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Laverstoke
LaverstokeLocation within Hampshire
Population	415 (2011 Census including Freefolk)
OS grid reference	SU4916148543
District	Basingstoke and Deane
Shire county	Hampshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Whitchurch
Postcode district	RG28
Police	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	North West Hampshire
List of places UK England Hampshire 51°14′02″N 1°17′50″W / 51.2340°N 1.2973°W / 51.2340; -1.2973

Laverstoke (/ˈlævərstoʊk/ LAV-ər-stohk) is a village in north west Hampshire, England. The On the other side of the River Test there is the settlement at Freefolk which is included in the Laverstock census return.

In the early 18th century, Laverstoke Mill was purchased by the Portals, a family of Huguenot immigrants from Languedoc who were establishing a successful paper making business. Henry de Portal was naturalised in 1711 and had the mill rebuilt in 1719. In 1724 he won the contract to make Bank of England notes and pioneered the use of the watermark in paper currency.

Henry Portal's son Joseph went on to become High Sheriff of Hampshire and purchased the Laverstoke estate adjoining the mill. Following generations prospered further, becoming major land owners. By the 1790s they also owned the Manor at Freefolk Priors and Ashe Park House.

Jane Austen and her family were acquainted with the Portals and two of her brother Edward's sons went on to marry members of the Portal family.

In 1796 the Portals had the old Laverstoke House demolished and a new house erected in neo-classical style by John Bonomi. It is this house that still stands today (although no longer owned by the Portals and not open to the public).

The Bombay Sapphire gin distillery has been located in the old paper mill since late 2014.

Literature

In Richard Adams' Watership Down, the punt on which the rabbits escape from the Efrafans was boarded on the River Test at Laverstoke.

See also

• St Mary's Church, Laverstoke

References

1. "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
2. "Home Of Bombay Sapphire". Bombay Sapphire Distillery. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
3. "A First Glimpse of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery | Gintime". 19 September 2014.

External links

• County Council page
• Parish Council page

Media related to Laverstoke at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Towns, villages and hamlets in the Basingstoke and Deane District of Hampshire, England
	Towns	Basingstoke Tadley Whitchurch
	Civil parishes	Ashford Hill with Headley Ashmansworth Baughurst Bradley Bramley Burghclere Candovers Chineham Cliddesden Deane Dummer East Woodhay Ecchinswell, Sydmonton and Bishops Green Farleigh Wallop Hannington Herriard Highclere Hurstbourne Priors Kingsclere Laverstoke Litchfield and Woodcott Mapledurwell and Up Nately Monk Sherborne Mortimer West End Newtown North Waltham Nutley Oakley Old Basing and Lychpit Overton Pamber Popham Preston Candover Rooksdown Sherborne St John Sherfield on Loddon Sherfield Park Silchester St Mary Bourne Steventon Stratfield Turgis Tunworth Upton Grey Weston Corbett Weston Patrick Winslade Wootton St Lawrence with Ramsdell
	Villages and hamlets	Adbury Aldermaston Soke Aldern Bridge Andwell Ashe Ashe Warren Ashford Hill Ashley Warren Axford Axmansford Binley Bishop's Green Bramley Corner Bramley Green Broadmere Brock's Green Brown Candover Charter Alley Chilton Candover Cole Henley Dunley East Oakley Ecchinswell Ellisfield Ewhurst Freefolk Hare Warren Headley Heath End Ibworth Inhurst Litchfield Little London Lower Woodcott Lower Wyke Malshanger Mapledurwell Middle Wyke Nately Scures Newfound Newnham Newtown Common North Oakley North Sydmonton Old Basing Old Burghclere Pamber End Pamber Green Pamber Heath Penwood Plastow Green Quidhampton Ramsdell Southrope Stoke Spanish Green Sydmonton Tufton Warren Up Nately Upper Woodcott Upper Wootton Tufton Turgis Green Wadwick Wells-in-the-Field West Heath Whitnal Whitway Woolton Hill Wolverton Wolverton Common Wootton St Lawrence
	Districts of Basingstoke	Brighton Hill Hatch Warren Kempshott Oakridge South Ham Winklebury Worting Viables

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