Places to see in ( Alresford - UK )
Places to see in ( Alresford - UK )
New Alresford or simply Alresford is a small town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is 7.5 miles north-east of Winchester and 12 miles south-west of the town of Alton. In the 2001 census, Alresford had a population of around 6,000. New Alresford has independent shops, a tourist information centre, a central conservation area, four tea rooms, five pubs and is a terminus as with Alton of the Watercress Line, a steam worked heritage railway at Alresford railway station.
There is evidence of Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age occupation on numerous sites in the Alresford area, with a Roman or Romano-British site on nearby Fobdown and to the south-east of the town in Bramdean. There is evidence of a grant to the Church at Winchester sometime before the 9th century, which became known as the Liberty of Alresford. Alresford was listed in the Domesday Book but this probably refers to what is now Old Alresford as there is no evidence of a settlement south of the river at this time. Old Alresford as with Farnham, Guildford, Dorking and Maidstone adjoins the Pilgrims' Way between Canterbury and Winchester.
New Alresford was founded in the 12th/13th century, the idea originally being that of Henri de Blois, the Bishop of Winchester and brother of King Stephen of England. The design of the T-shaped town (originally named Novum Forum) was followed by de Blois' successor Godfrey de Lucy. Alresford was one of the Bishop's six new towns and was his most profitable plantation—his palace was situated in nearby Bishop's Sutton, perhaps less than a mile distant. The medieval stone bridge he built at this time is still in place. This expansion also involved the construction of the Great Weir between New Alresford and Old Alresford, creating Old Alresford Pond.
New Alresford quickly became established as a prosperous market town, focussed on the wool, leather and the other products from sheep and cattle; in the 14th century Alresford sheep markets produced one of five highest turnovers in England. Alresford sent two members to parliament until the population was reduced by the Black Death. In the 17th century the town made news as a dangerous place to live due to the uncommonly frequent fires which razed it; in the spring of 1644, the Battle of Cheriton took place on Cheriton Down, reaching the outskirts of Alresford.
The town is crowned by its large T-shape main street conservation area. The town is an attractive art, rail and tourist destination, with its classical, dense two Georgian streets situated near Winchester and the South Downs National Park. Here are the Swan Hotel, Bell Hotel, Pink House Hotel, jewellers, wine merchants, butchers, flower shops, toy shop, dress shops, the Alresford Gallery, Candover Gallery and tea rooms. There are three other public houses, the larger being the Globe Inn by one of the stream channels and play area. Alresford is at the south-western end of the Watercress Line (officially the Mid-Hants Railway). This heritage railway line runs steam and diesel trains, and gains its name from the fact that it used to be the line that took watercress up to London.
Brandy Mount House holds the National Plant Collection of Snowdrops in their grounds. The gardens are open to the public during the season. Alresford holds a number of community events throughout the year. Several are organised by or with New Alresford Town Council (NATC). All events which are held in the main streets within the original town (Broad Street, East Street, West Street) require the permission of the New Alresford Town Trust (NATT – a registered charity which preserves the town's traditional rights of access, to fairs and to street markets, preserves old documents and buildings, and runs a community minibus). A fee for street usage is usually payable by organisers, which helps in the Trust's other works, including running the local minibus which serves the elderly and disabled. A number of events are organised by The Alresford Pigs Association, which raises money in the local area for those in need, by the local Rotary club (such as the annual 5 November Fireworks at Arlebury Park), and by the town council.
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