cus0183-0331 alresford millennium trail FINAL:Layout 1 11/08/2010 10:36 Page 1 Useful Information The Alre Valley Trail, this circular walk loops off the Millennium Trail and rejoins it here...... End of Millennium Trail

You have now crossed the parish You have now reached Drove Lane. Please take extra care Millennium Trail continued The Alre Valley Trail (optional diversion) c 22 boundary and are in . As on the first section where, as you turn left, visibility is limited. ALRESFORD Pound Hill Within a three-mile radius of St John's, you climb up the slope you reach an About 200 metres down Drove Lane you re-cross the river and on the parish church, there are some area called New . The two At the end of The Avenue you will walk your right are the water meadows g , referred to on the board at 60 miles of paths and tracks. Many of cottages on your left are known as New down Pound Hill 22 , the site of a 'pound' the beginning of the trail. This is a good place to spot water birds these are hundreds of years old. England Cottages, built in 1700 d . for stray animals. It was also the especially during migration periods in Spring and Autumn. The Alre Valley Trail gives you an Records show that in 1891 they were location of the Hurdle House where The river here was used in the Second World War by tanks opportunity to see at closer hand d occupied by agricultural labourers from 23 hurdles for the sheep markets were practicing river crossings. It is also one of the possible sites of the some of the lovely countryside that the Arlebury Estate. stored. As you cross the top of The Travelling to Alresford ‘ford over the river where the alder tree grow’ from which surrounds Alresford. Also, for the Dean, immediately on your left is the Alresford lies just off the A31 between (7 miles) Please keep to the footpath at this Alresford takes its name. more adventurous, the trail leads to original building 23 . and Alton (12 miles). point as it skirts a private parking area. more opportunities for longer walks if If using SatNav key in or SO24 9JG. Follow the g A further 350 metres brings you to Founded in 1697, it remained here until you so wish. As you walk beyond the cottages you will brown and white tourist signs to the Line. The Winchester Road, formerly a turnpike 1932 when it was moved to its present e see a footpath in the field on your right. If Millennium Trail begins in the Station Yard where parking is road, where you turn left, back 24 site at the beginning of The Avenue. you want a birds-eye view of Alresford available. Buses run at least hourly from Alton & Winchester. Following on from overleaf you begin this trail by the towards the town. and the upper Alre Valley e , climb this In the remaining walk up West Street gate at the bottom of Arlebury Park recreation ground. Further information path. Cross the road and continue 100 At the junction are the lodge and gates, you will notice a number of small lanes Follow the footpath going west along the bank of the River. associated with Alresford's brewing Winchester Tourist Information Centre, metres up the next field before you look which were once the main entrance to Guildhall, High Street, As you walk along the river bank you will cross a number of back over the town. If you continue on h Arlebury Park House. trade. At one time the town is reputed Winchester, SO23 9GH. small streams flowing under the footpath. They are now used to this route you will join a series of paths to have had over two dozen pubs. Two The remainder of the trail is along the 24 take water to the adjacent fish farm, but in earlier times one of and tracks that allow extensive walks in 25 old coaching inns, The Bell , and The Tel 01962 840 500 footpath on The Avenue, g ifted to the 25 them, called Ram Stream, led water to an intake chamber from the countryside to the north. (Retrace Swan , remain. Fax 01962 850 348 town by the for which a ram pump kept Arlebury House supplied. your steps back to the trail). Email [email protected] recreational purposes in 1869. In spring- At the pedestrian crossing the trail Web www.visitwinchester.co.uk ends, perhaps a good time for a cup At the end of this stretch you will reach the Eel House. On your left you will get glimpses of the time the many beds of daffodils h , See also www.alresford.org f i of tea or a bite to eat before ‘The ford over the river where the alder trees grow’. Use the footbridge to cross over the river and continue 18th century Arlebury Park House once originally planted by the Rotary Club, f returning to your car or the station. Facilities & accessibility down the other bank. the ‘big house’ of New Alresford ; line the way and in summer the two Alresford (pronounced Allsford) is a beautiful Georgian town, today it comprises private apartments. lines of 114 mature limes give Toilets in Station Road. Pay and Display parking in Station i one of ’s finest. Famous for for its watercress, The Eel House You will also have a panoramic view of Yard and Perin’s School, accessible from Jacklyns Lane, is free pleasant shade. Part way along you will Alresford is specialist shops, old-fashioned inns, and the on Sundays and some Bank Holidays. Perins Car Park is Built in the 