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The Petersfield story

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The 16th Century
The Norman charters granted to the Borough of Petersfield were of benefit to the inhabitants, who, having paid the agreed rents to the manorial lord's bailiff, then enjoyed considerable independence. The King granted the Borough to Sir Richard Weston of Guildford in 159.3 and his family held it until 1597. Dissolution of Durford Abbey The lands and possessions of Durford Abbey came under the Act of suppression of the lesser Abbeys in 1536. Sir William Fitzwilliam received most of the lands. On his death in 1542 Sir Edmund Mervyn was granted the demesne lands. He is believed to have built Castle House in The Square, Petersfield.
Wool Industry From early times sheep had played an important part in farm economy, producing meat, cheeses made from the ewes' milk, wool from their annual fleeces, and skins. The processing of wool became an important trade, engaging people with a range of skills. The Petersfield area produced a cloth known as a Hampshire kersey, which was a lighter cloth, not a heavy broadcloth. Durford Abbey was an important producer from its own properties, being listed by Florentine wool importers.
Members of Parliament In 1552 Petersfield Borough once again sent two members to Parliament. The Borough continued to send two members to each Parliament until the 1832 Reform Act.
Parish Registers Parish registers were first required in 1538. The clergy were obliged 'to record in every church, the day and year of every wedding, christening and burying made within your parish'; also, to insert every person's name. The gradual development of Portsmouth as a naval port and army base produced more traffic on the London to Portsmouth road. The four large inns in the High Street benefited from this extra business. But the coming of travellers sometimes brought tragedy. In 1563 the return of survivors from the plague stricken garrison at Le Havre passed through Petersfield, bringing the disease with them. As a result, between August and October, 114 inhabitants died. By the mid 1590s the Mayor and local dignitaries were minded to request a Charter from Queen Elizabeth, giving them full rights to local government with a Mayor and corporation. In 1596 they purchased the fine mace which the present Town Council still owns. Unfortunately Thomas Hanbury, an auditor of the Exchequer a kind of judge had purchased and resided at the Manor of Mapledurham (Buriton). Hanbury also purchased the Manor of the Petersfield Borough from the Weston family. In 1599 he acquired Letters Patent from Queen Elizabeth for a fee. The Letters Patent gave him full rights as Lord of the Manor. It was a great blow to the hopes of the Petersfield inhabitants who were used to an absentee landlord and an amenable bailiff. In 1981 the Petersfield Area Historical Society was able to raise funds to buy the Letters Patent at a Sotheby's sale. After Roger Powell's workshop had kindly cleaned and flattened the two pieces of vellum, and Oskar Dawson had made a splendid scroll box, the Letters Patent were presented to the Town Council, which still owns them.