Parishes: Allington

ALLINGTON

Allington (fn. 1) lies in the Bourne valley 12 km. north-east of Salisbury. (fn. 2) Boscombe parish was in 1934 added to Allington, (fn. 3) which until then was a long and narrow parish of 957 a. (387 ha.) with the river Bourne flowing across the middle. Few natural features mark the parish boundary. The boundary with Boscombe, more than half the total length, was marked in the extreme north-west by mounds visible in the later 19th century, (fn. 4) and both north-west and south-east of Allington village by a road. Near the Bourne a zigzag on the Boscombe boundary suggests a late division of pasture, some of which may have been marshy.

Upper Chalk outcrops over the whole parish. The Bourne, which meanders across the parish, flows intermittently in winter and spring and is dry in summer and autumn: it has deposited gravel but no alluvium, and there is gravel in a dry tributary valley north of the church. The downland, highest at 155 m. in the extreme south-east, is generally flat although from both sides the land falls steeply to the river, which is at c. 75 m. (fn. 5) There were meadows beside the Bourne, open fields on the chalk higher up on each side, and rough pasture on the downs at each end of the parish. (fn. 6) Apart from orchards in the village there was no woodland in the parish until, between 1899 and 1923, a small area west of the church was planted with trees. (fn. 7) The south-east end of the parish was part of a military training area from the earlier 20th century. (fn. 8)

Portway, the Roman road from Silchester to Old Salisbury, crosses the south-east part of the parish and apparently remained in use as a local route until the 20th century. (fn. 9) In the 17th century the main Oxford—Salisbury road via Hungerford (Berks.) crossed the north-western tip of the parish. Between 1675 and 1773 a new course further west was adopted for it; (fn. 10) the road across Allington parish declined in importance and was a rough track in 1993. Allington village is on the road linking the villages of the Bourne valley to Salisbury. When that road was turnpiked in 1835, to complete a Swindon—Salisbury turnpike road via Marlborough, a new section was made south to Allington village from the western edge of the park of Wilbury House in Newton Tony. The road, disturnpiked in 1876, (fn. 11) remained the main Swindon—Salisbury road in 1993, when the old section between Allington and Newton Tony villages was a minor road. Two roads, one from Winterslow along parts of the parish boundary and one from Newton Tony, crossed the parish, converged west of it, and led to Amesbury. (fn. 12) South-east of the village the Winterslow road was diverted away from the boundary to serve a new farmstead in the mid 19th century, (fn. 13) was closed south-east of the farmstead when military training began, and was not tarmacadamed. The development of Boscombe Down airfield west of the parish caused the Amesbury road to be diverted along a route, called the Allington track, improved in the 1950s and leading to Amesbury by the main London—Exeter road. (fn. 14)

The London—Salisbury railway line, built by the L. & S.W.R. along the south-east side of Portway, was opened in 1857 (fn. 15) and remained a main line in 1993. A light railway from Grateley (Hants) to Amesbury, diverging from the main line in Newton Tony parish, was opened across the north-west part of Allington parish in 1902 (fn. 16) and closed in 1963. (fn. 17)

The parish is not known to be rich in prehistoric remains. A Bronze-Age brooch was found near Portway, and Romano-British sherds were found both near the village and north-west of Portway. Parts of three ditches, all possibly associated with animal husbandry, cross the parish, two in the south-east and one in the north-west. (fn. 18)

Allington may have been a small village in the 14th century (fn. 19) and had only 35 poll-tax payers in 1377. (fn. 20) With only 75 inhabitants in the parish in 1801, 64 in 1821, and never more than 94, the village was very small in the 19th century and may have shrunk since the 14th. Between 1891 and 1911, when it was 207, the population trebled, and there was evidently some new housing: the reasons for the rapidity of the increase are obscure. There were 175 inhabitants in 1931. The population of the enlarged parish increased after the Second World War mainly because of new housing in Allington, and of the 469 inhabitants in 1991 (fn. 21) about three quarters lived at Allington.

