Alton and Alresford in Hampshire
Old Alresford is a village in Hampshire situated just north of the town New Alresford
which is south-west of the town of Alton.
Jane Austen lived at the nearby village of Chawton.
The Treaty of Alton was an agreement in which William the Conqueror's eldest son Robert agreed
to recognize Henry as king of England (Henry I).
It was signed in 1101 after Henry had seized the throne while his older brother
was away on the first crusade.
Robert had returned to claim the throne and they met in Alton
to agree terms which formed the Treaty of Alton.
Part of the main street through Alton is called Normandy Street, probably reflecting this event.
Fanny Adams
On Saturday August 24th 1867 8 yr old Fanny Adams was murdered by solicitor's clerk
Frederick Baker in Alton, Hampshire.
The expression 'sweet Fanny Adams', a slang phrase meaning
'nothing at all', refers to this Fanny.
Fanny went along Tanhouse Lane towards Flood Meadow with her sister Lizzie and friend Millie Warner
where they met Frederick Baker who offered them money.
He carried Fanny into a hop field, out of sight of the other girls.
When later questioned Baker said he had given the girls money for sweets, but that was all.
Fanny's body was found in the hop field, horribly butchered.
The doctor's surgery where her severed body was put back together is now a pub
called Ye Olde Leathern Bottle and it is believed to be haunted by Fanny Adams.
The police actually found an entry in Baker's diary '24th August, Saturday —
killed a young girl. It was fine and hot.'
The jury returned a verdict of
wilful murder and Baker was committed for trial at the
Winchester County Assizes.
At his trial on 5 December, the defence argued insanity: Baker's father had been
violent, a cousin had been
in asylums, his sister had died of a brain fever and he himself
had attempted suicide after a love affair.
Justice Mellor invited the jury to consider a verdict of not responsible
by reason of insanity, but they returned a guilty verdict after just
fifteen minutes. On Christmas Eve Baker was hanged outside
Winchester Gaol.
This execution was the last to take place at Winchester.
Steam Railway
The Watercress Line is the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage line in Hampshire running
steam and diesel trains and stretching 10 miles from New
Alresford to Alton where it connects to the national rail network. Its name comes from
the days when
it was used to transport locally grown watercress to markets in London.
Watercress
Alresford is often considered the watercress capital of Britain.
Watercress contains significant amounts of iron, calcium and folic acid, in
addition to vitamins A and C. In some regions watercress is regarded as a weed but
in others as an aquatic vegetable or herb.
Watercress is well-suited to hydroponic cultivation, thriving best in water that is slightly
alkaline. It is frequently produced around the headwaters of chalk streams.
In many local markets the
demand for hydroponically-grown watercress exceed supplies.
Many benefits from eating watercress are claimed, such as that it acts as a mild stimulant,
a source
of phytochemicals and antioxidants, a diuretic, an expectorant, and a digestive aid.
It also appears to have cancer-suppressing properties.
|
Solent Sites Hampshire Business Directory & Hampshire Information
