A source for Gosport Living History Society
This website is largely based on the fourth edition of a booklet originally researched to assist the Gosport Living History Society, a historical reenactment of rural life around the parish of Rowner in early 17th century England. Our research here covers further local material such as wills, muster lists and the parish register together with more general information such as coinage, wages, market prices, shipping and demography. Where possible our information is referenced, often with primary sources. However, If the information in our leaflet can be shown to be wrong then we will have to change our story: if not, we would be as bad as our predecessors. We believe that where information has been found and not shared, it may as well as not have been found to start with…
A brief guide to Rowner
Rowner Parish is located two miles west of Portsmouth and covers approximately 1200 acres. In 1642 the medieval village and manor house near the church had gone. Although no village, the church of St. Mary the Virgin served a number of farms, with the largest being Grange Farm which covered nearly 700 acres. In 1642 the rector was James Searle, while John Stares and John Cotton were the Churchwardens. John Stares held the lease for Grange Farm. Both the church and Grange Farm stand today.
John Brune (21 years old) owns the parish and advowson of Rowner. He lives in Athelhampton House in Dorset, about 70 miles away. His overseers are sent to Grange Farm four times a year at the Quarter Days to collect his rents for the parish. His grandfather is buried in the Brune Chantry in Rowner Church.