Festum Clementis tempus fuerat morientis
Mille quadringentis annis Christi redimentis,
Quadris his junctis simul et cum septuagintis.
Hunc cum defunctis, protege, Christe, tuis.


Here laid in the ground, John Bowland hath sepulture,
A man of faith and kindliness, and hence by all beloved.
He was aforetime the excellent guardian of this park
Belonging to certain lords of Merdon and Winchester.
He for (lit. in) 50 years--(8 being taken away precisely)
With the applause of all the community was guardian among them.

The Festival of Clement was his date of dying
In years one thousand four hundred after Christ's Redemption,
Adding to these four (?) (years) and seventy.
Him, O Christ, befriend with those who are thine!


Unlike Hursley, or rather the Manor of Merdon, Otterbourne had many
different possessors in succession, and is even at the present day
divided into various holdings on different tenures.

In 1244 Walter and John de Brompton, sons of Sir Bryan de Brompton,
lived at Hayswode, a name now lost or changed into "Otterbourne
Park," the wood spreading over the east side of the hill. At the
same time Sir Henry de Capella was possessor of the manor; but in
1265 it had passed, by what means we do not know, to Sir Francis de
Bohun--a very early specimen of this Christian name which was derived