	Edward I	John de Bloyou	1300 Chancel arch in Old church.
1305	Edward I	Oger de Kernicke	Scottish uprising. W Wallace & R Bruce.
1307-1327	Edward II	William d Bloyou	1307 Silkstede pigeon house, part still survives.1314. crops fail, famine & disease
1316	Edward II	W de Staunforde
1317	Edward II	W de Farnham
1327-1377	Edward III	Robert Parson	1327 start of local taxation. Unsettled times
c 1337	Edward III	William Gaspays	1338 start of 100yrs war with France
c 1340	Edward III	William d Meon	1345 Battle of Crecy. English bowmen.
1347	Edward III	Nicholas de Winton	1348 The Black Death. Third of population dies & family names disappear from Compton register
1349	Edward III	John Loke (or Lok)*
1349	Edward III	Richard Habbegod	(* probable deaths from plague)
1354	Edward III	John de Kymberlee (or Kimberlee)	shortage of land labour & farmers.
1357	Edward III	Hugh de Morton	appearance of farmer priests
1361	Edward III	John Wormenhale
1361	Edward III	Michael Dunkeved	1362 English language set in statute for use in courts of Law. Services still in Latin.
1372	Edward III	John Stauntone
1375	Edward III	Thomas Tynny (or Tynne)	1377 John Wycliffe reforming politician and theologian. Followers "Lollards" persecuted
1377-1399	Richard II	William Grateley	1381 Peasants Revolt. Essex & Kent
1381	Richard II		Wycliffe's translation of the Bible in English
1399-1413	Henry IV	William Ruddock	1411. 1400 Laws passed on heresy
1412	Henry IV	John Cranburne	1405 persecution & alienation of clergy.
1413-1422	Henry V	John Cranburne	Long serving priest. "Kings Highway" "Holeway" impassable owing to flooding. Villagers digging for chalk? Ordered to repair. Henry starts written English. Battle of Azincourt (fleet sails from Southampton with archers.)
1422-1461	Henry VI	John Cranburne	Jeanne D'Arc. 1455 War of Roses starts. Philpotts arrive to build Compton Place.
1461-1483	Edward IV	John Boucher	1466. 1467 Kings Highway danger to use.
-1469	Edward IV	Walter Dyar	1477 Caxton's first printing press.
-1480	Edward IV	Thomas Apthorp
-1483	Edward V	Brian Hulme	Edward one of murdered princes in Tower
1483-1485	Richard III	Brian Hulme	1485 Battle of Bosworth Richard killed by Tudors
1485-1509	Henry VII	Richard Maker	1493. Thomas Silksted became Prior of St. Swithun's Cathedral Winchester. Builds Silksted Manor House as Prior's country residence(300yr)
1493	Henry VII	William Eades	1501 Henry's son marries Catherine of Aragon. 1502 Arthur dies & Catherine passes to Henry 8.
1501	Henry VII	William Cadew (rector) John Johnson alias Scott (parish priest)	1507. Malms is main common land in Compton
1509-1547	Henry VIII	David Sybald (or Sibbald)	1517.David Sybald (or Sibbald), a Franciscan who upheld his beliefs until his death in 1534. Cardinal Wolsey is Henry's Chancellor. Martin Luther makes his proclamation against Rome.
-1521	Henry VIII	David Sybald (or Sibbald)	Henry to divorce Catherine to marry Anne Bolyn
-1525	Henry VIII	David Sybald (or Sibbald)	William Tyndale prints English translation of New Testament, "so ploughboys can learn to read Bible". He is martyred.
-1530	Henry VIII	David Sybald (or Sibbald)	Wolsey goes, Henry abandons Rome and forms Church of England
-1534	Henry VIII	David Sybald (or Sibbald)	Although it was dangerous to do so, David Sybald/Sibbald left all his property to the strict Fanciscan Observants. The will was overturned by decision of Thomas Cromwell that the money should be disposed of at the King's pleasure.
-1534	Henry VIII	Wiliam Philpott	Cranmer is Archbishop. Henry marries Anne. Thomas Cromwell is Vicar General. Act of Supremacy made law.
