Introduction to Titchfield

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Part One - Introduction to Titchfield

Titchfield lies between Fareham and the Solent in Hampshire.Records show that there was a village of some sort before 900 AD.The church of St Peter’s in the heart of the village also dates backto approximately this time. The ancient Parish of Titchfield ran fromwhat is now Lee-on-the-Solent to Warsash and to the edge ofShedfield in the north.

The Meonwara, a war-like group, were one of the last tribes to beconverted to Christianity by St Wilfred's missionaries inapproximately 680 AD. The church they founded was built as aminster church to serve the whole of the Meon Valley. If you look atSt Peter’s Church porch you can still see the Roman bricks that wererobbed from Portchester Castle.

History runs deep in this area. It has seen visits from eight kings andqueens to Titchfield Abbey. This became the seat of an influentialfamily, the Earls of Southampton. After the Abbey became a ruin,the area settled down again to be quiet country villages, farms andsmall holdings.

The village has a canal, which is one of the earliest man-madewaterways in the country. It runs from the tannery, now a smallindustrial estate, to the open sea. There are many stories about thecanal and it is believed that it was originally constructed by the thirdEarl of Southampton in 1611. The village once had a market hall in thecentre of the Square but it was allowed to fall into disrepair. It waseventually given to the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum in

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Sussex where it has been restored to its former glory and isavailable for all to see.

By the first half of the 20th century many people worked for thetannery, the gas works, or Fielder's brewery. Some worked in theshops, but most people worked on the land. Titchfield has rich soilwhich is ideal for market garden produce such as strawberries,lettuce and tomatoes.

Titchfield and World War 1 (WW1)

Sleepy Titchfield was rocked by the devastation of WW1. Its ordinarymen-folk, some of whom had never strayed further than Fareham, wentoff to fight for king and country. Of these men, 51 lost their lives. Theirfamilies had to learn to cope without them, but cherished the memory oftheir men folk when naming their new-born sons.

‘Titchfield Remembers’, a separate local research project was set up in2014 to find out more details of the men whose names are recorded onthe village War Memorial (see page 10). From their research we mentionhere just four of the men who didn’t come back.

Frank Biddle, Private in 10th B Hampshire Regiment

Frank, the third child and the eldest son of Henry and Jane Biddle, whohad ten children. The census shows that he was a ‘carter on farm’ inTitchfield. Frank joined the 10th Hampshire Regiment and his militaryrecord shows he entered the Balkan theatre of war on 5th August 1915.Shortly after joining the Gallipoli Campaign in northern Turkey, he diedon 10th August, aged 22.

Albert George Biddle, Private in Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Albert was one of Frank’s younger brothers. By November 1911 he hadenlisted as a regular soldier, as had his elder brother Frank. Albert wasin the King's Royal Rifle Corps and they were in Blackdown when warbroke out. They proceeded to France, landing at Le Havre on the 13thAugust 1914. They fought on the Western Front throughout the War,taking part in most of the major actions including the first Battle ofYpres in October.

Albert died on 10th January 1915 in Le Touquet, south of Calais. It is notclear exactly how he died, but extracts from a dispatch from theCommander in Chief of the British Armies in France and Flanders at thattime said: ‘Weather conditions were abnormally bad, the snow and floods

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precluding any active operations during the first three weeks ofJanuary.’ From this it can be concluded that Albert George Biddle mayhave been injured in December, possibly by a stray bullet. He was 21.

Donald B.E. Upshall, Private in 1st Northumberland Fusiliers

Donald was one of five siblings, whose father was a schoolmaster, firstat the Endowed Boys School in Broughton and then at the NationalSchool at the top of West Street in Titchfield. Donald joined the armyin 1913 and so, unlike many of the Titchfield lads, he was a regularsoldier and one of the first to leave for France in 1914. He joined theNorthumberland Fusiliers who were part of the British ExpeditionaryForce. He was engaged in the major actions on the Western Front. OnEaster Monday, 9 April 1917, at 5.30 a.m., with poor visibility and snow,the Canadian and British First Army set out to take control of VimyRidge in southern Belgium. This was a high point, the capture of which,would allow the Third Army to advance to take an important road and railjunction and liberate the coal-mining region. During this first day’soffensive Donald Upshall was killed. He was 22.

