Herald - Issue 462

22nd August 2024 • The HERALD • Page 33 v F @heraldpublishing v ABOUT US Our roofers are the best in the business and are ready to give your roof a full and completely FREE inspection PW Bathroom Installations Call 07778 345 124 Email: petewilliams21@hotmail.co.uk Design, Supply & Fit High Quality Bathrooms in Southampton and surrounding areas Over 20 years experience Fully Insured - Free Quotation For more pictures of our work visit: @pw_bathroom_installations PW Bathroom Installations Your Local Professional Electrician • Complete Rewires • Periodic Inspection Reports • Fault Finding & Repair • New Consumer Units • New Circuits • Central Heating Wiring • Extra Sockets/Lights • PAT Testing • No Job Too Small • Part P Registered • Fast & Efficient Service • Free Estimates Telephone Gary on 07788 865081 forestelectrical@gmail.com STANSWOOD AND THE DOMESDAY BOOK by Robin Somes, Fawley and Blackfield Memories Previously, we’ve looked at Floating Island, the mill pond, and the mill which it fed. A little downstream lies Stanswood Mill, roughly central to the vaguelyde ned area called Stanswood, whose name is probably related to the nearby Stone. Stanswood is rst mentioned, as Staneude, in the Domesday Book of 1086. Like much else, it belonged to William the Conqueror; twenty years previously it was tenanted by a fellow named Cypping of Worthy. Cypping - or Cheping - came from Headbourne Worthy, near Winchester, and held odd parcels of land from the Isle of Wight all the way north to Reading and Bath. ere are various translations of the Domesday entry – written in heavily-abbreviated mediaeval Latin and not always straightforward – but the basic details are much the same: “The King holds Staneude, which was held by Cheping of King Edward, and was then assessed at 2 hides (a hide was a unit of land held by one family). It is now assessed at 1 only, because the other is in the forest. Here are 7 ploughlands (a ploughland was the area of land that could be ploughed by 8 oxen in a year); 1 ploughland is in demesne (retained for the owner’s use); and 13 villeins (tenants of the manor) and 20 smallholders employ 7 ploughs. Here are 4 servants, and a mill, which pays 5 shillings; and 4 acres of meadow; and 2 fisheries worth 50 pence a year. Here are woods which furnish 10 hogs. It was worth (in animals and goods from one side to the other. Around Stanswood Mill would seem the most logical spot, where the estuary would be 80 – 100 yards wide. A small rowing boat would su ce for people, but perhaps a wooden ra , attached to ropes stretched across the estuary to pull it back and forth, would be used to convey animals, carts and heavier goods. In any event, no detailed maps of the area arrived until 700 years later, so our conjecture will remain just that, but it’s a pleasing idea. King Edward the Confessor’s time) 10 pounds. It was afterwards, and is now, worth 7 pounds.” e valley, as we’ve seen previously, was tidal, and the port was known as Ourd or Owra. e eastern branch of the valley rose up towards what we now know as Ower. Tracks must have connected Stanswood to Badminston, Fawley and Ashlett to the north-east, Lepe, Exbury and Beaulieu further west, and with the Roman road running down to Lepe. e 37 households in Stanswood – more than exist today – would need access to both the eastern and western sides of the valley. Here we must conjecture; perhaps there was a ferry crossing, to carry people, Stanswood Valley and Mill, 2024 (Photo: Robin Somes) WATERSIDE WOMEN e Waterside Women are an online Facebook group of ladies that have been working together for approximately 8 years. Originally set up by Sharon Kerr, the group has grown to over three and a half thousand members. e group o ers a safe online place for ladies to meet other women from the local area and communicate with people that are supportive and inspirational. e group raises funds by doing monthly draws, organised walks, outings etc. ey recently put out a call to their members for cash donations to the Waterside Foodbank. In just under a week they donated an amazing £1,300. e Waterside Women committee agreed to match these donations pound for pound and so a total of £2,600 was donated to the Foodbank. Hopefully this will go some way to helping them support the families that live on the Waterside and desperately need their support, especially throughout the school holidays. If you know of a local group or charity that needs to purchase something that is necessary but they cannot a ord it themselves, please ask them to email: watersidewomen@gmail.com and an application form will be forwarded to them. If there are any ladies out there that would like to join Waterside Women, please visit their Facebook page and answer a couple of simple questions to join.

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