Monument record MWX1161 - Bure, Christchurch; medieval vill

(SZ19609354 sited to Bure Brook from OS 1:10000 1975) Bure is listed as a Vill in the Lay Subsidy Roll of 1327-28 (1)

Bure appears to have been a hamlet within the manor of Somerford from at least 1272:
'The priory received further confirmations of the estate [of Somerford]... in the year 1272, it was described as 'all the manor of Somerford with its hamlets.' These hamlets were doubtless those of Bure, Chewton and Street. 'The land of Beora and Chiuentone' was granted to the priory early in the 12th century by Hawise Countess of Lincoln, daughter of Richard de Redvers, (fn. 234) and the grant was confirmed by his son the first Earl of Devon and by subsequent earls.' (2).

The hamlet is depicted on an estate map dated to 1796 and consisted at that time of a cluster of 4-5 farmsteads or houses with associated buildings arranged around wide streets which may represent the remnants of a former green (3). All of these 18th century buildings were demolished, probably as part of the construction of Bure Homage and its associated lodge, farm and gardens in the early 19th century. The road pattern was also altered completely at this time. The later buildings are visible on the 1st edition OS 25 inch map (4).

<1> Stagg, D J (ed ), 1979, A Calendar of New Forest Documents 1244-1334, plan facing p37 (Bibliographic reference). SWX3810.

<2> Page, W (Ed), 1908, The Victoria History of the County of Dorset 3, 83-101 (Monograph). SWX3.

<3> 1796, A map of the tythings of Pokesdown, Iford, Tuckton and Week, Christchurch Borough, Bure and Street in the County of Southampton 1796 (Map). SDO10465.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870, Ordnance Survey 1st edition 25 inch sheet 87.9 (Highcliffe south west and Christchurch bay) (Map). SDO10463.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 916911 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 8 2023 3:59PM