1820s and recently restored, the roof-tops of Alresford and the tower pass The Old Toll House j a fine red- home to the a steam railway, Alresford is also renowned for its lush scenery closed Bank Holiday and Sundays after 1pm. On-street of St John’s Church. brick hexagonal building that was Mid-Hants this is where eels were trapped on and riverside walks. A lovely place for strolling, there is plenty j originally the tollhouse for the parking with time limit. The Millennium Trail is suitable for moonless autumn nights, as they Many of the ponds of the Alre Valley Steam wheelchair and pushchair users. Winchester to Alresford turnpike. A little to see in the town and by its attractive riverside. undertook their once in-a-lifetime Fishery are of recent construction, but Railway, the further down you will pass the front migration to breed a . The Eel House the oldest date back to the 18th century Watercress The Alresford Millennium Trail links together footpaths around gates of Arlebury Park House with its If you would like this leaflet in a larger format please sluices still control the water levels in when they were created for the pleasure Line. the town with illustrated boards which give information on fine Cedar of Lebanon tree. contact the tourist information centre on the river and the surrounding fish farms. of the owners of Arlebury House. Why not the history of Alresford, its inhabitants, wildlife and 01962 840 500 or b spend a day The Eel House sitting astride the river b Rejoin the Millennium Trail at the countryside setting. If you would like to explore a little further e-mail [email protected] , in the UK’s can be viewed externally at all times but gates of Arlebury Park Recreation then add on the optional loop known as the Alre Valley Trail. watercress it is also open to the public on certain Ground. Revised edition published 2010 by ©New Alresford Town Council, Tel 01962 732 079 Fax capital and public holidays and Alresford Watercress 01962 734 629 Email:[email protected] Publication assisted by the ride the New Alresford Society and Winchester City Council. Whilst every endeavour has been made to Festival dayc . For details see Alresford ensure the accuracy of information contained route the Working with www.towntrust.org.uk or town Town in this publication, no responsibility can be crops once taken for errors, omissions or subsequent notice boards. Council amendments. CUS0183-0331 June 2010. took to Produced by Winchester City Council. market? www.alresford.org cus0183-0331 alresford millennium trail FINAL:Layout 1 11/08/2010 10:39 Page 7

The Millennium Trail You can add an optional diversion within the Millennium Trail by branching off onto the Alre Valley Trail, shown overleaf.

The Millennium Trail Ahead of you is: 14 Take the footpath that leads off 18 150 metres from The Dean you will Broad Street the right side of the lane. reach a kissing gate. This is where the Look out for the display boards round the trail with details of To the right of this stretch of footpath is 1.6 mile Alre Valley Trail leaves the what to see and local history and don’t forget the bread for One of Hampshire’s finest street scenes 4 an area now reserved for wildlife. Millennium Trail to continue down the the ducks! 4 . Essentially Georgian, it was laid out at Through the trees to the right you will valley. (Turn over for information on the the beginning of the 13th century by The Station Yard just glimpse Weir House, once the home Alre Valley Trail). To continue on the Bishop de Lucy, who built a town called of a local benefactor, Sir Francis Lindley. As you reach the end of Millennium Trail pass through the gate and cross Arlebury Park The Millennium Trail begins in the Station Yard where parking is Novum Forum, Latin for ‘New Market’. this stretch of the footpath, on your left is the Memorial Garden Recreation Ground towards the building at the top of the hill. available. The railway came to Alresford in 1865 and greatly Alresford is mentioned in the Domesday 14 , given to the town by Sir Francis in 1951. This area is still used assisted the developing watercress industry as it allowed access to Book and the new town was for many ALRE VALLEY TRAIL for family picnics and the site of the original open-air swimming Arlebury Park markets in and beyond. Watercress remains a significant 5 centuries a prosperous wool centre. STARTS HERE pool can be seen edged in brick. local industry and is celebrated at the annual Watercress Festival A market hall probably stood in the centre 19 You are now in Arlebury Park Recreation on the third Sunday in May. The steam trains running on the ground 19 . As you climb the slope past of the road at the top Broad Street 5 . Its The Watercress Line are now a major tourist attraction. The restored open ground floor would have been used the skateboard park and children’s play building to the right of the platform is the Goods Shed, it has a by traders, while the upper floor may Just past the garden the footpath runs areas you will see, on your right, Arlebury 15 visitor information point and railway shop. have held general meetings or specialist alongside the Alre for some 200 metres. Park House. Built in the 18th Century