Allington village (fn. 22) grew up on the right bank of the Bourne where the old road to Salisbury beside the river is crossed by the Winterslow road, which fords the river. In the 20th century the old Salisbury road was called Newton Tony Road, the north-west part of the Winterslow road Wyndham Lane. South-west of the ford an open space on low ground formed a green, west of which stands the church and south stood the rectory house. There were six farmsteads and little else in the village in 1840: three farmsteads stood around the green, two in Wyndham Lane, and one east of the crossroads in Newton Tony Road. (fn. 23) A farmhouse and two cottages had been burned down in 1788. (fn. 24) Of the farmhouses standing in 1840 Manor Farm, that nearest the church, was standing in the 17th century and was destroyed by fire in 1860. (fn. 25) South-east of it Child's Farm, called Kea Cottage in 1993, was built in the 17th century as a three-bayed timber-framed house with a thatched roof. At the crossroads Wyndham's Farm was also built in the 17th century as a timber-framed house of three bays. It was rebuilt in brick and rubble, and the inside refitted, in the 18th century, and extended southwards and again refitted in the 19th; a two-storeyed brick bay was built at the south end c. 1900. In Wyndham Lane on the north-east side Bishop's Cottage was built, of flint with brick quoins and a thatched roof, for Richard Bishop c. 1789. (fn. 26) North-west of it on the same side Page's Farm was standing in 1795 and was demolished between 1961 and 1977. (fn. 27) On the north-west side of Newton Tony Road Charity Farm was built in 1780–1 (fn. 28) and rebuilt in 1893–4 as a red-brick house. (fn. 29) A pair of cottages had been built on the east side of the green by 1840; (fn. 30) adjoining it and later part of a terrace of three buildings a nonconformist chapel incorporating a cottage was built c. 1843. (fn. 31) The rectory house was demolished in the later 19th century. (fn. 32)

The village was bypassed by the new section of the Swindon—Salisbury road made in 1835. (fn. 33) In the 20th century the old section south of the village and the new section were together called Tidworth Road, along which several buildings were erected in the 19th century and early 20th. On the west side at the junction of the old and new sections the New Inn, on the site of a building standing in 1795, was open in 1848. (fn. 34) Its name was changed to the Old Inn in the later 19th century, it was rebuilt in the earlier 20th, (fn. 35) and it was open in 1993. A house standing south of it in 1993 may incorporate parts of one standing in 1795. (fn. 36) The Flint House was built on the west side of the road between 1840 and c. 1875, (fn. 37) and a group of buildings including a farmstead on the west side and a range of three cottages on the east side was erected north of the junction of Tidworth Road and Wyndham Lane in the later 19th century and earlier 20th. On the east side three thatched cottages built between 1899 and 1923 were replaced by a commercial garage in the later 20th century. (fn. 38) South of the village a new rectory house was built on the east side in 1877, (fn. 39) and a new farmstead, Cloudlands Farm, on the west side between 1899 and 1923. (fn. 40)

On rising ground east of the village Allington House, a large house of stone, was built in 1923; (fn. 41) beside Tidworth Road at the north end of the village four council houses were built in 1929 (fn. 42) and four private houses in the 1930s; (fn. 43) south of the village, on what until 1934 was the boundary with Boscombe, an estate of 20 houses, 4 flats, and 3 bungalows was built as Bourne View by the local authority from c. 1948. (fn. 44) After c. 1960 houses and bungalows were also built in the old part of the village: Wyndham Lane was built up on both sides, eight red-brick houses, including two altered 19th-century cottages, were built on the site of Manor Farm, and there was some infilling. Also after c. 1960 houses and bungalows were built round the junction of Wyndham Lane and Tidworth Road. (fn. 45)

On the South-east downs Allington Farm was built immediately south-east of the railway c. 1867. (fn. 46) From 1916 it was within the military training area and not used much for agriculture; by the Second World War and in 1993 the site was used for breeding animals for what is now the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, based at Porton down in Idmiston, (fn. 47) and many new buildings have been erected. On the north-west downs Arundel Farm was evidently built by the state c. 1917 and was used for several years as an animal farm for the Experimental Station, Porton. (fn. 48) A new house was built in the late 20th century, when few, if any, of the original farm buildings survived.

Manors and other estates.

Before 1066 Amesbury abbey was unlawfully dispossessed of 4 hides at Allington by Earl Harold but by 1086 had recovered them. Earl Harold held another 4-hide estate at Allington in 1066; it was afterwards held and forfeited by Aubrey de Couci, and in 1086 was held by the king. (fn. 49) The later descent of each estate is obscure.