-1536	Henry VIII	Anthony Barker	Is prebendary at Winchester Cathedral, has two curates Walter Welche & William Thomas. Dissolution of monasteries. Anne beheaded. Henry marries Jane Seymore, Edward born 1537. Jane dies.
-1539	Henry VIII	Anthony Barker	Winchester Priory dissolved, Cathedral gains a Dean & Chapter. The Six Articles of Protestantism imposed. Compton still known as All Halownde.
-1540	Henry VIII	Anthony Barker	Henry marries Anne of Cleves & soon divorces her to marry Catherine Howard. Cromwell is executed.
-1542	Henry VIII	Anthony Barker	Henry has Catherine beheaded and in 1543 marries Catherine Parr who survives him. d 1547
1547-1553	Edward VI	Anthony Barker	Cranmer publishes the Catechism & Book of Common Prayer & enforces Act of Uniformity
-1551	Edward VI	John Erle	A former monk & Lay Clerk at Winchester Cathedral. He manages to balance the faiths.
-1553	Lady Jane Grey	John Erle	Cranmer publishes the 42 Articles of Religion
1553-1558	Mary I	John Erle	Mary restores the Mass & begins to persecute Protestants as heretics. John Erle becomes sacristan at Winchester Cathedral
-1554	Mary I	John Erle	Mary marries Philip of Spain in Winchester Cathedral
-1555	Mary I	John Erle	Revd John Philpott (Compton Place) Archdeacon of Winchester accused of heresy, burnt at stake.
1558-1603	Elizabeth I	John Erle	Restores Church of England.
-1559	Elizabeth I	John Coxe	2nd Act of Supremacy, clergy to sign an oath
-1560	Elizabeth I	David Padye	Prebendary of St Pauls & Winchester Cathedrals
-1562	Elizabeth I	Thomas Odill	Prebendary of Winchester. Kings Highway again impassable. Villagers ordered to repair it.
-1564	Elizabeth I	Thomas Odill	Birth of Shakespeare.
-1566	Elizabeth I	Edward Walker	Curate John Wright.
-1574	Elizabeth I	Robert Raynolds	Former Master St Cross. Non-resident of Compton uses Curates Walter Heycrest & Thomas Stemp.
-1587	Elizabeth I	Robert Raynolds	Mary Q of Scots executed leaving son James.
-1588	Elizabeth I	Robert Raynolds	Spanish Armada defeated
-1595	Elizabeth I	John Harmer	John Harmer was also Professor of Greek at Oxford, Headmaster and Warden of Winchester College and one of the translators of the Authorised Version
1603	Elizabeth I	John Harmer	Elizabeth dies at 69yrs, James I named successor.
1603	James I	John Harmer	Compton has 70 communicants
1603	James I	John Harmer	Walter Raleigh tried in Winchester. Executed. Scholars sent to lodge in Silkstead so lawyers and courtiers in Winchester for the trial could stay at the college.
