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The University of Southampton freehold
estate around Chilworth Manor extends to about 65 acres. Of the total,
almost half is generally described as the Chilworth Conservation Area. The
CCA and its immediate surroundings contain many significant natural and
historical features and we believe it is important for these features to
be conserved, explained and made available for public enjoyment.
The area around Chilworth shows evidence of
settlement since the Bronze Age at least. The Roman road from Otterbourne
to Stoney Cross passes through the Science Park, though its course is now
difficult to follow, due to the effects of centuries of ploughing.
A second ancient road, the so-called Roman
Road running from Bitterne Manor to Old Sarum, also crosses the site at
right angles to the first road. Chilworth's name probably derives from a
Saxon called Cella, who owned a clearing in the woods at the intersection
of these two ancient roads - this name first appears in the Domesday book
in 1086.
Cella's clearing was the forerunner of the
present day Chilworth Estate. Between 1086 and the present, the Chilworth
Estate passed through many different families. In 1825 Peter Searle, who
rebuilt St Denys church, conveyed the estate to John Fleming and the
estate remained in the Fleming family until 1947. Most of the important
features of the present estate originated within the time of the Searles
and the Flemings.
Chilworth Manor itself was built over a
period of about 50 years to 1904. It replaced an earlier building lost to
fire, though the undercroft survives. The original manor house was located
about half a mile to the west, close to Manor Farm. Although the house
itself was not preserved, the moat is still present, just outside the
boundary of the Chilworth Estate.
The only listed buildings on the site are
the two circular thatched entrance lodges, usually called the
"Beehives". These enchanting buildings date from the early 19th
century and are unique in form but the origins of their design are
completely unknown. A tannery once existed in the area at Tanners Brook
and a large grindstone from the tannery is preserved in the grounds of the
present Manor.
Close to the entrance to the estate is a
low hill, called the Clump. A map of 1595 shows the Clump to be a beacon
warning point, which was put to use at the time of the Spanish Armada's
approach to rally 6,000 men to the cause of defending England.
To the south west of the Manor there is a
feature called the Deer Ring. It is not strictly a ring but consists of a
spiral of just over one turn of closely planted Western Red Cedars. It
appears to have been planted in about 1900 and formed an enclosure used in
connection with deer hunting.
A more recent replica of the deer ring has
been planted nearby. Much of the woodland within the CCA is secondary,
though there is evidence that part of Buxey Wood contains ancient coppice
and Hazel Copse is another fine example. The CCA also contains an
unimproved meadow with a diverse flora and fauna, including orchids,
butterflies and reptiles and lunchtime walk through this area in early
summer is a joy, but look out where you put your feet!
Although a programme of conservation was
begun in the late 1980s and owed much to the volunteer efforts of Ian
Spellerberg and others, is has been unable to achieve its aims due to lack
of capital and human resource. Conservation is costly! However, the
Science Park, as the main commercial user of the estate, intends to revive
the programme of conservation, access and explanation, to the enjoyment of
the site by tenants and local residents. We benefit from the estate on a
daily basis and we would like to share its treasures with our neighbours,
as well as ensuring that we preserve the estate for posterity.
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