In 1285 Ralph de la Stane and his wife Agnes settled ALLINGTON manor for life on William of Draycot and his wife Susan. (fn. 50) In 1312 Agnes, then Agnes de Percy, may have been disputing the manor, as she was the advowson of the church, with Sir John Dun. (fn. 51) The manor belonged to William Buckland and his wife Joan in 1330, (fn. 52) evidently to Buckland in 1348 and to Sir Thomas Hungerford (d. 1397) in 1379, (fn. 53) and to John Wallop in 1428. (fn. 54) From John it descended in the direct line to Thomas, John (d. 1486), and Richard (fn. 55) (d. 1503). It was held by Richard's relict Elizabeth (d. 1505), reverted to his brother Robert (fn. 56) (d. 1535), and was apparently held by Robert's relict Rose. (fn. 57) On Rose's death the manor passed to Robert's nephew (Sir) John Wallop (d. 1551), who was succeeded by his brother Sir Oliver (fn. 58) (d. 1566). It descended, again in the direct line, to Sir Henry (fn. 59) (d. 1599), Henry (fn. 60) (d. 1642), (fn. 61) and Robert (d. 1667), a regicide. Robert's estates were confiscated at the Restoration, and in 1661 granted to his brotherin-law Thomas Wriothesley, earl of Southampton, (fn. 62) who in 1666 sold Allington manor to William Craven, earl of Craven. In 1680 Craven sold it in portions. (fn. 63)

The demesne, MANOR farm, was bought by Edward Miller (d. 1712), who in 1685 gave a third of it to his son Nicholas (d. 1711) and Nicholas's wife Denise (d. 1717). (fn. 64) Edward sold his two thirds in 1708 to his grandson William Carpenter, (fn. 65) who sold them in 1722 to Henry Hyde. (fn. 66) In 1724 Hyde sold them to John Baker, (fn. 67) to whom Nicholas's son John sold his third in 1727. (fn. 68) Baker sold the whole estate in 1737 to Joseph Earle's trustees. (fn. 69) In 1762 the trustees sold it to Edward Hearst (fn. 70) (d. 1767), (fn. 71) who already owned land in the parish. (fn. 72)

Hearst's composite estate, reputed ALLINGTON manor, (fn. 73) descended to his daughter Caroline, wife of H. P. Wyndham (fn. 74) (d. 1819), and to her son Wadham Wyndham (d. 1843), who owned 546 a. in the parish in 1840. (fn. 75) Wadham was succeeded by his sister Caroline (d. 1845), wife of John Campbell, from 1844 John Campbell-Wyndham. Under the terms of Wadham's will the manor passed from Caroline to her son J. H. Campbell-Wyndham (d. 1868) and successively to her daughters Julia (d. 1869), wife of Edward Thornton (later Thornton-Wyndham), and Ellen (d. 1890), wife of Richard King (later King-Wyndham). Ellen's successor was her niece Caroline Hetley (d. 1908), wife of Philip Pleydell-Bouverie (from 1868 Pleydell-Bouverie-Campbell, from 1890 Pleydell-Bouverie-Campbell-Wyndham). Caroline was succeeded by her son Richard Campbell-Wyndham (d. 1909), whose heir was his sister Mary, wife of Walter Long (from 1909 Walter Campbell-Wyndham). (fn. 76) Between 1840 and 1910 Page's farm (fn. 77) was added to the manor, presumably by purchase. (fn. 78) From 1916 the War Department occupied the land south-east of the London—Salisbury railway line, 173 a., and in 1925 bought it; the Ministry of Defence owned it in 1993. (fn. 79) The Campbell-Wyndhams sold the remainder of the manor in portions in 1923. (fn. 80) The largest farm, Wyndham's, 242 a., was bought by A. A. Curtis (d. 1952), (fn. 81) and in 1993, then 161 a. between the village and the London—Salisbury railway, belonged to Mr. and Mrs. M. Snell. (fn. 82) In 1993 Mr. M. Rowland owned c. 300 a. north-west of the village. (fn. 83)

William, earl of Craven, sold what was later called CHILD'S farm in 1680 to William Child (fn. 84) (d. 1688), and the land descended in turn to Child's son William (fn. 85) (d. 1728) and grandson William Child. (fn. 86) In 1795 it belonged to W. B. Child (d. 1798), whose son W. B. Child (fn. 87) sold it c. 1806 to a Mr. Horne, presumably Roger Horne (d. 1845), the owner in 1832. (fn. 88) James Horne owned the farm, 172 a. north-west of the village, in 1840 and 1865. (fn. 89) It was sold c. 1895 in portions. (fn. 90)