1604	James I	John Harmer	Gunpowder Plot. King James Bible printed.
1606	James I	John Harmer	Two colonies founded in Virginia.
1613	James I	Abraham Browne	Prebendary of Winchester Cathedral
1620	James I	Abraham Browne	"Mayflower" sails for America.
1623	James I	Abraham Browne	Catholics allowed to worship in private houses.
1625	Charles I	Abraham Browne	Autumn plague rages in Winchester. College students sent to Silkstead for 17 months.
1627	Charles I	James Wedderburn	Also Prebendary of Ely & Wells & vicar of Mildenhall & Fulbourn. William White, curate.
1628	Charles I	James Wedderburn	New Barn area still in forest.
1632	Charles I	James Wedderburn	Goldfinch family living at Manor Farm House.
1633	Charles I	James Wedderburn	Turmoil in Parliament, . Archbishop Laud gives leniency to Catholics.
1636	Charles I	John Ramsey then Thomas Hackett	Dr Wedderburn becomes Bishop of Dunblane.
1640	Charles I	Thomas Hackett	Charles dissolves Parliament, sets up new one. Severe measures passed against Catholics.
1642	Charles I	Thomas Hackett	Parliament in chaos. Start of Civil War. Silkstead Manor in hands of Harris family 160yr
1643	Charles I	Thomas Hackett	Government of church by Bishops abolished
1645	Charles I	Thomas Hackett	Oliver Cromwell head of New Model Army. Storms Winchester Castle. Troops billeted in Compton. (PM. August 2015)
1649	Charles I	Thomas Hackett	Charles, tried, condemned & executed
1650	Monarchy abolished	Thomas Hackett	also House of Lords abolished. Survey of church estates.
1651	Monarchy abolished	Thomas Hackett	Drew records that "on Sunday October 12th there passed through the parish a tall dark young man 'over two yards high', and on whose head there was a price of £1000. This was King Charles II fleeing from the debacle of Worcester". In disguise he had left Old Sarum at 3am, reached Hursley by noon along what is now the Monarch's Way. He crossed the Itchen at Shaldefud (Shawford), or possibly the ford at the Malm en route to a channel port and a ship to France. Parish instructed to repair Kings Highway & church railings.
1653	Protectorate	Thomas Hackett	Cromwell made Lord Protector
1656	Protectorate	Thomas Hackett	Parliament recalled.
1658	Protectorate	Thomas Hackett	Cromwell dies handing over to son Richard, who resigns. Eventually lived in Hursley where he is buried in church yard.
1660	Charles II	Thomas Hackett	Restoration of Monarchy.
1660	Charles II	Thomas Hackett	Philpotts leave Compton Place sold to Sir Henry Worsley for another 40 years
1661	Charles II	James Holloway	Thomas Hackett buried in old church chancel. Corporation Act, persecution of dissenters
1662	Charles II	James Morecroft	2,000 non-conforming clergy resign to become Presbyterians. Hearth Tax implemented.
1665	Charles II	James Morecroft	Great plague breaks out & reaches Hursley.
1666	Charles II	James Morecroft	Great Fire of London.
1667	Charles II	William Burt	Milton's "Paradise Lost" printed. Dr Burt, was warden Winchester College & Prebendary
1677	Charles II	John Barton	Former Curate. 92 conformists & 14 papists registered in the village.
1678	Charles II	John Barton	Burial records began (burying in woollens). Collections for St Pauls Cathedral, captives in Algiers & protestants in Poland & France. "The Compton people were(are) generous folk."
1683	Charles II	John Webb	Lived 38years at Parsonage.
1685	James II	John Webb	Monmouth rebellion leading to Bloody Assizes with Judge Jeffreys. Some held in Winchester.
1687	James II	John Webb	Declaration of Indulgence proclaims liberty of conscience.
1688	James II	John Webb	James deserted by family & faced with a Protestant revolt, flees to France.
1689	William III & Mary II	John Webb	Act of Settlement for Royal succession. Country unsettled. Ireland invaded. Battle of The Boyne
1690	William III & Mary II	John Webb	Massacre at Glencoe. At war with France.
1694	William III & Mary II	John Webb	Mary dies. Jacobite Rebellion.
1695	William III & Mary II	John Webb	Register of Baptisms & Marriages started
1702	Anne	John Webb	Compton Place demolished., acreage includes Shawford Close up to the ford at Shawford..
1712	Anne	John Webb	European wars with army led by Duke of Marlborough. Armistice with France.
1714	George I	John Webb	Start of Hanoverian dynasty.
1710	George I	John Webb	Itchen Navigation "Barge Canal" completed.
1714	George I	John Webb	Composer Handel comes to England.
1721	George I	John Thistlewaite	Canon of Chichester. Curate William Harvey. Walpole government.
1722	George I	John Thistlewaite	Wascelyn-Philpott land sold. "Little Cranford Cottage" Shawford existed
1724	George I	Charles Scott	Rector for 38 yrs. Built "Red House" parsonage next to church. Compton Population 130.
1727	George II	Charles Scott	Unpopular King. Wife Caroline more effective. Time of composer JS Bach & highwayman Dick Turpin. 1731 Gallery built at west end of old church for musicians.
