Editing Wickham, Hampshire (section)

==History==

===Early settlements===
The Romans established a settlement at Wickham, on the road from the Roman centres of Chichester and Winchester. Iron works have been found northeast of the village, and various Roman finds to the southwest.

It was in Saxon Britain that the first written mention of the village appears, in a Royal Charter document dated 826. Recent excavation (1965–70) at the Manor House showed its grounds had dwellings and huts, evidence of Saxon settlement.

===Post-Norman Conquest===
After the Norman Conquest, King William granted the Manor of Wickham to Hugo de Port and the Village appeared in the Doomsday Book of 1086, as part of the Titchfield Hundred. The present church of St Nicholas dates from 1126 and was run by the Canons of Titchfield. In 1269, King Henry III granted a charter to Roger de Scures, the Lord of The Manor at the time, for markets to be held on a Thursday. It is from this time that the layout of the village as we now know it began to emerge.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.wickhamsquare.co.uk/about-wickham/history-2/ |title = History}}</ref> Wickham also had a fair which attracted buyers and sellers from a wide area. Wickham fair (often referred to Wickham Horse Fair) is still held each year on 20 May.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/photographs/news_galleries/2015_photos/may/wickham_horse_fair/|title=Wickham Horse Fair}}</ref>
The Church of St Nicholas in Wickham was built in the early 12th century (although there has probably been a church on the site since the 7th century when the people of Hampshire were first converted to Christianity), however the church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://portsmouth.anglican.org/who_we_are/deaneries/bishops_waltham/churches/st_nicholas_wickham/|title=St Nicholas, Wickham – Portsmouth Diocesan Website}}</ref>

===Industrialisation and Victorian Wickham===
In the 18th century, there was a [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]] industry in Wickham and in the 18th and 19th centuries a brewing industry. Both needed a supply of fresh water, which was readily available from the [[River Meon]]. In 1801, Wickham had a population of 901 and compared to most of the villages in Hampshire it was a large community. In 1820, [[Chesapeake Mill]] was built with timber taken from an American ship {{USS|Chesapeake|1799|6}}, which was captured in the [[War of 1812]]. Sir [[Richard Grindall]] who commanded {{HMS|Prince|1788|6}} at the [[Battle of Trafalgar]] is buried in Wickham churchyard.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.localhistories.org/wickham.html|title=A History of Wickham, Hampshire}}</ref>

In 1903, a branch railway was built from Fareham through Wickham, to Droxford and Alton. It was closed to passengers in 1955 and the line converted to a footpath. The [[Wickham (Hants) railway station|original station]] platforms can still be found.

In 1978, Wickham was twinned with the French village of [[Villiers-Sur-Mer]]. Wickham Vineyard opened in 1984.

In 1990, an old brewery and village hall in Wickham were converted into flats called Riverside Mews. The brewery had shut in 1910 and the buildings were given to Wickham Parish Council to use as a village hall.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.breweryhistory.com/Breweries/HantsWickhamBrewery.htm|title=Brewery History Society Hampshire Wickham Brewery Co Ltd}}</ref>