Benjamin Waterfall, Chief Petty Officer, HMS Research

Benjamin was the second of five children to Benjamin, an engine driverfrom Deptford, and his wife Christiana. Benjamin junior joined the RoyalNavy in 1889. He married Matilda Frampton in 1899. They had fourchildren and lived in West Street, Titchfield. Whilst serving on HMSResearch at Portland, a depot ship for locally employed armed trawlers,he died from an unstated disease. He was 43. He is buried in thegraveyard of St Peter’s, Titchfield.

‘Remembrance of things past, The Vicar of Titchfield visits theFront in France in 1915’,

This month marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the First WorldWar when on the 11th November 1918 the guns fell silent on theWestern Front. The fact that this terrible conflict still looms large inour consciousness is not really surprising given the vast amount ofcontemporary accounts, photographs and artistic works that have beenhanded down to us. Added to which are the many books written byhistorians, novelists and veterans since the event, and the films, radioand TV programmes that continue to bring home the suffering andordeals of the men and women who fought in that War.

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Of course, every town and village in the country has that most visible ofsigns of remembrance, the War Memorial, each of which lists the namesof the fallen and where in many cases, including here in Titchfield, theyare read out on Remembrance Sunday. It is extremely difficult to putourselves back in time to understand the different emotions thataffected people at different stages of the War but as early as 1915 itwas beginning to dawn on many people that this was not going to be aquick walk-over as the troops from both sides dug in for three moreyears of trench warfare.

One man, whom I am sure realised this, was the Rev. Charles Matthews,Vicar of Titchfield. It was he in April 1915 arrived in France to serve aschaplain and minister to the wounded in a base hospital 40 kilometresfrom Calais. In June he wrote of his experiences in the St Peter's ParishMagazine saying that since arriving he had witnessed some very wonderfulsights which had brought home to him the tragic horrors of the War, in amanner which could not be realised, in England.

"Every man I speak to acknowledges the mercy of God in sparing his life,and many have made their communions with deep thankfulness," he writes."I could tell you many a story of the sufferings, the patience, and evencheerfulness of many a poor lad who is lying here - one especiallyinterests me - who has lost both his arms. He always smiles when I visithim, and he is making slow but sure strides towards recovery. He was verydevout and thankful when I gave him communion after his secondoperation."

He uses the euphemism ‘crossing the bar’ for those who had died of theirwounds. He says that he had written letters to the bereaved parents andwives and he had accompanied several relatives to the cemetery for thelast rites. They had gone over to France to see their loved ones but hadarrived too late. The funerals of the troops took place daily at 8.00 a.m.and the officers’ funerals at 2.30 p.m.

He writes of the severalSunday services heconducted at the hospitaland at other base campsand says that theheartiness of the singing ismost inspiring. He discoversthat one feature stands outprominently, the intensefeeling of the value ofprayer and intercession.

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"Every man I have spoken to believes in the power of prayer," he wrote."One dear lad told me that he and his chums had said the 23rd Psalm dailyin the trench while the Germans were shelling our front”; and he added, “Ibelieve, Sir, God heard and answered our prayer, as four out of five of uswere spared."

Charles Matthews then goes on to issue a mild rebuke to his parishioners."I mention this, because I know that there are some at home who do notcome to Church to pray for our brave lads out here. I can only say to suchas these; if you could come out here and visit this hospital for half anhour with me you would be absolutely convinced of the need and the valueof intercession for as long as this ghastly war lasts."

