Ampfield Hill

Ampfield is served by a Parish Council that was amongst the first parish councils to be formed in 1894. After the initial uproar and after over 100 years later the Parish Council is a thriving, respected, and independent democratic organisation. We hope that your visit to Ampfield via cyberspace will encourage you to come and see our village for yo... urself There is evidence of habitation in this parish from the early Stone Age (Palaeolithic) times, 7000-6000 years or more ago, through the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age. The Romans lived here, and there is much evidence of Saxon occupation, both in individual finds and in boundary banks dating from this period. And so into the period of recorded history. From medieval times Ampfield was part of the much larger Manor of Merdon, developing as a number of scattered hamlets, with the centre of manor life in nearby Hursley. This pattern of settlement still affects the community today and the village has no nuclear centre based around an ancient church, village green and manor house. The establishment of Ampfield as a separate entity came gradually as the population expanded. The White family built Ampfield House in the 1750s with its Estate carved out of the Hursley manorial holding. Then in early Victorian times the Vicar of Hursley, The Revd. John Keble, and Sir William Heathcote of Hursley Park worked together to build St Mark's Church, and Sir William went on to provide a village school. A separate civil parish was created in 1894. Since that time the population has increased greatly, especially at the eastern end adjoining Chandlers Ford and many people now commute from the village to work. Nevertheless Ampfield still retains much of its rural character and a large tract of Ampfield Wood still remains, and the field boundaries are still relatively unchanged since they were recorded on the Hursley Estate map of 1588.Read More