Richard Scotney in 1388 (fn. 91) and Isabel Scotney in 1401–2 (fn. 92) were overlords of THORP'S estate. Catherine, relict of Sir John Thorp (d. 1386), held the estate until her death in 1388. It passed to Sir John's son Edward, to Henry Thorp (d. 1416) and his wife Cicely (fl. 1419), (fn. 93) and to Henry's son Ralph. It evidently descended in the Thorp and Clifford families with East Boscombe manor, (fn. 94) and in 1598 Henry Clifford sold it to John Hatchman. (fn. 95) In 1618 Hatchman sold the estate, then 3 yardlands, to John Poncherdon, (fn. 96) the owner in 1630. (fn. 97) It belonged to William Hearst in 1705 and passed to his sons William (d. 1724 or 1725) and Edward in turn. (fn. 98) From 1762 it was part of Edward's reputed manor of Allington. (fn. 99)

Stephen Cox (d. 1608) devised 1½ yardland to his kinsman John Goodall, (fn. 100) possibly him who died c. 1621. (fn. 101) John Goodall (d. 1639) devised GOODALL'S to his son John, (fn. 102) and the estate descended to John Goodall (d. 1719), whose son John (fn. 103) sold it in 1721 to William Hearst, probably the younger. (fn. 104) It passed with Thorp's and in 1762 became part of the reputed manor of Allington. (fn. 105)

Thomas Mackerell (d. 1627) owned 2 yardlands, most of what was later called PAGE'S farm. His daughter Anne and her husband John Swayne (fn. 106) sold the estate in 1655 to James Barbon, (fn. 107) and in 1668 Henry Edmonds sold it to Samuel Heskins (fn. 108) (d. 1709), rector of Cholderton. (fn. 109) It passed to Heskins's son the Revd. Samuel Heskins (d. 1733), (fn. 110) and later belonged to Robert Bunny (will proved 1771). It passed to Bunny's brother Thomas (fn. 111) (will proved 1785) and to Thomas's son Robert (fn. 112) (will proved 1799). (fn. 113) In 1840 the farm, 144 a. northwest of the village, belonged to Jane Mayhew, (fn. 114) and by 1910 had been added to Allington manor. (fn. 115)

John Miles sold a small farm in 1780—1 to Richard Harrison's charity for Amesbury. (fn. 116) CHARITY farm, 21 a. in 1840, (fn. 117) was sold by the charity between 1910 and 1925. (fn. 118).

In 1179 Henry II confirmed to Amesbury priory 4 a. of wheat in Allington, possibly representing an estate of tithes held until 1177 by Amesbury abbey. (fn. 119) A small portion of tithes from Allington evidently became part of West Boscombe manor, which the priory held until the Dissolution. (fn. 120) The tithes of oats from 4 yardlands belonged to Robert Waters with West Boscombe manor (fn. 121) in 1839, when they were valued at £2 5s. and commuted. (fn. 122)

Economic history.

There was land at Allington for 4 ploughteams in 1086. Of the 8 hides 5¼ were demesne on which there were 2 teams and 6 servi. On the other land 4 villani, 9 coscets, and 1 cottar had 2 teams. There were 13 a. of meadow; the pasture measured 1 league by 1 furlong and 3 square furlongs. The lands were in two estates (fn. 123) but there is no evidence that each was restricted to either the south-east or north-west side of the Bourne.

There were open fields in each half of the parish, common pasture for sheep on the downland at each end, and meadow land on both sides of the river, but there is evidence of only one common pasture for cattle. In the 18th century there were c. 410 a. of arable and upland pasture in the south-east halfc. 435 a. in the north-west: in each c. 150 a. were pasture. There were three open fields in each half, the meadows included a commonable one in which shares were assigned by lot, and there was a cow down of 60 a. west of the river south of the village. Land in each set of open fields carried with it the right to feed sheep only on the adjoining down. In the 17th century sheep were stinted at 50 to 1 yardland. (fn. 124) By 1674 part of the north-west down had been burnbaked, (fn. 125) and in 1731 a tenant was permitted to plough 20 a. of old lains or downland provided that after three years the land was reseeded with rye grass or sainfoin. (fn. 126) In the later 18th century the stints were 60 sheep to 1 yardland in the south-east, 50 to 1 yardland in the north-west. (fn. 127) Apart from the home closes all the land remained commonable. (fn. 128)