It was to last for another three and half years during which time manythousands were killed and millions more wounded and damaged by theirexperiences. It still goes on in the conflicts which followed and thosewhich are continuing today. As we remember our war dead at the WarMemorial on Remembrance Sunday and think of those servicemen andwomen currently engaged in conflicts on our behalf we should recall thewords of Charles Matthews and convince ourselves of the value ofintercession.

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Titchfield after WW1

Although the War left itsmark, the people ofTitchfield soon made everyeffort to return to normallife as the baby show in1921 and the opening of thebowls club in 1923 show.The Queen’s Head publichouse is also mentionedduring this time.

Visitors also started to come to the village again. The Rev. E. C. Bedford,Rector and Rural Dean of Holborn in London wrote in his Parish leaflet inJune 1924 under the heading ‘Parish History’:

‘The writer was fortunateenough to have a week'sholiday at Easter and spentit in a place probably littleknown to his readers,namely Titchfield – inHampshire. The small town,or large village, two milesfrom Fareham, lies in abeautiful green valleythrough which the RiverMeon winds swiftly towardsthe sea. The wide street, as in many another country town, is bordered byshops, a few private houses and two old fashioned hotels with bowwindows. At one time the quiet of the street was only disturbed twice aday by the arrival of the coach and the stream of life ran very placidlyfor the inhabitants. But now all through the day, charabancs pass andrepass, motors and cycles go noisily by and the village dog can nevercompose himself for slumber for any length of time.

But those who visit Titchfield will not complain; for these samecharabancs enable them to visit many more important places, asPortsmouth and Southampton and many beauty spots beyond the reach ofthe ordinary pedestrian. Above the town are woods and fields, particularlyof strawberry plants, and houses and bungalows are springing up rapidlyaround.

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There are twospecial objectsof interest tothe antiquarianhere. The oldParish Church isone, dedicatedto St Peter,with chancel,aisle andwestern towershowingdifferent style of architecture, a fine Norman west door and earlyEnglish decorated and perpendicular windows. In beautiful order and wellrestored, it repays a visit. But what is especially attractive is themagnificent tomb of the Earls of Southampton. This is fashioned ofdifferent coloured marbles with pillars and carving, and recumbentfigures of the first Earl and his Countess and their son the second Earl.A welcome touch of colour is given to the sombre mass of marble byheraldic shields covered with armorial bearings in red and blue and gold,and gilded lettering giving the names and family history of those who liebeneath. The tomb is in perfect preservation, having been carefullyrestored under the direction of an artist.

The other object of interest to which the visitors direct their steps liesa little way to the north of the town, in the fields. This is the ruin of thegreat house called Place House (short for Palace House) once the statelyresidence of the Wriothesley family, Earls of Southampton.

An imposing gateway still stands with flanking battlemented towers and,stretching out oneither side, twowings of thehouse withhandsomechimney stacksand cornerturrets. Rooflessnow, it is yetpossible to tracevarious rooms,kitchen, hall andsolar and imagine,at a later date,King Charles I

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taking shelter here after his escape from Hampton Court and finding abrief rest before the storm broke and his fate sealed.

HM Board of Works has lately stripped away the ivy which mantled thewhole building, and have made safe the existing portions of the house. Allthe rest of the structure has disappeared but excavations are beingmade which show part of the Abbey, upon the site of which, the greathouse was built. One can trace the walls of the cloister and can, with alittle imagination, picture the monks of old strolling about, pursuing theirvarious tasks, crossing the meadow and catching fish in the little riverfor the Friday fast.

A fascinating place, and known to history, as here King Henry VI marriedMargaret of Anjou. But it may be asked, what connection has it with StAndrew's, that it is written about under ‘Parish History?’ The answer isthat Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, Chancellor to King Henry VIII,was patron of St Andrew's. He lived in Holborn and was buried in ourchurch. His son removed the bodies of his father and mother from theirresting place here and conveyed them to Titchfield, where they lie underthe marble tomb above described in the chancel aisle of the ParishChurch.’