The Quest for England: Titchfield Village in Hampshire

[@ab-iy5qq]

Looks lovely.

[@dastardlydianne5657]

I really enjoyed this village with its old houses from different periods. There is a charm in places that grew organically, rather than off the drawing board. All topped off with very good church.

[@RichardVobes]

It is a lovely place.

[@ramibu239]

Oh what a lovely pick Lovely Julia!!! Just love these old villages w/ all there magnificent architecture! Just wish the vid could have been longer - there was so much to see!!!😍 And yes, please do go back to visit the church for a more detailed visit! Perhaps someone from Titchfield will reach out to share more w/ you!🙂

[@ramibu239]

Btw...I was waiting on your YT page for tonight's vid & saw that you changed the pic your page to reflect the "Quest for England." (Looked great btw!😁👍) Was that Titchfield Abbey that you Julia are standing infront of?

[@RichardVobes]

I am sure we shall go back and have a poke about.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, that's right - but I did change it a while a go. :)

[@Stringtrees]

What a lovely village. I love the pastel colours.

[@RichardVobes]

Very resting on the eye.

[@diddyreason]

I enjoyed watching and listening. Long live the English village.

[@RichardVobes]

I second that!

[@rebeccabsomanybooks3558]

Charming.

[@kathyowens9901]

Such a lovely walk and Julia's memory's were extra special. That church arch was amazing! Thank you both so much.

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it Kathy.

[@andyfrearson2299]

What a great video Richard and Julia. I’ve never been to Titchfield even though it’s on my doorstep. I didn’t realise how nice it was which means I’m going to have to visit. I liked the comment about the Gnat when the motorbike went by, i call them bees in a biscuit tin!!!👍🏻

[@RichardVobes]

You must - worth looking around. Ah yes, those noisy gnats!

[@acerone10]

Beautiful pictures on Face Book, Julia. Nice job. Thanks for the adventure.

[@RichardVobes]

We often put stills from your adventurers on Facebook.

[@darrenharley6150]

Hi Richard. Nice to see the village on you tube and in a different perspective. I have lived there since 1968 when I was born and have seen the place change not always for the best. I have been watching your videos for some time and they have given us more ideas of places to visit. Keep up the good work.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much Darren. It is always great to hear from people who actually live in the places I visit. Often our information is vague so always good to get locals adding to the comments.

[@JuliaHartley]

Oh wow, I bet you could tell us a thing or 200 about this gorgeous village!

[@KevinsRambles]

Lovely place to visit and the buildings are lovely. Richard mentioned the colours on some of the buildings, I believe in certain places where buildings are painted there are restrictions on what colours can be used, usually pastel colours are chosen for use.

[@RichardVobes]

You mean there's no bright orange and purple stripes?

[@KevinsRambles]

@@RichardVobes afraid not :-)

[@darrenharley6150]

The village of Southwick near Portsmouth, all the front doors are red.

[@greglittlefield8775]

I loved this. My wife and I are looking at visiting the village in the near future. At 7:56, you show Barry's Cottages on the left, which is where my ancestor Edmund Littlefield is supposed to have lived until he left for America around 1636,

[@danbh84]

Very cute village!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks - it sure is.

[@annosborne7365]

A very enjoyable video to watch.

[@RichardVobes]

Cool beans. Thanks, Ann.

[@annosborne7365]

Richard Vobes What are cool beans

[@MrGreatplum]

Great video - would love to see the church one day! A beautiful village - I spotted half a dozen uPVC windows in the high street which would be in contravention of the conservation area - once a planner... 😆

[@RichardVobes]

That's interesting - why hasn't anyone said something to them?

[@MrGreatplum]

Richard Vobes - tricky one - they would have to be spotted and reported; in some cases they may predate the creation of the conservation area and therefore it’s only when they are replaced that they would have to be changed. Good to see the new builds at the start with wooden (double glazed) sash windows though.

[@RichardVobes]

The new builds were too badly designed - and because so few - not obscene.

[@Mogwaimynx]

Ah lovely memories, many a carnival spent there, think I have some photos of Julia’s birthday parties somewhere...

[@RichardVobes]

Lovely times you both must have had!

[@hsbcgeoff]

Loved the "North" door! lol

[@RichardVobes]

Indeed. We did circle the church first before finding it. :)

[@adventussaxonum448]

Mum taught in Titchfield Primary School and cycled to work from the western edge of Fareham. The Norman church? Pah! It is reportedly one of the oldest Saxon churches in England, dating from the 600s.

[@scottloose4140]

I recall a tour of a German medieval city that the reason their second story was overhanging the first was that the tax was based on the ground floor. So they could get some more square footage without paying for it..

[@RichardVobes]

Hahahah - sounds plausible, although I don't think accurate.

