Bitterne Manor
Encyclopedia
Bitterne Manor is a suburb of Southampton
surrounding the manor house
of the same name.
.
The manor house has existed from Norman times and possibly earlier, and was built from the stones of Clausentum. The house was used by the Bishop
of Winchester
, who travelled from manor to manor with his court throughout each year. The manor house also operated as a farm, and was surrounded by parkland. Bitterne Park
today, though, is a built-up area.
With its easy access to the River Itchen
and the navigation to Winchester, Bitterne Manor was used by the bishops as a distribution centre for wine and salt, which was panned in the river.
Arrangements were made to determine the exact boundaries between the manor and the Abbey lands at Hound and Netley
in January 1246. This boundary remained in place until the mid 19th century, and was used in part as the subsequent boundary between the Itchen Urban District Council and Bitterne Parish Council.
Robert Kilwardby
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
, visited Bitterne Manor in 1274 and spent Christmas
there.
The scarcity of farm labourers resulting from the Black Death
of 1348 led to higher running costs in manors across the country, and it became more profitable to let the house to tenants and sublet the farmland to tenant farmers. Bitterne Manor was tenant-occupied from the late 15th Century to the early 19th Century.
William Camden
visited the manor in around 1586, describing it as "an ancient castle ... at every tide [it] is encompassed for three parts of it by water a great breadth."
A scientific excavation of the site was carried out between 1951 and 1954 by the Ministry of Works, the results published in 1958 by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
The Bishop of Winchester sold the lease to the manor to a Mr. Simpson in 1802. The new owner did not wish to use the manor as a farm, and so in 1804-05 the farmhouse was demolished and a new manor house constructed. The defensive ditch that the Romans had constructed was filled in. The Northam Bridge
was also built around this time, opening initially as a toll bridge. This allowed the growing Southampton to expand, leading to the urbanisation of the Bitterne Manor area.
The manor, including approximately 50 acres (202,343 m²) of surrounding property, was purchaed by Sir Steuert MacNaghten around 1863, and was used as the private residence of his family until his death in 1895. Following the death of Steuert MacNaghten, most of the land surrounding the manor house was sold to the Southampton Corporation for residential development. The MacNaghten family re-acquired the manor house and a few acres of grounds in 1902, and continued to use it as the family residence. Upon the death of Steuert MacNaghten's widow, Amy Katherine MacNaghten, in 1906, the manor house passed to their children. One of these, Lettice MacNaghten, purchased full title from her siblings and continued to live in the house, often taking in paying guests, until it was severely damaged by German bombing raids on Southampton during World War II. Lettice then abandoned the house, took refuge with her sister-in-law in Guildford, and refused to return to it in its damaged condition. The damaged manor house was vandalized and ultimately sold it to an architect, who converted it into flats.
Today, the manor house and its grounds are privately owned and split into fourteen apartments. Some of the surrounding grounds, consisting of grassland, woodland and a natural foreshore to the River Itchen
, are maintained by the Council as a public open space.
, and on the East by the railway line linking Southampton
to Portsmouth
. Northam Bridge crosses the river to the neighbouring suburb of Northam, whilst beyond the railway line is the suburb of Bitterne
. The A3024 dual carriageway runs through the area, one of the primary commuter routes in and out of Southampton
from the East.
Apart from the grounds of the manor house, the area immediately around the dual carriageway is mostly taken up by residential housing and Bitterne Manor Primary School. On the fringes of the suburb, where it meets the river, a number of industrial units can be found. There are also some small nature reserves lining the river banks. Chessel Bay
has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
surrounding the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
of the same name.
History
Bitterne Manor is the site of the original Roman settlement of Clausentum, the forerunner to today's City of SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
.
The manor house has existed from Norman times and possibly earlier, and was built from the stones of Clausentum. The house was used by the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, who travelled from manor to manor with his court throughout each year. The manor house also operated as a farm, and was surrounded by parkland. Bitterne Park
Bitterne Park
Bitterne Park is a suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England, on the Eastern bank of the River Itchen, built on sloping parkland which once formed part of Bitterne Manor....
today, though, is a built-up area.
With its easy access to the River Itchen
River Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of , and is noted as one of England's - if not one of the World's - premier chalk streams for fly fishing,...
and the navigation to Winchester, Bitterne Manor was used by the bishops as a distribution centre for wine and salt, which was panned in the river.
