Place:Hayling, Hampshire, England

source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names

source: Family History Library Catalog

source: Family History Library Catalog

source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

Hayling Island is an island off the south coast of England, in the Borough of Havant in the County of Hampshire, near Portsmouth.

Hayling Island is a true island, completely surrounded by sea. Looking at its north to south orientation, it is shaped like an inverted "T", about 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) long and 6.5 kilometres wide. A road bridge connects its northern end to the mainland of England at Langstone. Until 2015, a small foot-passenger ferry connected it to the Eastney area of the city of Portsmouth on the neighbouring island of Portsea Island. To the west is Langstone Harbour and to the east is Chichester Harbour.

The two civil parishes were part of Havant Rural District from 1894 until 1932 and then became a unified part or two parts of Havant Urban District until 1974.

History

For more information, see the EN Wikipedia article Hayling Island.

North Hayling

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of North Hayling from John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles of 1887:

"Hayling, North., par. and vil. with ry. sta., Hayling island, S. Hants, 2 miles S. of Havant, 1390 ac. (82 water), 227 tidal water and 1147 foreshore, pop. 268."

South Hayling

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of South Hayling from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1870-72:

"HAYLING, an island, two villages, and two parishes, in Havant district, Hants. The island lies between Langston harbour and Chichester harbour, directly opposite Havant; communicates with Havant, by a swing bridge; has a railway from the South Coast and Portsmouth Direct lines near Havant, opened in 1865; and has also a post-office under Havant. It is 4 miles long from N to S, and perfectly level. An ancient circular camp is on a corner of it, on the E; covers about 7 acres; is engirt, on three sides, by tidal inlets; and bears the name of Tunorbury, which possibly has some reference to the old Saxon god Thunor, or Thor. A priory, a cell to Jumièges abbey in Normandy, was founded on the island before the Conquest; passed, at the suppression of alien monasteries, to the Carthusians at Sheen; went afterwards, in exchange for other lands, to Arundel college; and has left some small vestiges. The island is a resort, in winter, of numerous rare birds; and the waters adjacent to it used to abound with fish, and still have oyster beds.

"The two villages are North [Hayling] and South [Hayling]; they stand on the island 2 and 5 miles S of Havant; and [South Hayling] is on the shore of the British Channel, and is a watering-place and a coast-guard and life-boat station.

"The two parishes also are [North Hayling] and [South Hayling]; and they comprise the whole island, and are jointly conterminate with it. Acres of [North Hayling]: 1,256 of land, and 1,283 of water; of [South Hayling]: 5,379 of land, and 2,744 of water. Real property of [North Hayling]: £2,295; of [South Hayling]: £5,442. Population: 262 and 777. Houses: 60 and 157. The property of both is much subdivided; and the manor belongs to W. F. Padwick, Esq. Both of the livings are vicarages, and they are united to form one benefice, in the diocese of Winchester. Value: £211. Patron: W. F. Padwick, Esq. The church of [North Hayling] is very ancient, and has a spire. The church of [South Hayling] also is ancient; was recently restored; comprises nave, aisles, and a long chancel, with a fine pointed five-lancet window; and has a tower and spire, and a Norman font. There are an Independent chapel, and a national school."

Research Tips

• Victoria County History of Hampshire, volume 3, chapter on Hayling Island.
• GENUKI has a list of archive holders in Hampshire including the Hampshire Record Office, various museums in Portsmouth and Southhampton, the Isle of Wight Record Office and Archives.
• The Hampshire Online Parish Clerk project has a large collection of transcriptions from Parish Registers across Hampshire.
• A listing of all the Registration Districts in England and Wales since their introduction in 1837 together with tables listing the parishes that were part of each district and the time period covered, along with detailed notes on changes of parish name, mergers, etc. Do respect the copyright on this material.
• The three-storey City Museum in Winchester covers the Iron Age and Roman periods, the Middle Ages, and the Victorian period.
• Volumes in The Victoria County History Series are available for Hampshire through British History Online. There are three volumes and the county is covered by parishes within the old divisions of "hundreds".

A collection of maps on the A Vision of Britain through Time website illustrating the English county of Hampshire over the period 1832-1932 (the last two are expandible):

• The Hundreds of Hampshire, a map from HMSO Boundary Commissioners, dated 1832
• Hampshire showing parishes in their Rural Districts as of 1900, a map from the Ordnance Survey
• Hampshire showing parishes in their Rural Districts after the alterations of 1932, a map from the Ordnance Survey

• A group of maps of the post-1974 municipal districts or boroughs of Hampshire on Wikipedia Commons