1651 ATHONY BELDIN m. Edw. Holloway 10 Feb

This however is probably a Belden and so not connected at all.

In 1697 at Kensington, 21st Dec, a warrant was issued for the confirmation of charter to Romsey. Among the names of those members of the corporation who "desire to be inserted in the new charter" is that of "NICHOLAS BELBEN (sic), capital burgess" [Calendar State Papers, Domestic.Wm III 1697]. Since there is no previous reference to a BELBIN at Romsey, Nicholas does not seem to be a native. He was probably the Nicholas of the Portsmouth BELBINS of whom the following particulars are given in the genealogy in Portsmouth Public Library:

    NICHOLAS BELBIN married Sarah daughter of Richard Wilkes of Titchfield who died 1680  aged 23 (buried in St. Thomas) and had issue:-

    MARY BELBIN born 1678

    PETER BELBIN born 1679

He was also probably the NICHOLAS BELBIN, Gent, who on 17th July 1689 appealed to the House of Lords for £100 from Thomas Simpkins, scrivener, of London Historical MSS Commission 12th Report Appendix VI].

		A photograph of Romsey Abbey taken in 1906.

Nicholas seems to have married again.  The following is copied from a stone in the floor of the South Transcript of Romsey Abbey:

Here lyeth the body of Mr. Tho. Warren, a learned, pious, and faithful minister of Christ, a solid and nervous assertor of discriminating grace and breed well, who died Jan the 27th, 1623/4 aged 77. T'was Christ he preached lord livd but now is gon to live with Christ in the heavenly mansioned. May we Christ love and live, so living dye, so dying live in bliss and (to) eternity.

Here lyeth the body of Mrs. Sarah BELBIN wife of Mr. Nicholas BELBIN who dyed May 16, 1737 aged 55.

Thomas Warren was the well known brother of the incumbent at the Abbey, who himself took Holy Orders but later dissented and joined the Congregational Ministry. There is no indication of the connection between him and SARAH BELBIN. There was about 136 years between the dates of their births. The inscription on this stone is apparently contradicted by the entry in the burial register of the Abbey:

    1737 Mrs. HANNAH BELBIN, widow 22 May

Nicholas may have been married again before he married Sarah (Hannah), as the following entry occurs in the register of Romsey Abbey:

    1704 ANNAH BELLBON (Bellben?) wife of Nicklos, buried 7 Aug

This may well be, as his first wife died in 1680 and Sarah (Hannah) would not have been old enough for him to marry her until about 1700.

The following is also from Romsey Abbey Registers:

    1701 HENRY BELBONE married Hannah Gifford, both of this town 23rd Sept.

The following is from Timsbury 92M72 PRI:

    1716 Robert Read of Southampton married HANNAH BELBEN of Rumsey 21st June

The following is from the Hampshire Allegations of Marriage Licences:

    1732 Robert Newlands of Romsey, baker and JANE BELBIN of the same, spinster, at Romsey, 27th November

The PETER s.NICHOLAS  who was born in 1679 may be the PETER BELBIN, schoolmaster of Lymington, who was bondsman at a marriage at Ringwood on 14th October 1726.

Until the 1914-1918 war there was standing at Romsey a house known as BELBINS. It was perhaps 220 years old, and no BELBINS seem to have been living in Romsey within living memory, so the name must have been handed down.  The house, which contained about ten rooms, was said to be haunted and had been unoccupied for a long time.  It was blown up during the 1914-1918 war.  It was on the site of some gravel pits on the Cupernham Road outside Romsey and the estate of bungalows that was built on the spot is known as BELBINS.  One of the bungalows now has that name.  There was also some years ago a BELBINS GRAVEL COMPANY which took its name from the place and not from its owners.(Information given by the verger at Romsey Abbey, 5th August 1939).

In the Apprentices and Masters Index in the Society of Genealogists Library is an entry referring Henry, son of Henry BELBIN of Romsey, Hants, who was apprenticed to Sam Oliver of Romsey, apothecary (£50).

BELBINS House

On 30th December 2003, Terry BELBIN and GILL EDWARDS visited BELBINS to take some new photographs of the area and some of these are shown below, together with some older photographs.  Much to their surprise, the huge wrought iron gates to BELBINS HOUSE were opening as they approached, and the driver of the car leaving the property invited them into the grounds.  Much to their consternation, the gates shut automatically as the car left, leaving Terry and Gill trapped in the grounds.  They had to march the long driveway to the house to explain themselves to the new owners who were, not surprisingly, suspicious.  After some hasty explanation, instead of being escorted off the property they were invited into the house to be shown the 1882 sales particulars which had been in a frame waiting to be discovered during the new owners (whose names are not known) renovation of the house.  This was duly photographed and shown below.  If you want to see a larger image, then there will be a copy of the full resolution image in the Photo Gallery.

Below are some photographs of the general area from which can be clearly seen that the name BELBINS is very prominent.  Again, should you wish to view higher resolution images please go to the Photo Gallery

ROADSIGN AT BOUNDARY OF BELBINS	HUGE BOULDER IN GROUNDS OF BELBINS HOUSE	THE BELBINS HOUSE MAILBOX
THE OLD GATEPOST AT THE END OF THE DRIVE	LOOKING INTO THE GROUNDS OF BELBINS VALLEY	OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE TO BELBINS BUSINESS PARK

What can you tell us about BELBINS?