In the Middle Ages each demesne or customary holding may have been restricted to one half of the parish, as some later holdings were. In 1661 the demesne of Allington manor, nominally c. 237 a., was in the south-east; three other holdings of the manor, nominally of c. 58 a., c. 47 a., and c. 28 a., were wholly in the north-west; of two other 28-a. holdings one was in the south-east and one included land in both halves. (fn. 129) The rector had land in both halves, most in the north-west. (fn. 130) In 1774 the estate later called Page's farm, 79 a., included 3 yardlands, c. 57 a., in the north-west and ½ yardland, c. 15 a., in the south-east; the farm included 3 a. of inclosed pasture and 1 a. of common meadow. (fn. 131)

All the commonable land of Allington was inclosed in 1795 by Act. Thereafter there were apparently seven farms. All the south-east half of the parish, c. 410 a., was evidently in Manor farm. In the north-west half there were farms of 171 a. and 136 a., four, including the glebe as one, of less than 35 a., and possibly one of c. 110 a. (fn. 132) Between 1795 and 1840 all the north-west down except 20 a. was converted to arable, as were 23 a. of the cow down. In 1840 there were c. 668 a. of arable and 181 a. of downland pasture. The arable in the south-east was in a single field of 220 a., and there were fields of 142 a. and 102 a. in the north-west. Manor farm was 546 a. including c. 140 a. in the north-west half; Child's, 172 a., and Page's, 144 a., were the other principal farms. (fn. 133)

Sheep-and-corn husbandry continued on the large farms in the parish until c. 1900; dairying increased in the earlier 20th century. (fn. 134) Manor, 679 a. in 1910 when it included Page's, (fn. 135) remained the principal farm until it was broken up 1916 x 1923. In 1916 the 173 a. south-east of the railway line, and Allington Farm, erected there c. 1867, largely went out of agricultural use; some land on that side of the railway in Allington, Boscombe, and Newton Tony parishes was cultivated from Allington Farm for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment in 1993, but most of the 173 a. was then rough grass. (fn. 136) From 1923 the rest of the land in the south-east half of the parish was in Wyndham's farm, c. 242 a. in 1925, (fn. 137) and in the 1930s it was about half arable and half pasture. (fn. 138) in 1993 Wyndham's farm, 161 a., included c. 129 a. of arable and, near the Bourne, c. 32 a. of pasture; the remaining land in the south-east was worked as part of Manor farm, Newton Tony, and was mainly arable. (fn. 139) In the north-west half of the parish much arable was laid to pasture between 1840 and the early 20th century. (fn. 140) In the late 19th century Child's farm was fragmented, as the north-west part of Manor farm was in 1923, (fn. 141) and from then there were several small farms (fn. 142) probably devoted to dairying. In the 1930s only about a third of the north-west was arable. (fn. 143) Arundel Farm was in the 1930s the base of a small dairy farm. (fn. 144) Cloudlands farm, c. 56 a. in 1993, was a small farm consisting of most of the former cow down. (fn. 145) Charity farm, 21 a. in 1910, had been increased to 107 a. by 1925 (fn. 146) and was all permanent pasture in 1993. (fn. 147) In the north-west part of the parish in 1993 c. 300 a. of arable were worked from Ratfyn Farm, Amesbury. (fn. 148)

There was a mill at Allington in 1086 (fn. 149) but no evidence of one later.

Local government.

About £20 a year was spent on poor relief in the 1770s and 1780s. In 1802–3 £73 was spent on regular relief for 5 adults and 11 children and on occasional relief for 5 people, in all nearly a third of the inhabitants. (fn. 150) An average of £95 was spent 1812–15 on 12 adults, of whom about half were relieved regularly 1812–14, about a quarter in 1814–15. (fn. 151) The amounts spent 1816–34, highest at £110 in 1830 and lowest at £45 in 1833, were among the smallest in Amesbury hundred. (fn. 152) The parish became part of Amesbury poor-law union in 1835. (fn. 153) It was included in Salisbury district in 1974. (fn. 154)

Church.

