Discover Sherfield English

Sherfield English lies between the Test Valley and the New Forest. The village is situated in a valley, mostly on the west bank of a tributary of the River Blackwater; the terrain rises from about 35 to about 50 metres above Ordnance Datum. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Sherfield English, this landscape and the village’s history help set the scene for your destination: the village combines scattered houses along narrow, tree-lined lanes with historic traces and footpaths.

Landscape and village character

Most of the houses, cottages and outlying farms in Sherfield English are scattered along narrow, tree-lined lanes. They cannot be seen from the main road. The old road from Romsey to Salisbury is another part of the local landscape: it was partly rerouted and is now known as the A27 or Salisbury Road.

Walks and regular events

The many footpaths around Sherfield English offer scenic walks. Group walks are regularly held in and around the village and are usually about five miles long. This approximate distance is a useful point of reference when weighing up group walks against other travel plans. Check locally before travelling to find out when a particular group walk is taking place.

The annual village Bluebell Walk starts at the Hatchet. Unlike the regular group walks, this event takes place once a year. Check the date before your trip if you would like to take part.

Church and historic sites

St Leonard’s Church has eight tower bells, which are among the finest in England. You can contact the church if you would like further information.

Dunwood lies in the east of the parish of Sherfield English. It is an Iron Age hillfort and is now a Scheduled Monument. Archaeological investigations suggest that Dunwood was never permanently inhabited, but served as a refuge when invasions were feared. This cautious interpretation links the Iron Age site with its possible protective function.

Transport and building history

In the late 1750s, a turnpike road from Salisbury to Southampton ran through the centre of the parish of Sherfield English. It connected the wool-producing area around Salisbury with the port of Southampton and passed through Romsey, where a wool-finishing industry developed. Along this route, the production area, port and finishing centre each played a different role.

Sherfield Manor House is an 18th-century house. In the late 19th century, it was remodelled using materials from Sherfield House, which dates from the early 18th century. Its building history thus links two buildings from different periods: the older Sherfield House as a source of materials and the Manor House, remodelled later.

Watercress and rural character

Watercress has been grown for many years at the source of the Sherfield English stream. Before the Second World War, bunches were sent to Covent Garden, where they sold for one penny a bunch. This historical sale links local cultivation with a specific market and a price from that time.

On the edge of the village in Hampshire lies Meadow Tree Farm, a working farm. Together with the watercress story, it illustrates two different aspects of Sherfield English’s agricultural character: a working farm and a long-standing growing tradition.

Discover more destinations: Cheriton, Aldershot, Hook, Stockbridge, Hartley Wintney, Martin, Fleet, Botley.

For the broader travel overview: Hampshire.