In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Overton like this:
OVERTON, a village, a parish, and a hundred, in Hants. The village stands near the source of the river Test or Anton, ½ a mile S of the London, Yeovil, and Exeter railway, and 3½ E N E of Whitchurch; was once a market-town, and a borough; sent members to parliament in the times of Edward I. ...
and Edward II.; attracts anglers for sake of very superior trout in the Test; and has a station on the railway, a post-office‡ under Micheldever Station, a great lamb and sheep fair on 18 July, and other fairs on 4 May, Whit-Monday, and 22 Oct. The parish contains the tythings of Polhampton, Quidhampton, and Southington; and is in Whitchurch district. Acres, 6, 572. Real property, £11, 484. Pop. in 1851, 1, 550; in 1861, 1, 460. Houses, 320. The decrease of pop. arose mainly from migration of persons formerly employed in a large silk mill. The property is divided among a few. The manor belongs to the Bishop of Winchester. The Vine hounds are kennelled here. The living is a rectory and a vicarage, united with the rectory of Tadley, in the diocese of Winchester. Value, £320.* Patron, the Bishop of Winchester. The church is ancient; was restored in 1853; presents some interesting features; and has a lowsquare tower, with shingled spire. There are chapels for Independents and Wesleyans, a national school, and charities £30. The hundred contains also five other parishes, and is in Kingsclere division. Acres, 15, 913. Pop. in 1851, 3,071. Houses, 629.
Overton through time
Overton is now part of Basingstoke and Deane district. Click here for graphs and data of how Basingstoke and Deane has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Overton itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Overton, in Basingstoke and Deane and Hampshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/3999
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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