The Hundred of Wickham

1200

Wickham gave its name to the Hundred of Wickham, an administrative division of Hampshire that encompassed the village and the surrounding parishes. The hundred was a unit of local government that predated the county council system, responsible for the administration of justice, the collection of taxes, and the mustering of men for military service. The hundred court would have met at Wickham, reinforcing the village's importance as a local centre. The hundred system survived in some form until the nineteenth century, though its functions were gradually transferred to other bodies.