- Peartree Green
within the city of Southampton.
It takes its name from the
Pear Tree that once stood on the large green open space in this area. Some of that open space has since been urbanised, but a large proportion remains as a recreational area. It offers good views across theRiver Itchen to the ancient part ofSouthampton previously known asHamwic inSaxon times. It is possible to see the spire of St Mary's Church, theSt. Mary's Stadium and theItchen Bridge .Pre 1920, a small community
lived at Peartree House from approximately 1617.
A small church, known as
Jesus Chapel was completed in 1618, built byCaptain Richard Smith [Images of Southampton. Southampton City Council.1994. ISBN 1-873626-59-2] The Illustrated History of Southampton Suburbs. Jim Brown. 2004. ISBN 1 85983 405 1] . It was dedicated in 1620 and was the first new church to be built in England after theEnglish Reformation . Although it was not part of Southampton at that time,Jesus Chapel served the parish of St Marys Extra which was used as an overflow for the parish of St Marys in Southampton. Construction ofJesus Chapel saved parishoners from a rough crossing over the Itchen to Southampton or a long journey to the neighbouring churches at Hound, Botley or Stoneham.Peartree House was altered in the late eighteenth century [Images of Southampton. Southampton City Council.1994. ISBN 1-873626-59-2] . It was once home to General Shrapnel inventor of the
Shrapnel shell [Images of Southampton. Southampton City Council.1994. ISBN 1-873626-59-2] .A
boarding school was built next toJesus Chapel in 1857 [Memorial Stone on the old school building] .By the late 19th Century, the area contained many impressive houses and villas which were home to
Southampton 's wealthy traders [Images of Southampton. Southampton City Council.1994. ISBN 1-873626-59-2] .Itchen Ferry village no longer exists, but it used to adjoin Peartree Green. The graveyard atJesus Chapel contains a memorial to Richard Parker ofItchen Ferry village , who died at sea following the wreck of the yachtMignonette [Maritime Memorials] off South Africa in 1884. Cast adrift without provisions, his companions were forced to murder him and eat his flesh in order to survive. It is one of the few recorded cases ofcannibalism in modern times [Cannibalism and the common law. A.W. Brian Simpson. 1984] . The subsequent murder trialRegina v. Dudley & Stephens changed English law.Post 1920, part of Southampton
Peartree Green was incorporated into the borough of
Southampton in 1920 [Southampton in the Twenties. Eric Wyeth Gadd] . The area has subsequently experienced significant suburban development. The Boarding school became an Annex toWoolston School but has since been converted into residential homes.External links
[http://www.nmm.ac.uk/memorials/Memorial.cfm?Topic=3&MemorialID=M2793 Maritime Memorials website]
References
Around Southampton
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