LOCAL HISTORY

Edward Hyde (1609-74)

He’s commemorated in a Christchurch road name, ‘Clarendon Road’, so must be worth examining. Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609-74) was born at Dinton, nr. Salisbury, was destined for the church but found the law and letters instead and was a pal of Ben Jonson.

Hyde married twice, the second liaison with Frances Aylesbury in 1632 being most significant. They’d have six children of whom the eldest, Anne Hyde, married James, Duke of York, the future James II, in 1659. This royal marriage produced a veritable nursery of grandchildren for Edward including two future queens of England but more of them later. Let’s return to Edward Hyde. Not only was he Earl of Clarendon, but also Lord of the Manor of Christchurch, hence Clarendon Road being here.

He became an MP in 1640, a couple of years before England was riven by civil war, and although he’d favoured the parliamentary cause briefly, by the time conflict began he was in the royalist camp, being knighted in

1643, and made Chancellor of the Exchequer. Hyde accompanied the Prince of Wales, the future Charles II, and was with him in the Scilly Isles in May 1646 when he began writing his History. Yes, he was an author too. Following the execution of Charles I, Hyde remained loyal to his exiled son and heir. When the monarchy was restored in 1660, Charles II, as he now was, rewarded Hyde who became High Chancellor, a baron, then Earl of Clarendon in April 1661.

The wedding of Hyde’s daughter, Anne, to James, Duke of York, had occurred meanwhile by secret contract (1659), then private marriage (1660). Among their children would be the future Mary II (of William and Mary) and Queen Anne. Clarendon meanwhile was not the most popular of statesmen, irritating both sides of the spectrum, his ostentation an irritation to many. Lots of mishaps occurred (not all of which were his fault): the loss of Dunkirk; the Dutch war; the Plague and Great Fire of London. In 1667 Hyde was ousted and exiled to France where he’d spend his rest of days. He was lucky to get there as he was almost mugged by disgruntled English sailors.

Hyde left his mark in our area as he’d a scheme for Hengistbury Head, which saw a ‘cut’ through the sandspit to ease navigation in/out of the harbour with a ‘jetty’ protecting it from the worst of the weather. The trouble is they built the jetty on the wrong side of the cut (oops) so the works got wrecked. That jetty’s still there though (‘Clarendon’s Jetty’ or ‘The Long Rocks’). Hyde wished to return to England but wasn’t allowed so died in Rouen but at least he finished his ‘History of the Rebellion in England’.

By Stephen Roberts www.steveroberts.org.uk Twitter: @SRChristchurch

eMail: littleval@talktalk.net

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