1739	George II	Charles Scott	John Wesley founded Methodism. War of Jenkin's Ear against Spain.
1742	George II	Charles Scott	Permission granted to "burn, bake, plough & till" land at Southdown.("Bakelands") First performance of Handel's "Messiah".
1744	George II	Charles Scott	Difficult years for farming. War with France.
1745	George II	Charles Scott	"Bonnie Prince Charlie" defeated at Culloden
1750	George II	Charles Scott	Agricultural revolution with bigger farms and new technology. Beginnings of Industrial revolution.
1755	George II	Charles Scott	Samuel Johnson's dictionary printed
1757	George II	Charles Scott	England characterised by Hogarth's paintings. British adventures in India(Clive),Canada(Wolfe)
1759	George II	Charles Scott	British Museum opens to the public.
1760	George III	Charles Scott
1763	George III	John Mitchell	Robert Shipman curate.
1765	George III	John Shipman	Curate George Huntingford later Bishop of Hereford buried at Compton Church. Malt Houses by Shawford bridge & Parsonage Barn(1771) Last record of full Rogation walk around parish. Private school of William Goldfinch moves to Twyford.
1768	George III	John Shipman	Watt's steam engine, Arkwright's spinning frame.
1772	George III	John Shipman	Slavery abolished in England
1773	George III	John Shipman	Start of American War of Independence.
1775	George III	Newton Ogle	Dean of Winchester. Captain Cook's tour.
1776	George III	Thomas Rickman	A methodical rector.
1780	George III	Thomas Rickman	Catholic Relief Bill
1781	George III	Philip Williams	Prebendary of Winchester & Canterbury, Chaplain to Speaker House of Commons. Sally (Sarah) his wife manages church in his absence. ref Shurlock
1783	George III	Philip Williams	Construction begins on Compton-Otterbourne Turnpike road (follows Roman road). Parliament of Pitt the younger.
1787	George III	Revd Williams returns	Sarah Williams dies. Memorial in church. Golden age of horse & carriages 1780-1840
1788	George III	Philip Williams	First recorded cricket match in village. George III deemed insane. Travis of Silkstead employs poor children of parish in flax spinning.
1789	George III	Philip Williams	French Revolution
1790	George III	Philip Williams	Poor house in village at Shawford (nr current hall)
1798	George III	Philip Williams	Rise of Emperor Napoleon, threatens England
1803	George III	Philip Williams	Silkstead Manor demolished.(bits remain)
1805	George III	Philip Williams	Battle of Trafalgar
1809	George III	Philip Williams	At war with Spain
1812	George III	Philip Williams	Napoleon invades Russia & is defeated by winter.
1815	George III	Philip Williams	Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon defeated. Corn Law.
1817	George III	Philip Williams	First savings banks established. Industrial strikes.
1820	George IV	Philip Williams	Unrest in agriculture, bad time for farmers.
1829	George IV	Philip Williams	Stevenson's "rocket" steam engine.
1830	William IV	John Old Zillwood	Revd Williams dies at 88, after 50yrs at Compton.
1832	William IV	John Old Zillwood	First steam vehicle arrives in Compton. 52 Houses in the parish. Chequers Inn at corner of Compton St & main rd, opposite blacksmiths & across from the wheel-wright.
1833	William IV	John Old Zillwood	Abolition of slavery. First Education Grant. Factory's Act guarding rights of children.
1834	William IV	John Old Zillwood	Poor Law increase number of workhouses
1836	William IV	John Old Zillwood	Reform of marriage laws. Now church & Chapel. Railway line being built through the village using mainly Welsh navvies
1837	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	William is succeeded by his niece Victoria. Poor Law gives rise to Socialism & Chartism
1838	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Compton Church elementary school established.
1839	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	First passenger train in Shawford on 10th June.
1840	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Penny post. Victoria marries Albert
1841	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Canada united.1st Afghan war
1843	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Scottish church schism leads to Free Kirk
1845	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Irish potatoes famine compounds poverty & in a year quarter million people die of famine.