and markets. There have been markets and Looking ahead you will see the thatched, once the ‘big house’ of New Alresford Leave Station Yard and walk down Station Road to the fairs in Broad Street for 800 years and as timber framed Fulling Mill (15 and front today it is private apartments. Looking diagonal path, opposite the toilets, leading into the 20 many as 32,000 sheep were penned at cover), which spans the river. Built in the back to the north there is a splendid view churchyard on your right. Turn left into the churchyard 6 one time at the annual fairs held in the MILLENNIUM 13th century it used water-driven across and Old Alresford, towards the church tower and west door. TRAIL 19th century. Broad Street still hosts a hammers to work raw cloth into a parish church can be glimpsed through STARTS HERE 20 market on Thursday and the first Sunday useable material. the trees to your right . 1 Churchyard of the month. As you pass the mill, the bed of the river joins Pinglestone Road – an When you reach the main gates to The tower is the oldest part of Alresford's ancient highway which has run along this riverbed for centuries. This Most of Broad Street’s houses (6 and the recreation ground, turn left. Do parish church of St John the Baptist. 1 , is probably the best stretch of the river to see the large variety of 21 21 7 not miss the information board , Above the door is a small Saxon rood, a ) have been destroyed by fires over 7 local plants and wildlife 16 . Birds range from the ever-present ducks just to the left of the gates. Here the the centuries. After the last major fire in Did you know? The pond came into being at the end of 11 Company firemark on the front of Old sculpture of Christ. Opposite are the to the elusive Kingfisher. Alre Valley Trail, which runs along The 1689 they were rebuilt; elegant Near the pond you can the 12th century when Bishop de Lucy Timbers. Further down on the left were graves of four French Napoleonic prisoners Avenue, rejoins the Millennium Trail. Georgian brickwork was laid over the see the commemorative built the Great Weir and created not only workhouse tenements and the At the end of the path you will reach the bottom of The 2 of war, and one of their wives 2 . original Norman cellars. Although No. tablet to Capt. James a fishpond but a head of water to drive overseer, William Wickham, lived next Dean 17 . At this point you can take a short cut back to town Please turn over for information on Continue on the path towards the 43 looks brick-built, it is a timber- Cogswell, USAF who the many mills to be built down stream. door at Wickham House. At the by walking up The Dean. To continue on the Millennium or Alre how to continue your walk by taking junction of East, West and Broad Streets. framed building faced with less saved Alresford from From this area the Bishop once boarded bottom on your right is the Town Mill Valley Trails, turn right and follow the river along the footpath. the Alre Valley Trail. disaster by diverting his 8 weighty, mathematical tiles. Note the his boat to cross the pond to his palace at 11 , which was rebuilt in the 1890s and East Street B17 Flying Fortress with Bordering this part of the river are some Did you know? false window, perhaps to avoid window Bishop’s Sutton. (Retrace your steps) 12 fitted with modern turbines instead of 16 full bomb load to the fine horse chestnut trees and also some Although the Millennium Trail does not tax, over the front door. No.46, paddles. (Retrace your steps) Alresford was briefly east of the town. Bear left at the bottom of alders from which Alresford is thought 3 take you along East Street 3 , it is worth opposite, was the headquarters of the touched by the Civil Broad Street. Turn into Ladywell Lane, to have taken its name. The Saxon a visit to see its beautiful colour-washed 47th Infantry Regiment, US Army from War on 29 March 1644. opposite the trail board on name translates as ‘a ford where Georgian architecture. At the end of the 1943 to D-Day 1944. Mill Hill your right. The Royalists retreating street is The Old Sun Inn, once the home the alder trees grow’, and the 9 from the nearby Battle At the bottom of Broad Street is the old name of the River Alre was derived of , the journalist and 10 The houses in Mill Hill have a chequered 13 As you walk down the lane 12 , you will 17 of Cheriton set fire to fire station 8 , built in 1881. A small from this. Look out for the grave of broadcaster, for some 20 years. history. Near the top on the left is Old see the springs that flow all year round. houses in East Street. diversion past the fire station, towards Hambone Junior 18 , canine friend of Timbers 10 ; the central part dates from Can you spot the wild watercress 13 ? The flames were quickly The Globe on the Lake pub, and then American soldiers billeted near the 14th century, together with its At the end of the lane is the fine, red extinguished by the down the footpath immediately to the Alresford prior to D-Day in 1944. neighbour they are possibly Alresford’s brick, early 18th century Arle House, Parliamentarian Army. right takes you to Old Alresford Pond 9 . oldest houses. Note the old Insurance once the home of a master tanner.