1_s._ 10_d._ May 22--Paid William
Branding bill for hanging the new bell, 1 pounds 13_s._" Altogether, at
the end of the year, it is recorded "the book in debt" 1 pounds 11_s._,
but "the disburstments," as they are spelt, righted themselves in 1784,
when we find "paid for musick for the use of the Church, 1 pounds 1_s._
To George Neal for whitewashing Church, 1 pounds 1_s._, George Neale, two
days' work, 5_s._ 3_d._, for work in the gallery, 19_s._ 4_d._, bill for
tiles, 3_s._ 4_d._"

The only connection Otterbourne has with any historical person is not a
pleasant one. The family of Smythe, Roman Catholics, long held
Brambridge, and they endowed a little Roman Catholic Chapel at
Highbridge. At one time, a number of their tenants and servants were of
the same communion, and there is a note in the parish register by the
curate to say that there were several families at Allbrook and Highbridge
whose children he had not christened, though he believed they had been
baptized by the Roman Catholic priest. One of the daughters of the
Smythe family was the beautiful Mrs. Fitz-Herbert, whom the Prince of
Wales, afterwards George IV, was well known to have privately married. He
never openly avowed this, because by the law made in the time of William
III, a marriage with a Roman Catholic disqualifies for the succession to
the crown; besides which, under George III, members of the royal family
had been prohibited from marrying without the King's consent, and such
marriages were declared null and void. The story is mentioned here
because an idea has gone abroad that the wedding took place in the chapel
at Highbridge, but this is quite untrue. The ceremony was performed at
Brighton, and it is curious that the story of it having happened here
only began to get afloat after the death of Mr. Newton, the last of the
old servants who had known Mrs. Fitz-Herbert. Walter Smythe, her
brother, was one of the _detenus_ whom Napoleon I kept prisoners, though
only English travellers, on the rupture of the Peace of Amiens. His
brother, Charles, while taking care of the estate, had all the lime trees
in the avenue pollarded, and sold the tops to make stocks for muskets.

{View near Hursley: p16.jpg}

In those days there was only a foot bridge across the Itchen at
Brambridge. Carts and carriages had to ford the river, not straight
across, but making a slight curve downwards; this led to awkward
accidents. There was a gentleman dining w