FORDINGBRIDGE, a market-town and parish
in the hundred of FORDINGBRIDGE, New Forest (West)
division of the county of SOUTHAMPTON, 20 miles
(W. by N.) from Southampton, through Ringwood,
and 92 (SW. by W.) from London, containing, with the
tything of Godshill, sometimes deemed extra-parochial,
2602 inhabitants. This town is noticed in
Domesday-book under the name of Forde, in which it
is further stated to have contained a church and
two mills. It has suffered repeatedly by fire, and
particularly at the beginning of the last century. It
is pleasantly situated on the borders of the New
Forest, and on the banks of the Upper Avon, which
is here navigable, and crossed by a bridge of seven
arches at the south-east entrance into the town which
is plentifully supplied with good water. There is a
sail-cloth manufactory, and there was formerly one
for bed-ticks and checks to a considerable extent, but
of these only a small quantity is now made. The market
is on Friday; and an annual fair is held on the
9th of September, chiefly for amusement. The living
is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Winchester,
rated in the king's books at £30. 2. 3.,
and in the patronage of the Provost and Fellows of
King's College, Cambridge. The church, dedicated
to St. Mary, consists of a nave and aisles, with a
small north transept, over which rises a square tower
and two chancels parallel with each other, one east
of the nave, the other beyond the north aisle and transept;
the tower is about seventy feet high, and of ex-
cellent workmanship: the south chancel is the most
ancient part of the building, and is supposed to have
been erected about the commencement of the thirteenth
century. The west window, which is very large, is
a beautiful specimen of the decorated English style.
There is a chapel of ease at Ibsley, in this parish. Here
are places of worship for the Society of Friends and
Independents. In 1801, Catherine Eycott Bulkeley gave
£200 three per cent, consols, in trust, to apply the dividends
towards the support of the Sunday school; and
in 1824, Sarah Dale bequeathed £50 for the same
purpose: this charity is further supported by voluntary
contributions. A rent-charge of £5, payable every
fourth year, was given by John Dodington, in 1638, to
apprentice poor children of this parish. There are the
remains of several ancient encampments in the neighbourhood,
the principal of which is at Godshill, about
two miles from the town.