West Wellow: Village History and Churches

West Wellow offers travellers with an interest in history tangible points of reference. Yew Tree Cottage is a Grade II listed building; it is thought to date from the late 16th century. The dating remains uncertain, while the Grade II designation is the building’s definitive classification.

Churches and village history

Nearby, the Church of St Margaret preserves fragmentary remains of a depiction of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket. The church also contains Florence Nightingale’s burial place, and a monument to her stands in the churchyard. The wall paintings and the two Nightingale connections offer distinct historical points of reference.

West Wellow Methodist Church is also among the undesignated heritage assets. In the wider context of Wellow, the history reaches back to Anglo-Saxon times. A more concentrated village developed from scattered farms. In West Wellow, tradespeople settled near shops in the village centre during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The change in settlement pattern concerns Wellow as a whole; the settlement of tradespeople refers specifically to West Wellow and its village centre.

Landscape and nature

West Wellow Common remains an extensive area of common land following the West Wellow Inclosure Act of 1809. In the wider context of Wellow, a common in the southwest of the village is connected with the New Forest. It is accessible to ponies and cattle that roam freely from the Forest. Headlands Farm is located in the River Blackwater wildlife corridor, which is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.

Fishing at Headlands Farm

The two fishing lakes differ in their size, fishing pegs and fish stocks. Top Lake covers 2.5 acres and has at least 19 fishing pegs. Bottom Lake has 22 fishing pegs; its stock includes carp, tench, bream, rudd, roach and perch. For comparison, the information about Top Lake gives its area and a minimum number of pegs, while the number of pegs and the named fish species are the focus for Bottom Lake. As stock and operating information can change, check the latest details before making plans.

Sport and local orientation

Wellow Youth Football’s junior football training takes place regularly on Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. at Hatches Farm Sports Ground. In addition to the tennis courts on Romsey Road, the sports ground has its own entrance and car park. If you would like to factor the training schedule into your travel plans, check the date in advance; schedules and facilities may change. There are also recreational facilities for cricket, football and tennis near the village. This means that, alongside the specific training programme, other sports in the local area can also be relevant to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Hound, Botley, Kingsclere, Emsworth, Horndean, Eversley, Yateley, Hurstbourne Tarrant

For the wider travel overview: Hampshire.