Itchen Stoke and Ovington

The manor of Itchen Stoke was granted to the Bishop of Winchester by King Edgar in 960.[4] The Domesday Book records the manor as having passed to Romsey Abbey, which retained it until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It then passed to Sir William Paulet, later the first Marquess of Winchester and stayed with his family until the time of the Commonwealth. Itchen Stoke Mill (with an attached miller's cottage) is of ancient origin. The current building dates from the 18th century and straddles the mill race.[5] Itchen Stoke House is 19th century, has nine bays and is central with small grounds; this being the former rectory.[6]

This outlying north-east hamlet of a few houses has a population of 32.[1][7] It was formerly in its own civil parish[7] and lies along the Ellisfield to Itchen Abbas portion of the Three Castles Path[8] Abbotstone contains an abandoned medieval village,[8] with further details at the charity English Heritage's website[9] and evidence of fortifications,[7] as well as several abandoned quarries.[7][10]

The traveller Celia Fiennes, who made extensive tours riding side-saddle, passed through "Aberstone" in 1691. She noticed the house of the Duke of Bolton "which stands on the side of a hill where are fine Gardens and much fruite."[11]

The name appears in the Domesday Book as "Ofinetune", which means "the place above" in Old English.[15]

The revenues from the manor at Ovington supported Itchen's nuns until 1284 when it was sold to the monks of St. Swithun's Priory, Winchester Cathedral. On the Dissolution of the monasteries (1534–61), it was transferred to the newly formed Dean and Chapter of the cathedral. The manorial rights were disputed in 1855–59 between the Baroness van Zandt and the Bishop of Winchester. After this was resolved, it became the property of the Hewson family.[4]