Itchen Stoke has a population is 210, including Abbotstone. Its most notable building is the Church of St Mary, a redundant Anglican church built by the civil engineer and architect Henry Conybeare in 1856, now under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. It is in an early French style, Grade II* listed and made of brown and grey rubble stone with limestone dressings.
The manor of Itchen Stoke was granted to the Bishop of Winchester by King Edgar in 960. The Domesday Book records the manor as having passed to Romsey Abbey, who retained it until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It then passed to Sir William Paulet, later the first Marquess of Winchester and stayed with his family until the time of the Commonwealth. Itchen Stoke Mill (with attached miller's cottage) is of ancient origin. The current building dates from the 18th century and straddles the mill race. Itchen Stoke House is 19th-century, has nine bays and is central with small grounds; this being the former rectory
This outlying north-east hamlet comprises a few houses and has a population of 32. It was formerly in its own civil parish and lies along the Ellisfield to Itchen Abbas portion of the Three Castles Path Abbotstone contains an abandoned medieval village, with further details at the charity English Heritage's website and evidence of fortifications, as well as several abandoned quarries
The traveller Celia Fiennes, who made extensive tours riding side-saddle, passed through "Aberstone" in 1691. She noticed the house of the Duke of Bolton "which stands on the side of a hill where are fine Gardens and much fruite."
For the Cache
At the posted coordinates you will find a bus stop and half of the fine pair. Find the number of the postbox and the number of the bus for Petersfield. These equal SO24 A B C and D E respectively.
You will find the cache at N 51 05.(B)(E)(A+D) W 001 11.(B+D)(C)(A+C)
Please note that as of 06/12/16 the formula has change, along with the hide location.
The Fine Pair series was originally started by wizardsmum but is now managed by mattd2k.
If anybody would like to place 'A Fine Pair' of their own please do. I would just ask that you first visit www.afinepair.co.uk to request a number to avoid any duplication.
mattd2k also keeps a public Bookmark List of this series. Once your cache is published please contact him via at geocachingafinepair@gmail.com to have yours added.