LOCAL treasures: Living in "Domesday villages", we're very fortunate that our heritage is cherished and kept alive.

Now, thanks to the Rev Clive Parnell-Hopkinson, we can look wider and indulge in "church tourism", visiting nearby churches described in Worship in Wessex - a colourful free booklet.

It is available in St Martin's and is being snapped up at the Basingstoke Tourist Information Office, at The Willis Museum, almost as quickly as the cakes at Maggie's Tea Rooms.

All credit to Clive, who both wrote the words and took the photographs.

GHOSTS: How many ghosts does Ellisfield have?

Two have been sighted to my knowledge, both in the older, top part of the village.

The first was in Bell Lane, the second at the top of College Lane.

I was reminded of this while talking to Celia Lunn. Some years ago, her daughter Theresa was with Vikki Spicer, putting away her horse in the field close to what's now Orchard House.

She went to the old apple store to get food for the pony, looked over the fence into what was then the garden of Ellisfield Manor House, and saw an old lady dressed in grey sitting on a three-legged stool, weeding the garden.

She turned around and said: "Vikki, look at this." When she turned back, the lady had gone.

Theresa wasn't frightened, says Celia, but she knew "it was out of context".

Years later Celia discovered who it might have been. More next week.