A new book has been published which brings the history of Herriard to life.

Author Alex Craven gave a talk about Herriard, Records of the Life and Work in a Hampshire Village when it was launched at a reception hosted by Sara and John Jervoise at Herriard House on March 1.

John Jervoise welcomed 60 guests and spoke about his family history, before Alex gave a fascinating illustrated talk about writing the book, which is the latest Victoria County History of Hampshire paperback.

The Jervoise family archive at the Hampshire Record Office in Winchester contains more than 250,000 items, showing life in Herriard in remarkable detail.

Sources include daily workbooks recording tasks of up to 30 labourers each morning and afternoon.

Household accounts detail complex relationships between the lord and farm workers.

For example, in 1599 Michael Moore agreed to reap, bind and haul 11 acres of wheat in the following harvest, in return for a year’s accommodation for himself and his family in Sir Richard Paulet’s house, plus pasture for a cow and two pigs.

He agreed to pay Paulet 10s. annual rent, and to undertake all thatching and hurdling for a year at the rate of 7d. a day, during which time his wife was to prepare dinner for Paulet’s servants and tend the pigs until another person was found for the dairy work.

The Jervoise family offered charity to poor parishioners. At Christmas 1800 George Jervoise supplied soup of beef, potatoes, rice and other vegetables. He calculated that 33 gallons would be required each week to supply 81 adults in Herriard with two pints each and 102 children with one pint each.

The revelations about rural life are fascinating. The book, priced £14.99, is available at the Willis Museum in Basingstoke, the Hampshire Record Office in Winchester, and by emailing [email protected]