User:CircleOfWillis/sandbox

North Stoneham Park, also known as Stoneham Park, was a landscaped parkland, with a country house of the same name, north of Southampton at North Stoneham, Hampshire. It was the seat of the Fleming (subsequently Willis Fleming) family. The park was remodelled by Lancelot Brown in the 18th century. It is listed in the Hampshire Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Its surviving landmarks include St Nicolas' Church and the Stoneham War Shrine.

In 2011, controversial plans were announced to build 1,400 new houses on the surviving portion, Avenue Park.

Origins
The deer park at North Stoneham was probably part of a Saxon ecclesiastical estate in the early Middle Ages. Later it belonged to Hyde Abbey. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the manor was acquired in 1545 by Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Southampton. In 1599, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton sold the North Stoneham estate to the judge and politician Sir Thomas Fleming (1544-1613), whose descendants owned it until 1953.

Fleming family of North Stoneham Park
North Stoneham Park was the seat of the Fleming family .... Sir Thomas Fleming built a manor house adjoining St Nicolas' Church, but died there suddenly on 7 August 1613, having given to his servants and farm-labourers what was known in Hampshire as a "hearing day". He was buried in the church, where he is comemmorated by an impressive tomb. His eldest son Sir Thomas Fleming ...

Around 1736, Richard Fleming (1682-1740) built the Belvedere, a summer house and banqueting hall, at the southwest corner of the park.

By 1818, the park was some 1,000 acres in extent. ...

Royal Show.

North Stoneham House
It was the childhood home of the author Ursula Moray Williams. The house was demolished in 1939.

Dispersal and fragmentation of the Park
In 1953, the parkland was sold in seperate lots by the Willis Fleming family. In 1983, the M27 motorway was completed through the southern side of the park, followed in 1991 by the M3 motorway through the western side. Stoneham Golf Club occupies a large part of the former Rough Park. The former Deer Park is now lost to sports playing fields. The central lakes belong to Eastleigh & District Angling Club. Another surviving area is Home Wood, managed by the Forestry Commission.