ALRESFORD (NEW), a market-town and chapelry in the parish of OLD-ALRESFORD, liberty of ALRESFORD, Alton (North) division of the county of SOUTHAMPTON, 6 miles (N. E. by E.) from Winchester, and 57 (S. W. by W.) from London, on the high road to Winchester, containing 1129 inhabitants. It derives its name from its situation near a ford on the river Alre. The manor was given to the church of Winchester by Cenwalh, King of the West Saxons, after his baptism by Bishop Birinus. About 1220, Godfrey de Lucy, Bishop of Winchester, restored the market, then fallen into disuse. On May-day, 1690, the town was destroyed by fire, previously to which it was so prosperous, that there was not an individual requiring parochial relief. In 1710,a similar calamity occurred. Alresford pond is a fine piece of water, through which runs the river Itchen. The northern embankment is formed by a causeway, nearly five hundred yards in length, which constituted part of the main road to London previously to 1753, when the present one was made through Bishop's Suttou. This work was accomplished by Bishop de Lucy, under a grant from King John, with a view to the improvement of his grounds, and to increase the depth of the river Itchen, which was formerly navigable to Southampton water, though of late it has ceased to be so higher than Winchester. As a recompense for this arduous undertaking, the bishop obtained, for himself and his successors, the entire royalty of the river from the reservoir to the sea. The market is on Thursday; and fairs are held on Holy Thursday, the last Thursday in July and November, and the Thursday next after Old Michaelmas-day, almost exclusively for sheep. Alresford was incorporated at a very early period, and returned one representative to parliament in the 23rd of Edward I. The corporation consists of a bailiff, appointed by the Bishop of Winchester, and eight burgesses, who, by virtue of a lease from the bishop, receive the tolls of the market, but exercise no magisterial authority. A court leet is held at Michaelmas, when the bailiff is chosen; and the county magistrates hold a petty session weekly, for the division of Alton. This place is within the jurisdiction of the Cheyney Court held at Winchester every Thursday, for the recovery of debts to any amount. There is a place of worship for Independents. H. Perin, Esq. founded a school for nineteen boys, sons of poor tradesmen in the town, and the neighbouring villages of Old Alresford, Sutton, and Tichbourne; it is endowed with a good house for the master, and fifty-two acres of land, now let for £ 100 per annum. At Bramdean, about three miles distant, a tesselated pavement was discovered about five years ago, one part of which represents the wrestling match between Hercules and Antaeus. Among the seats in the neighbourhood are those of Lord Rodney, Sir Henry Tichbourne, Bart., and Alexander Baring, Esq., which last, called the Grange, is a beautiful copy of the Parthenon at Athens.