The gems of Hampshire explored in new book

50 Gems gems of Hampshire by Peter Kilby contains insightful and intriguing information about the quieter areas of the county as well as its major conurbations.

Towns and villages in the New Forest are also included.

From the picturesque village of Burley to the Beaulieu River and its spectacular Palace House and the historic shipbuilding village of Bucklers Hard.

The following is a small taste of what the new book offers:

River Avon and Fordingridge

Fordingbridge is situated on the far north-west corner of the New Forest on the banks of the River Avon. It was recorded in the Domesday Book and is a quiet historic market town today.

The lord of the manor held a weekly market there from its establishment in 1273 until it was discontinued in the nineteenth century.

The town is reached via an ancient seven-arch stone bridge, which is best seen from the Riverside Park and its lush green-water meadows.

This bridge was first built in 1252 when the bailiffs and townsmen received a grant called ‘Pontage’ for repairs to its 40-metre span.

Legend has it that up until 1840, during the time called ‘Fence Month’, a guard was mounted on the bridge to prevent venison from the New Forest being smuggled in.

Once over the bridge the main streets of the town are at right angles to Fordingbridge, and parallel with the river.

Being close to the river the town is no stranger to occasional flooding, but the waterside is central to its charm. It’s here that the artist Augustus John is commemorated by a striking and powerful bronze statue alongside the bridge and riverbank, which is much in the character of this famous man.

To the north of Fordingbridge town centre in Upper Burgate is the property known as Fryern Court, which contains the studio designed by C. Nicholson for Augustus John in 1932-34, but is now a private residence.

On a road leading out of Fordingbridge is a public house called the Augustus John, which is full of memorabilia extolling the artist and his flamboyant lifestyle.

Ringwood

Further downstream on the River Avon lies the market town of Ringwood, an outpost of the New Forest. Unlike other places nearby, it is urban and bustling in character.

There is a good deal of water around the centre of Ringwood, where the river flows beneath the elevated section of the A31 and under the Old Town Bridge at the far end of West Street, near to the appropriately named Fish Inn.

Flowing away from the main river is the mill stream, running almost parallel with the High Street and fronted by an open area of land called the Bickerley Common, which is very picturesque but liable to flooding from time to time.

The town centre is dominated by the beautiful Victorian Church of St Peter and St Paul, overlooking the Market Place and a landmark driving along the A31, particularly on the elevated section.

Lymington

The market town and seaport of Lymington was founded in the twelfth century by Richard de Redvers, Lord of the Isle of Wight, who was also responsible for founding Newport, the island’s capital, together with the port and town of Yarmouth - all three places interconnected for trading purposes.

The layout of the High Street in Lymington from its early foundation is one of narrow frontages of plots running back to lanes called burgages, these being ancient tenure lands in favour of the youngest son, but now fragmented.

Today there is a mixture of two-, three-, and four-storey houses and shops laid out almost higgledy-piggledy, but somehow charming.

At the head of the High Street stands the Church of St Thomas with its distinctive tower and cupola, which, although medieval in origin, the inside is essentially Georgian in appearance with the addition of galleries and previously a three-tier pulpit, creating what has been called a preaching box.

Today we see this church in its most recent incarnation, with modern seating replacing the pews into what is described as a place of ‘flexibility, accessibility and beauty’ — in other words reordering has taken place.

Beaulieu

Beaulieu Abbey was founded by King John in 1204 for Cistercian monks, who took possession of the church in 1227 and dedicated it in 1246 to St Mary.

This original church was built with stone from the quarries on the Isle of Wight, and Caen stone from Normandy was used for decoration and sculptures.

Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries it survived in part with the domus (the monks’ dormitory), cloisters and the original refectory, dedicated as the present Beaulieu Abbey, or Church of the Blessed Virgin and Holy Child, in 1538. Because of the previous use the church is orientated north to south instead of east to west, and the layout remains today.

It has glazed doors on the north wall set in a lancet arch, leading out to the present Beaulieu estate.

A staircase on the west wall leads to the original refectory lectern (now the church pulpit), while at the north end, set beneath the church wagon roof, is a gallery once used as the village school.

In 1900/2 extensive archaeological excavations were carried out and detailed plans were prepared of the findings, including a plan of the present church.

Brockenhurst

Like other villages in the county, Brockenhurst was also cited in the Domesday Book, this time in the Boldre hundred, which confirms its ancient history of 1,000 years.

The coming of the railway in 1847 heralded a new era for a formerly quiet place, which today is host to a main line railway station linking Brockenhurst with both the south-west of England and central London.

The main Brookley Road conjoins with the busy railway level crossing on the A337 Lymington and Lyndhurst Road, while at its upper end there is a ford crossing a watercourse called the weir, leading to the open enclaves of the New Forest. In other words, Brockenhurst is a place where town meets the countryside.

Water is an important feature of Brockenhurst, with both the north and south weirs, which together with a second ford at Waters Green eventually join forces to merge with the Lymington River.

To the north-east of Brockenhurst is an idyllic place called Balmer Lawn where the Lymington River quietly ambles along; it is a spot greatly favoured by holidaymakers and their families during warm summer days. Historically this area was famous for charcoal burning, which was used in the manufacturing of pottery from Roman times.

50 Gems of Hampshire by Peter contains 96-pages, 100 illustrations and is available for £15.99 from Waterstones, WHSmith, Amazon and more. The book can also be purchased in Kindle, Kobo and iBook formats.