Celebrating Hampshire Historians

Marsh, John

26/12/1763 to April 1824

John Marsh was born in Adderbury, Oxfordshire, the son of George Marsh, a master carpenter, and his wife Catherine. It is unknown how or when he arrived in Hursley, Hampshire a distance of some 80 miles from his home. Nor do we know much about his education – he does not appear to have attended a University. His ordination as Deacon for Hursley Parish Church took place in May 1786 when he was 23 years old. His application was supported by the vicars of Portsmouth and Hursley and his initial salary was £25 per annum. He was ordained as a Priest in April 1788 and acted as a curate at Hursley church. It is not clear when he became a rector at North Baddesley but his Curate’s licence from 1814 states that he was to act as curate for the Parish Church of Hursley and the Chapel at Otterbourne whilst still residing in Hursley.

It seems that his ordination application was supported by Dr Chelsum, rector of Droxford in Hampshire. Dr Chelsum (1740 to 1801) provided his testimonial as to learning and good behaviour and we can only assume that the Doctor acted as his mentor. Dr Chelsum, a graduate of Christ Church, Oxford, was known to be a very learned person and his main claim to fame was his opposition to Edward Gibbon’s views on the growth of the Christian Church contained in the “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”.

John Marsh married fairly late in life to Maria Morgan in 1812 and went on to have 4 daughters and one son.

Sources

Ordination Papers for John Marsh, Deacon, Priest and Curate’s Licence, Hampshire Record Office, 21M65/E1/4/1372, 21M65/E1/4/1430, 21M65/E6/12/22

Stephen, Sir Leslie, ed. Dictionary of National Biography, 1921–1922. Volumes 1–22. London, England: Oxford University Press, 1921–1922

Letters to Bingley about the production of his history of Hampshire, Hampshire Record Office, 16/M79/120, 1805-1813

Portrait

Contribution to county’s history

His main contribution to Hampshire history is in the chronicle of the History of Hursley and North Baddesley, the churches and local residents. Particularly valuable are his recordings of the earlier writings of Richard Morley, a local resident in the 17th century and copying the 17th century customs of the manor of Merdon from Chancery proceedings.

Relevant published works

• Marsh, J (1808) Memoranda of the Parishes of Hursley and North Baddesley in the County Of Southampton, Winchester

• Marsh, J (1823) Asiatic Memorials of the Creation, Fall, Deluge, etc from the Sacred Books of the Hindoos, To Which Are Added,brief Accounts of the Hundu Sacred Books of the Sanscrit Language etc., Winchester

Critical Comments

Other Comments

He was clearly an enthusiast for local history and may have corresponded with Dr John Latham of Romsey as hand-written diagrams found in his History of North Baddesley appear to be duplicated within John Latham’s notes.

The publication of his later work, Asiatic Memorials, just a year prior to his death suggests he had very wide interests. His introduction to the latter book suggests that he had spent many years paying attention to the Researches of the Asiatic Society and other discoveries made by the learned in India relative to ancient literature and religious records.

From Hampshire Chronicle 3 May 1824:- ‘died at Hursley near this city on Monday last aged 60 the Rev. John Marsh Rector of North Baddesley, and for above thirty years Curate of Hursley. The fidelity and assiduity with which he sustained the character and fulfilled the duties of a Christian minister, his active and universal benevolence, his amiable and unpretending manners, his patience and resignation under the sufferings of a protracted illness, endear his memory to all who knew him, and afford his friends the consolatory conviction that he is now a partaker of the rest which remains for the people of God’.

Contributor

Veronica Munday, Romsey Local History Society, December 2021

Key Words

Baddesley, Hursley, Romsey

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