Allington church was evidently standing in the 12th century. (fn. 155) In 1650 it was proposed to add the parish to Boscombe, but the proposal was not implemented then. (fn. 156) The rectory was united with that of Boscombe in 1924, (fn. 157) and in 1970 the parishes were united. (fn. 158) The united benefice became part of Bourne Valley benefice in 1973. (fn. 159)

Ralph de la Stane and his wife Agnes, lords of Allington manor, held the advowson of the rectory in 1285. (fn. 160) The right to present was disputed in 1312 between Agnes, then Agnes de Percy, and Sir John Dun, who each presented: neither candidate was admitted and the bishop collated by lapse. (fn. 161) John Etton presented in 1338, possibly by grant of a turn; William Buckland, lord of the manor, presented in 1348, Sir Thomas Hungerford, probably lord of the manor, presented in 1379, and for a reason which is obscure the bishop collated in 1381. From then until the mid 17th century the lord of the manor presented, (fn. 162) except in 1577 when, again for a reason now unknown, the king presented. (fn. 163) The advowson was retained by William, earl of Craven (d. 1697), when he sold the manor in 1680. It passed to his cousin William Craven, Lord Craven (d. 1711), and in turn to that William's sons William, Lord Craven (d. 1739), and Fulwar, Lord Craven (d. 1764). Fulwar was succeeded by his cousin William Craven, Lord Craven (d. 1769), he by his nephew William, Lord Craven (d. 1791), and he by his son William, Lord Craven (cr. earl of Craven 1801, d. 1825). (fn. 164) The advowson descended in the direct line to William (d. 1866), George (d. 1833), and William (d. 1921), whose relict Cornelia (d. 1961) had the right to present for the united benefice alternately from 1924. (fn. 165) The bishop collected by lapse in 1933. In 1964 William, earl of Craven, the grandson of William (d. 1921), transferred the right to the bishop of Salisbury, who in 1973 became chairman of the Bourne Valley patronage board. (fn. 166)

The rectory was not taxed in the Middle Ages, presumably because it was too poor. (fn. 167) It was worth £14 13s. 4d. in 1535, (fn. 168) £60 in 1650. (fn. 169) With an average yearly value of £236 c. 1830 it was one of the poorer livings in Amesbury deanery. (fn. 170) The rector took all tithes from the parish except the small portion taken by the successors of Amesbury abbey. The rector's were valued at £230 in 1839 and commuted. (fn. 171) The glebe consisted of nominally c. 44 a. with pasture rights, (fn. 172) 35 a. from inclosure in 1795. (fn. 173) In 1929 the rector sold 30 a.; (fn. 174) c. 4 a. remained in 1993. (fn. 175) The rectory house may have been rebuilt or altered by Stephen Templer, rector from 1536 to c. 1559. (fn. 176) It needed repair in the later 16th century and in the 1660s, (fn. 177) was in poor condition in the earlier 19th century, (fn. 178) and was demolished between 1877 and 1899. (fn. 179) A large new rectory house of read brick built in 1877 (fn. 180) was sold in 1974. (fn. 181) A new house in the village was built c. 1974 for a team vicar.

In the Middle Ages a cow and a few sheep were given to pay for a candle in the church. (fn. 182) Robert Thatcham, rector 1474–81, Stephen Templer, rector from 1536 to c. 1559 and vicar of Idmiston from 1542, and Nicholas Fuller, rector 1590–1623 and rector of Bishop's Waltham (Hants) from 1620, was each a canon of Salisbury. (fn. 183) Templer may have lived sometimes at Allington and preached there regularly. (fn. 184) In 1577 services were infrequent and held by a curate. (fn. 185) Fuller sometimes resided, and completed his Theological Miscellanies at Allington in 1616. (fn. 186) John South, rector 1623–4, was regius professor of Greek at Oxford. (fn. 187) Nathaniel Forster, rector from c. 1642 to 1698, had been sequestered by 1650 when the intruder, Peter Titley, preached twice each Sunday. (fn. 188) Forster administered the sacrament quarterly in 1662. (fn. 189) Henry Lewis, curate of Allington and assistant curate of Amesbury in 1783, held a service at Allington every Sunday, alternately morning and afternoon. He held services on Christmas day and Good Friday and on fasts and festivals, and administered the sacrament at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun to 4–5 communicants. (fn. 190)