1851	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace.
1853	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Lyne family at Compton Manor Farm for next 30yrs
1854	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Crimea War & Florence Nightingale's nurses.
1857	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Continued unrest in India
1860	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Maori Wars in New Zealand
1861	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	American Civil War which ends in 1864
1868	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Disraeli administration followed by Gladstone. Chequers Inn closes and becomes a dairy ‘til 1890.
1870	Victoria	John Old Zillwood	Elementary Education Act
1871	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Corn at Compton Farm mechanically threshed.
1872	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Ballot Act.
1879	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Improvements to old church, gallery dismantled, 13thC fresco & windows revealed, new E window
1882	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Shawford Station opens. Area now fashionable for building. Until then an Inn, a mill, poor houses & ancient cottages overlooking the river.
1884	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Sudanese war
1888	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Compton Farm had 20 horses & 20 men. Everyone went to church on Sunday. Women shopped in Winchester walking there and back. 1888 Local Government Act creates County Councils.
1894	Victoria	Charles Wickham	1894 Local Government Act creates Parish Councils, grants additional rights to women
1896	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Parish Hall opened on 16 Dec, built for £750 including land. First in the county under the 1894 LGA
1899	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Southdown sold by Ecclesiastical Commission for housing. Boer War in S Africa.
1901	Victoria	Charles Wickham	Victoria dies aged 81 years.
1901	Edward VII	Charles Wickham	London Underground Railway
1902	Edward VII	Alfred Blake	Women's suffragette movement 1903
1904	Edward VII	Cecil Cooper	Japan and Russia at war, Entente Cordiale, Panama canal
1905	Edward VII	Cecil Cooper	Major church extension blends old with new. Memorial window to Revd Wickham.
1908	Edward VII	Cecil Cooper	Organ put into church. Music time of Elgar & V Williams.
1909	Edward VII	Charles Durham	Revd Cooper goes on to be Archdeacon of York & Dean of Carlisle. Returns to live in Compton. Cars produced. 1st air flight across English Channel.
1910	George V	Charles Durham	1912 Titanic sinks. White Star Line plates in Village Hall.
1914	George V	Charles Durham	Start of 1st World War. Thousands of soldiers march along main road to Southampton, stop for refreshments by top of Shawford Down. Irish Soldiers guard railway.
1915	George V	Charles Durham	Village welcomes Belgium refugees from Malines. Royal Artillery stationed on Southdown. Hospital in Village Hall.
1917	George V	John Blackett	Russian Revolution.
1918	George V	John Blackett	End of Hostilities 11:00 11/11/1918. 10 million dead, 17 from village. Wayside Cross erected. Women get the vote.
1919	George V	John Blackett	Great War formal end with Treaty of Versailles. 1st Atlantic air flight.
1921	George V	John Blackett	Shawford Down War Memorial dedicated 4 April
1922	George V	John Blackett	General strike/depression. Ireland partitioned.
1928	George V	Philip Cunningham	House building at Attwoods Drove & Martins Field
1932	George V	Philip Cunningham	Great depression. Rise of Hitler & Mahatma Gandhi
1936	Edward VII	Philip Cunningham	King abdicates. Start of Spanish Civil war.
	George VI	Philip Cunningham	1937 Rectory sold and new one built in garden. Start of A33 Winchester bypass which affects Compton.
1939	George VI	Philip Cunningham	2nd World War starts.
1940	George VI	Edwin Utterton	Grandson of Mary Sumner, founder Mother's Union. See Mary window in SW aisle. Stray bomb falls near church.
1945	George VI	Edwin Utterton	War ends with millions dead, 14 from the village. Atom bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki. Shawford Mill closes.
1946	George VI	Edwin Utterton	NHS begins.
1947	George VI	Edwin Utterton	Transport Nationalisation, 1st Scout Troop in Village. Memorial Playing Field purchased for the parish from Judd for £540.
