Ringwood: History, Market and Walking Routes

Ringwood lies on the western edge of the New Forest at a crossing point on the River Avon. Historic buildings, the market and routes through the countryside offer different starting points when choosing a destination. If you’re looking for a hotel in Ringwood, you can first consider whether church history, a visit to the market or walking will shape your stay. The sites and routes tell different chapters: from a church site dating back centuries, through the former importance of a river crossing, to a long-distance walking route that passes through Ringwood.

Churches and their history

The Church of St Peter and St Paul stands at Market Place. It belongs to the Parish of Ringwood in the Diocese of Winchester, lies within the Ringwood Town Conservation Area and is a Grade II* listed building. It is important to distinguish between the church site and the present building when considering their history: a church has stood here for at least 1,000 years. The present building, however, was only built between 1853 and 1855. The long history of the site and the age of the visible building therefore refer to two different periods.

Ringwood Meeting House offers another cultural point of interest. English Presbyterians built it in 1727; exhibitions by various individuals and organisations are held there regularly. These exhibitions add a recurring cultural programme to the building’s history. For weighing up your interests, these are two different aspects: the long history of a church site and the regularly changing exhibitions at the Meeting House.

Old Bridge and the Charter Market

For centuries, Old Bridge on West Street was the main crossing over the River Avon into Ringwood. Its recorded role as a river crossing complements the church sites with another aspect of the town’s history: the crossing’s importance on the route to Ringwood. The bridge and the church therefore represent different historical themes, even though both are rooted in the town’s history.

The Charter Market takes place every Wednesday at Market Place. If the market is an important part of your travel plans, keep the day of the week in mind and check the dates before travelling. Market Place is also where the Church of St Peter and St Paul stands, so you can experience two different sides of Ringwood there: market life and church history. Whether you want to visit the market or are more interested in the historic buildings depends on what you want your stay to be about.

Riverside scenery and walking routes

The Avon Valley Path is 34 miles long, connects Christchurch with Salisbury and passes through Ringwood. Its length and two endpoints make it a longer route linking several places. This offers a different scale for travel planning than a single visit to the town: Ringwood lies along a route that extends beyond the town.

A smaller landscape feature can be found in Jubilee Gardens: a millstream runs through the gardens. Together with Ringwood’s location at a crossing point on the River Avon, this gives a picture of the different ways water features in the town and surrounding area. The Avon Valley Path offers a view of a longer route, while Jubilee Gardens identifies a specific place within Ringwood.

Plan your visit

The Church of St Peter and St Paul is open daily from 10:00 to 15:30. Opening hours can change, so check the times before your visit if you’re planning to visit the church. Wednesday is the regular market day for the Charter Market; check the dates before travelling here, too. These two time details can help you fit your visits around your stay, without treating the market and church visit as a single activity.

Discover more destinations: Cadnam, Yateley, Liss, Andover, Hartley Wintney, Eastleigh, Hambledon, Stockbridge.

For the regional travel overview: Hampshire.