F. W. Fowle, rector 1816–76, was also perpetual curate of Amesbury, where he lived, and from 1841 a canon of Salisbury. (fn. 191) He usually employed a curate to serve Allington. (fn. 192) A service each Sunday was still held alternately morning and afternoon in 1832 (fn. 193) and 1850–1, when c. 20 attended in the morning and c. 35 in the afternoon. (fn. 194) In 1863 the curate, A. Child, instituted a harvest festival. In 1864 he held and preached at two services each Sunday, held services on Christmas day, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Wednesdays in Lent, and administered the sacrament at Christmas and Easter and on either Whit Sunday or Trinity Sunday to c. 9 communicants. (fn. 195) H. W. Barclay, rector of Boscombe from 1891 and of Allington from 1895, was the first resident incumbent for many years and became the first incumbent of the united benefice in 1924. (fn. 196)

The Church was rebuilt 1848–51 and dedicated in 1851 to ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. (fn. 197) The old church, of unknown invocation, (fn. 198) was standing, to judge from the incorporation of parts of a 12th-century chancel arch in the new, in the 12th century. It comprised a chancel and a nave with south porch surmounted by a low tower of which the upper stage was weatherboarded. The chancel was altered or rebuilt in the 13th century; the porch and the tower were built then or in the early 14th century. The east window and a south window in the nave were enlarged in the 15th century or early 16th. (fn. 199) Inside the church there was a painting of St. Christopher on the north wall of the nave. (fn. 200) The new church was built of flint with freestone dressings. The plans, inspired by the curate William Grey and drawn by F. R. Fisher, reproduced the design of the old church except for the upper stage of its tower, and provided for several old features besides the chancel arch to be incorporated. (fn. 201) The upper stage of the tower was given an embattled parapet and a pyramidal roof. The 12th-century font was buried beneath a replica. (fn. 202) The chancel was painted and its floor tiled c. 1877 to commemorate F. W. Fowle. (fn. 203)

The king's commissioners took 2½ oz. of plate in 1553 and left a chalice of 9½ oz. A chalice hallmarked for 1576, a paten hallmarked for 1848, and a flagon given in 1851 were held in 1891 and 1993. (fn. 204) There were three bells in 1553 and 1993. The present tenor was cast c. 1350, probably at Salisbury; the present second was cast by John Wallis in 1613, the treble by C. & G. Mears in 1849. (fn. 205) Births were registered 1655– 9. Registrations of baptisms from 1660 and of marriages from 1664 are complete. Those of burials, which begin in 1656, are lacking for 1678–94. (fn. 206)

Nonconformity.

Several people from Allington attended a Presbyterian conventicle at Newton Tony. (fn. 207) There were 4 nonconformists at Allington in 1668, 11 in 1674, (fn. 208) and 17 in 1676. (fn. 209) In 1669 four houses at Allington were used for meetings. (fn. 210) One of the preachers was John Crofts, ejected rector of Mottisfont (Hants), who was buried at Allington in 1695. (fn. 211)

A house at Allington was certified for Primitive Methodists in 1833 and 1838, and a chapel certified for the same congregation in 1843 (fn. 212) was possibly built to adjoin it. (fn. 213) In 1850–1 congregations in the chapel were much larger than in the church: in 1851 on Census Sunday 41 attended morning service, 46 the afternoon one. (fn. 214) Although they occasionally attended church, half of the inhabitants of Allington were Primitive Methodists in 1864. (fn. 215) The chapel remained open in 1993.

Dissenters held open-air meetings on the south-east downs of Allington each year in the 1860s. (fn. 216)

Education.

The c. 12 children at Allington in 1858 attended schools at Cholderton, Newton Tony, and Idmiston. (fn. 217) From 1902 they went to school at Boscombe and from 1972 at Idmiston. (fn. 218)

Charities for the poor.

From c. 1793 or earlier to 1876 the rectors gave bread, cheese, and beer to paupers on Christmas day. By will proved 1899 Ellen Meyrick gave the income from £200 for old paupers at Christmas. Two received £1 each in 1900. (fn. 219) In 1949–50 the income, £5, was shared by 5–6 old people, (fn. 220) and from 1973 was allowed to accumulate. (fn. 221)