1948	George VI	Edwin Utterton	Economic & Social Treaty of Brussels.
1951	George VI	Henry Burdett	Festival of Britain
1952	Elizabeth II	Henry Burdett	1st television broadcast to nation
1953	Elizabeth II	Henry Burdett	County Council buys Shawford Down to guarantee its future as an open space.
1955	Elizabeth II	Henry Burdett	Pageant of Parish History. 1956 Non Conformist Chapel in Shawford closes.
1958	Elizabeth II	George Fawkes	Retired Naval chaplain. West window memorial.
1962	Elizabeth II	George Fawkes	Telstar Communication satellite.
1963	Elizabeth II	George Fawkes	President Kennedy assassinated.
1965	Elizabeth II	George Fawkes	Death of Sir Winston Churchill. Vietnam War & troubles in Ireland.
1969	Elizabeth II	George Fawkes	By-pass extended from Compton to Southampton. Man sets foot on the moon.
1971	Elizabeth II	George Fawkes	Decimal currency
1973	Elizabeth II	Nigel Ovenden	Former Fleet Air Officer. Last priest to live in Compton. Country joins EEC. Energy crisis – 1974 3-day week
1977	Elizabeth II	Nigel Ovenden	Queen's Jubilee.
1979	Elizabeth II	Nigel Ovenden	1st female PM Margaret Thatcher.
1982	Elizabeth II	Nigel Ovenden	Falklands war with Argentina.
1984	Elizabeth II	Nigel Ovenden	Coal miners strikes. Social unrest.
1987	Elizabeth II	Philip Barrett	First Rector of Compton & Otterbourne. Much respected priest, scholar and pastor. 1989: Hurricane sweeps southern England, fall of Berlin Wall, freedom in Europe. 1994: Channel Tunnel opens, Nelson Mandela first President of a united South Africa.
1994	Elizabeth II	Philip Barrett	Completion of the M3 motorway, which carves its way through Compton & Shawford; bridges link the villages.
1999	Elizabeth II	Edward John Widdows	Priest whose high church leanings didn't sit well with the congregation's established practice.
2003	Elizabeth II	Paul Baird	Much loved & respected by his flock. Harshly treated by church authorities.
2008	Elizabeth II	William Prescott	First Rector of Compton, Hursley & Otterbourne. Very conscientious, very good teacher and spiritual leader.
2016	Elizabeth II	William Prescott	Queen attains 90 years of age & has served 63 years as monarch, the longest serving monarch in our history.
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References

“The Speaker’s Chaplain & The Master’s Daughter” Barry Shurlock. See winchestercollege.org/the-williams-letters-
Whitaker, Austin. “Compton & Shawford” 1985 Large & Whitaker. Boyatt Wood Press, Southampton.
Drew J S. “Compton Near Winchester” Warren & Son Ltd., 1939
Course E. “The Itchen Navigational” Southampton University 1983
Corcoran C & Matthews M. “The Five Mills of Twyford” 2014. https://comptonshawford-pc.gov.uk/about/parish-history/five-mills-twyford-1300/
The Trial of Sir Walter Ralegh: a transcript https://mathewlyons.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/the-trial-of-sir-walter-ralegh-a-transcript/
The Shawford Serendipity Trail,“a historical treasure-hunt in Compton and Shawford”, Tom Threlfall, 1997. https://comptonshawford-pc.gov.uk/sport-and-leisure/walking/the-shawford-serendipity-trail/
EE Project: Digital correspondence of Philip Williams, 2012
http://www.e-enlightenment.com/coffeehouse/project/williams2012/doc01_preface.html
John Harmar (Harmer) http://kingjamesbibletranslators.org/bios/John_Harmar/
James Wedderburn (Bishop) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wedderburn_(bishop)
Kelly’s Directory of Hampshire (1898) http://forebears.co.uk/england/hampshire/compton#sid13736

John Wilkinson
Compton & Shawford Local History Group

editor: Adrian Walmsley

Originally published in five instalments in Compton & Shawford Parish Magazine, February-June 2016

This version contains a few minor editorial changes and the search capability is a useful enhancement over the printed version.