[@andrewnorris1]

I’ve seen the market square building in Singleton it’s a beautiful structure. Sorry it is not still in it’s original position but at least it has been saved. Looking forward to seeing the inside of the church on another occasion. Much enjoyed wandering around with you both.

[@cogidubnus1953]

Hi Andrew, here's the link:- www.wealddown.co.uk/buildings/market-hall-titchfield/

[@RichardVobes]

Oh golly, yes - thank goodness - must go to the Weald and Download museum soon.

[@RichardVobes]

That's interesting - I hadn't realised that it had been moved from the high street in the 19th century, and then to Singleton in 1971.

[@SidBonkers51]

The overhang on Tudor buildings is called a "Jetty" or "Jettied Floors" and there reason is unknown although most people assume it was to maximize the floor space upstairs so the building could encroach out over the road. This feature meant that many houses were almost touching in narrow lanes and was the reason so much of London was destroyed after the great fire of London, after which the practice was never used again.

[@RichardVobes]

Actually the reason is known - Hugh Brawn talks about it in his books on English architecture. The reason is to put weight on the floorboards at the ends and eradicating bounce as you walk across. Yes, Jettied is the term - I thought I got there in the end. I remember forgetting the term but thought I grasped it eventually. :)

[@SidBonkers51]

@@RichardVobes I cant subscribe to that theory as it makes no difference how much of the joists project past the wall it cam make no difference to the "bounce in the room without a counterweight on the overhang, like a tall crane has. Ive always had the opinion that if someone buys a piece of land then they build within those parameters and then expand the upper floors and gain larger areas upstairs without paying for the extra land. Of course thats just a guess, as I said no one really knows why the Tudors Jettied floors on upper floors.

[@JuliaHartley]

York has some awesome examples of the narrow gaps between overhangs and I can't help but think they were at least in part, inspiration for the late author Terry Pratchett's Discworld city of Ankh-Morpork!

[@nlanca1]

I think I mentioned this before but Cerne Abbas (Dorset) will certainly appeal if you don't know it already.

[@RichardVobes]

I do need to travel to Dorset and film some more of the places there. That's Nick.

[@tamaracarter1836]

Fabulous video! Although (in my opinion) a lot of those timber framed buildings look older than Elizabethan; perhaps 15th century? My house was built in the early 1400’s, plus many of the villages nearby have retained many medieval buildings - quite similar to the ones shown in your video. I just love our historic villages and towns. So much so that I’ve even created a very long list dedicated to just that; if ever I see a video about a lovely village/ town on KZbin or out and about, I’ll add it to the list (Titchfield was actually already on there). I don’t know if you’d be interested in me sending it to you, seeing how I already bombarded you with that other long list (if you can remember from your “ The Best Place in the World to Explore” video), you’ve probably got enough to keep you going for a while! Thanks.

[@RichardVobes]

Please do... can you email to richard at vobes dot com. Thanks so much.

[@tamaracarter1836]

I will do that later tonight - you are very welcome!

[@tamaracarter1836]

Richard, I have sent an email to the address you gave: [e-mail] - please let me know when you receive it.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much - looking forward to it. :)

[@thinking-as-I-wander]

I would love to be able to take a short drive and walk among 500 to 600 year old buildings.

[@RichardVobes]

We do it all the time - it is wonderful. You must come to the Uk, Jeff and Julia and I shall take you around.

[@georgetimperley8906]

Intesting video, it is a shame the market squere got moved elsewhere. I do think it would have been better in its original position. But its all progress I suppose. Great video you 2 👍

[@RichardVobes]

Oh no - it looks wonderful in Singleton Open Air Museum.

[@morgidvmw0mdv]

I wonder if that's the same village made famous by the GREAT film 'The Titchfield Thunder Bolt'? I think that's the name of the film.

[@RichardVobes]

You are thinking fo the Ealing comedy The Titfield Thunderbolt - completely different. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Titfield_Thunderbolt

[@mawkernewek]

0:12 if there were units of Englishness, and a detector that could read them, it would be bleeping like a geiger counter at the Chernobyl reactor right now.

[@RichardVobes]

Excellent - I need one of those devices.

[@lopsidelarry1556]

Very nice, but wot about Essex, have a look at the River Chelmer from Maldon to Chelmsford, full of history & beautiful scenery. Essex is full of history, init, know wot I mean Rich. Seriously it,s definitely not all like "The only way is Essex". Which most of us cringe at.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, I bet there are heaps and a lot of beauty. I do want to explore Essex and its history. Thanks for the comment.

[@snacklofter]

Richard your videos cheer me up so much - just sent you £10 via paypal - (Please buy Julia a snack too!!!) Thanks. atb snack.

[@RichardVobes]

Thank you so much - I hope I did send you my email of appreciation. If not, I will get on it. :)

[@snacklofter]

@@RichardVobes No problem Richard - you're very welcome! atb snack.

[@JuliaHartley]

Thanking you kindly!