. The Old Road . ntricityof Old and the modernity of New Alresford, and in the uniquepurpose attributable to the ford, we had a series of negativeconsiderations which forbade the Old Road to follow the riverbeyond Itchen Stoke. On the other hand, there are as many positive arguments infavour of the thesis that the ford was used by the oldest roadfrom Winchester to Farnham. ^ The balance of evidence is certainly against it. In favour of the antiquity of NewAlresford we have the phrase restored applied to Bishop Lucys market, and the threechurches attached to Alresford in Domesday, and supposed
. The Old Road . ntricityof Old and the modernity of New Alresford, and in the uniquepurpose attributable to the ford, we had a series of negativeconsiderations which forbade the Old Road to follow the riverbeyond Itchen Stoke. On the other hand, there are as many positive arguments infavour of the thesis that the ford was used by the oldest roadfrom Winchester to Farnham. ^ The balance of evidence is certainly against it. In favour of the antiquity of NewAlresford we have the phrase restored applied to Bishop Lucys market, and the threechurches attached to Alresford in Domesday, and supposed to show that more than onevillage was attached to the manor. Against, we have the immediate presence of theartificial head of water established by the Bishop ; the name, and the fact that themedieval Eoad from Alton went not to New but to Old Alresford. Again, while thereis no special mention of New Alresford in Domesday, there is mention of Sutton, closeby, and a Bishops palace stood there for some centuries. 76. s ■< 05P3 ma Q pa■< M a a OF THE ROAD Between these two centres, as will be seen in a moment bythe sketch-map on p. 80, a high but narrow watershed had tobe crossed. To approach this watershed by the easiest routemust have been the object of the traveller, and, as the map willshow, to cross at this ford, go straight across the hill to BishopSutton, and thence follow the Bopley valley was to go in adirect line to ones object. As we talked to the villagers and gathered their traditions,we found that this ford had been of capital importance. Theold church of the village stood just beside the river, and in sucha position that the road to the ford passed just by its southernporch. It has disappeared— in the year of the mobbing, saythe peasants : that is, I suppose, in 1831; but the consecratedland around it is still enclosed, and its site must have clusteredthe whole place about the river-side. It stood, moreover, closeagainst the ford; and the Old Road that sk
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