Buriton
Encyclopedia
Buriton is a village
and civil parish
in the East Hampshire
district of Hampshire
, England
, 2 miles (3.3 km) south of Petersfield
. It lies just east of the A3 road
.
The nearest railway station is 2 miles (3.3 km) north of the village, at Petersfield
.
The village boasts two tennis courts, two pubs - The Five Bells and the The Master Robert, a village hall, a large village pond
with ducks and fish, a car park and the church of St. Mary. There is no shop in the village. The village has its own school - "Buriton Primary School" with about 80 pupils from the village and nearby towns.
The main roads of Buriton are High Street and Petersfield Road.
It is a rural, peaceful place, with the possible exception of the main railway line, the Portsmouth
to London
line (Portsmouth Direct Line
). The railway tunnel which carries the line under the South Downs
is visible from the recreation ground
. There is a pedestrian crossing over the railway at this point which the trains 'hoot' for as a warning to those crossing the line. There is also a path under the railway bridge from South Lane, both paths lead to the walks around the disused chalk pits. Although for centuries the village was deemed of more importance than neighbouring Petersfield, Buriton never obtained its own railway station (aside from Woodcroft Halt
, built during World War II
for naval personnel), because the gradient in the area was deemed too steep to allow a station to be constructed.
It is near the South Downs Way
, with several paths that join it, making it very popular with walkers. It lies adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park
.
The local landowners until recent times were the Bonham-Carters
who owned land surrounding Buriton and neighbouring villages where they often reared game for local shoots. The Legg family were gamekeepers for the Bonham-Carters for many years. Other forms of employment in the past have been in the local Lime Kilns which closed in 1920. Hop picking was also another form of employment in the past. Today, Buriton remains a pleasant and quiet village with a very strong sense of its own identity, the locals are friendly and employment needs are met outside of the village.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the East Hampshire
East Hampshire
East Hampshire is a local government district in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Petersfield. Other towns are Alton, Horndean and Whitehill-Bordon....
district of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 2 miles (3.3 km) south of Petersfield
Petersfield, Hampshire
Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is north of Portsmouth, on the A3 road. The town has its own railway station on the Portsmouth Direct Line, the mainline rail link connecting Portsmouth and London. The town is situated on the...
. It lies just east of the A3 road
A3 road
The A3, known as the Portsmouth Road for much of its length, is a dual carriageway, or expressway, which follows the historic route between London and Portsmouth passing close to Kingston upon Thames, Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield. For much of its length, it is classified as a trunk road...
.
The nearest railway station is 2 miles (3.3 km) north of the village, at Petersfield
Petersfield railway station
Petersfield railway station is a railway station serving the market town of Petersfield, Hampshire, England. It is located on the Portsmouth Direct Line which runs between London and Portsmouth ....
.
The village boasts two tennis courts, two pubs - The Five Bells and the The Master Robert, a village hall, a large village pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
with ducks and fish, a car park and the church of St. Mary. There is no shop in the village. The village has its own school - "Buriton Primary School" with about 80 pupils from the village and nearby towns.
The main roads of Buriton are High Street and Petersfield Road.
It is a rural, peaceful place, with the possible exception of the main railway line, the Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
line (Portsmouth Direct Line
Portsmouth Direct Line
The Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
). The railway tunnel which carries the line under the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
is visible from the recreation ground
Recreation Ground
A recreation ground is a type of park.Recreation Ground is the name of the following stadiums in the United Kingdom:*Recreation Ground , the home ground of Aldershot Town F.C., located in Aldershot, England...
. There is a pedestrian crossing over the railway at this point which the trains 'hoot' for as a warning to those crossing the line. There is also a path under the railway bridge from South Lane, both paths lead to the walks around the disused chalk pits. Although for centuries the village was deemed of more importance than neighbouring Petersfield, Buriton never obtained its own railway station (aside from Woodcroft Halt
Woodcroft halt
Woodcroft Halt railway station was a former railway halt located in the parish of Buriton between Rowlands Castle and Petersfield on the Portsmouth Direct Line.-History:...
, built during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for naval personnel), because the gradient in the area was deemed too steep to allow a station to be constructed.
It is near the South Downs Way
South Downs Way
The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway running along the South Downs in southern England, and is one of 15 National Trails in England and Wales...
, with several paths that join it, making it very popular with walkers. It lies adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park
Queen Elizabeth Country Park
Queen Elizabeth Country Park is a large country park situated on the South Downs in southern England. It is located on the A3 road three miles south of Petersfield, Hampshire....
.
The local landowners until recent times were the Bonham-Carters
Bonham Carter family
The Bonham Carter family are descendants of John Bonham-Carter , a British Member of Parliament and barrister. The son of Sir John Carter, he assumed the name Bonham by Royal Licence when he inherited the estates of his cousin Thomas Bonham...
who owned land surrounding Buriton and neighbouring villages where they often reared game for local shoots. The Legg family were gamekeepers for the Bonham-Carters for many years. Other forms of employment in the past have been in the local Lime Kilns which closed in 1920. Hop picking was also another form of employment in the past. Today, Buriton remains a pleasant and quiet village with a very strong sense of its own identity, the locals are friendly and employment needs are met outside of the village.
External links
- Buriton Heritage Bank, community local history project