Arrangements were made to determine the exact boundaries between the manor and the Abbey lands at Hound and Netley
Netley
Netley, sometimes called Netley Abbey, is a village on the south coast of Hampshire, England, situated on the east side of the city of Southampton...
in January 1246. This boundary remained in place until the mid 19th century, and was used in part as the subsequent boundary between the Itchen Urban District Council and Bitterne Parish Council.
Robert Kilwardby
Robert Kilwardby
Robert Kilwardby was an Archbishop of Canterbury in England and as well as a cardinal.-Life:Kilwardby studied at the University of Paris, then was a teacher of grammar and logic there. He then joined the Dominican Order and studied theology, and became regent at Oxford University before 1261,...
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, visited Bitterne Manor in 1274 and spent Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
there.
The scarcity of farm labourers resulting from the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
of 1348 led to higher running costs in manors across the country, and it became more profitable to let the house to tenants and sublet the farmland to tenant farmers. Bitterne Manor was tenant-occupied from the late 15th Century to the early 19th Century.
William Camden
William Camden
William Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and officer of arms. He wrote the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...
visited the manor in around 1586, describing it as "an ancient castle ... at every tide [it] is encompassed for three parts of it by water a great breadth."
A scientific excavation of the site was carried out between 1951 and 1954 by the Ministry of Works, the results published in 1958 by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
The Bishop of Winchester sold the lease to the manor to a Mr. Simpson in 1802. The new owner did not wish to use the manor as a farm, and so in 1804-05 the farmhouse was demolished and a new manor house constructed. The defensive ditch that the Romans had constructed was filled in. The Northam Bridge
Northam Bridge
The Northam Bridge is a road bridge across the River Itchen in Southampton, England, linking the suburbs of Northam and Bitterne Manor. The current bridge was the first major prestressed concrete road bridge to be built in the United Kingdom...
was also built around this time, opening initially as a toll bridge. This allowed the growing Southampton to expand, leading to the urbanisation of the Bitterne Manor area.
The manor, including approximately 50 acres (202,343 m²) of surrounding property, was purchaed by Sir Steuert MacNaghten around 1863, and was used as the private residence of his family until his death in 1895. Following the death of Steuert MacNaghten, most of the land surrounding the manor house was sold to the Southampton Corporation for residential development. The MacNaghten family re-acquired the manor house and a few acres of grounds in 1902, and continued to use it as the family residence. Upon the death of Steuert MacNaghten's widow, Amy Katherine MacNaghten, in 1906, the manor house passed to their children. One of these, Lettice MacNaghten, purchased full title from her siblings and continued to live in the house, often taking in paying guests, until it was severely damaged by German bombing raids on Southampton during World War II. Lettice then abandoned the house, took refuge with her sister-in-law in Guildford, and refused to return to it in its damaged condition. The damaged manor house was vandalized and ultimately sold it to an architect, who converted it into flats.
Today, the manor house and its grounds are privately owned and split into fourteen apartments. Some of the surrounding grounds, consisting of grassland, woodland and a natural foreshore to the River Itchen
River Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of , and is noted as one of England's - if not one of the World's - premier chalk streams for fly fishing,...
, are maintained by the Council as a public open space.
Geography
The area is bounded on the North, West and South by the River ItchenRiver Itchen, Hampshire
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of , and is noted as one of England's - if not one of the World's - premier chalk streams for fly fishing,...
, and on the East by the railway line linking Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. Northam Bridge crosses the river to the neighbouring suburb of Northam, whilst beyond the railway line is the suburb of Bitterne
Bitterne
Bitterne is an eastern suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England.Bitterne derives its name not from the similarly named bird, the Bittern but from the bend in the River Itchen; the Old English words byht and ærn together mean "house near a bend", most likely a reference to Bitterne Manor...
. The A3024 dual carriageway runs through the area, one of the primary commuter routes in and out of Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
from the East.
Apart from the grounds of the manor house, the area immediately around the dual carriageway is mostly taken up by residential housing and Bitterne Manor Primary School. On the fringes of the suburb, where it meets the river, a number of industrial units can be found. There are also some small nature reserves lining the river banks. Chessel Bay
Chessel Bay
Chessel Bay is the name given to the bay formed on the eastern side of a large bend in the River Itchen to the east of the district of Northam in the city of Southampton, Hampshire, England. Chessel Bay Local Nature Reserve , designated by the City Council in 1989, is located here...
has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.