[4] William de Briwere the Elder, was given 400 acres of land for hunting by King John.

[2] William obtained permission from the Prior and convent of Winchester Cathedral Priory, to einclose a part of Houghton so as to extend the park.

His descendant, Patrick de Chaworth, obtained from the king an additional charter in 1252 to enclose How Wood.

Local tradition asserts that John of Gaunt had a palace was sited behind the church in the village which was later rebuilt as a manor house.

[7] When King's Somborne was granted in 1628 to Edward Ditchfield, John Heighlord, Humphrey Clarke and Francis Mosse as trustees for the Corporation of London, Painholt Chase was specifically excepted.

[2] The village has about 100 listed buildings and structures including the Sir Edwin Lutyens designed Marsh Court, Compton Manor, thatched cottages, 18th century buildings such as the Old Vicarage and 19th century brick built cottages roofed in slate.