The beginnings of Froyle
It became a manor in Saxon times and was held by Edward the Confessor. Then William the Conqueror gave it to the nuns of St Mary's Abbey, Winchester.
Stone age and bronze age implements have been found in the area.
In the Domesday Book it is called 'Froli'. There are two possible explanations for the name 'Froli'.
- That it is derived from the name Froehyll or Frija's Hill. Since Frija was the Norse goddess of love, this explanation gives a beautifully romantic setting for the wedding,
- That it comes from medieval English and means a swift stream.
There are two parts to Froyle - Upper Froyle and Lower Froyle. Upper Froyle was richer than Lower Froyle. It had more large houses and it was here that the mills were, to grind the corn grown in Lower Froyle. The area was also important historically for wool from sheep and for hops.
The 1855 trade directory states, 'There are hopyards on all the farms'. Picking hops was a family affair with grandparents and children roped in to help and babies in prams taken to the fields. Local school holidays were arranged so that the children could help.
In early September pickers would come from Andover, Basingstoke, Southampton and Bentley. Gypsy caravans would arrive too. Picking was from 6:30am until 5pm, with picnics eaten in the fields. The local baker would even sell his buns in the fields. The pickers would go from one hop- garden to the next over a three week period. Some would then move on to Kent, where the harvest was about two weeks later. It was a social occasion, with families meeting up and some children were baptised in the fields. Hop growing ceased towards the end of the 20th century and now many barns in the village house small businesses.
In the 18th century there were two tracks from Holybourne to Bentley (forming part of The Pilgrim's Way). There was an upper track, used in Winter, which went through Froyle, past the church, and a lower one, nearer the river, used in Summer. With more wagons and stagecoaches being used, a proper road was built which by-passed Froyle.
Froyle Place
Now called Froyle Park, was part of the manor belonging to the nuns of Winchester. The current Froyle Place was built in 1620 and is a gabled U-shaped Elizabethan manor house built of clunch (a local hard chalk quarried at Quarry bottom, from which many of the local houses were built until 1867). In 1770 Sir Thomas Miller, 5th baronet, moved in, and in 1811 Sir Thomas Combe Miller, 6th Baronet, vicar of Froyle, was responsible for rebuilding the nave in the church. The 7th baronet founded Froyle school in 1864. The 8th baronet was in the army and didn't live in Froyle and Sir Hubert Miller, the last in the line, died in 1940, at which time the estate was used by Lord Mayor Treloar College (a school for children with physical handicap) until 2011. In the first world war it was used as a Military Hospital.
St Mary's Church
There has been a church on this site for over 1,000 years. The present church consists of a chancel, nave and steeple. The church was held by the nuns of St Mary's Abbey, Winchester until 1540. It had a steeple until 1722 when the steeple was replaced by a tower and clock. It has 6 bells which were hung between 1724 and 1757 and restored in 1995. The chancel was built in the first half of the 14th century and the nave was rebuilt in 1812.
Froyle is called 'The Village of Saints' as Sir Hubert Miller, from 1900 onwards, had images, each representing a saint, placed on the houses and cottages belonging to his estate. A few examples are:- Saint Anthony on The Chestnuts, Saint Paul on St Paul's House, St Peter on Blunden's, St Hubert on the Post Office, The Virgin Mary on Fern Cottage, St Christopher on the Manor house.
School Pond
Located across the road from the vicarage, still fills today after heavy rain. In 1847 there were 20 ponds in Froyle, used for draining fields, providing drink for animals, somewhere the children played and the blacksmiths cooled wagon tyres. Now there is only really one left, but some of the old ones reappear after heavy rain.
The Vicarage
The front is early Georgian and part of the back Elizabethan. It originates from the 16th century.
The Old School and the School House
Before this school there was a Dame School in what is now Froyle cottage. In 1868 this school was opened by Sir Hubert Miller, built by his father who had recently died. The school and schoolhouse next door were built from the last clunch stone quarried locally. Froyle School closed in 1986.
The Post Office
This timber-framed, medieval hall house dates from the 15th century. It became a carpenter's shop with a saw pit inside and another saw pit outside for heavier work. Stamps were bought from a 'hole in the wall' and letters were posted near the front door.
Blunden's
Built in 1450, this is a 'three bay Wealden House with a single-bay hall'. Henry Lucas moved here sometime between 1609 and 1620 and extended the house. Adam Blunden acquired it and tenancy of an orchard, barns, stable, and 60 acres of arable land in 1760. Various other families lived here subsequently.
Froyle Cottage
This was the Dame School until 1868. It was built around 1790, with a room added at right angles as the schoolroom in 1856. This schoolroom was built by Henry Burningham as a memorial to his son who died aged 7.
Froyle House
This was built on the site of a farmhouse called 'Cattley's'. The Burningham family moved into Cattley's in 1612 and in 1820 built Froyle House. The original family name had been Bromwycham and they had been granted land in 1100 where the city of Birmingham now stands. After several centuries the family name changed to Burningham and the place where they originated was called Birmingham. The Burningham’s resented the power of the Millers at Froyle Place and built a high stone wall so that they didn't see the estate across the road. In the second world war it was used by the army for a while with Canadians billeted here.
Jubilee Green
This is the site of a pond which fell into disuse. It was grassed over and given a seat in 1977 to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee. In 2000 a parish map was erected.
The Barracks
Originally Elms Houses, they were used to house French prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars. These prisoners quarried stone at Quarry Bottom and built most of the local stone walls.
The Manor House
This was originally Place Farm, then later called West End. It had lots of hop kilns behind it. It was part of the Froyle Place estate. In 1710 William Draper improved it greatly, possibly converting it to a dower house. It was part of Lord Mayor Treloar School until 2011, housing the bursar and being a staff hostel.
The Hen and Chicken
Built around 1740 by the squire. It was a chaise house where people met the stage coaches.