HAMPSHIRE

Hampshire, county of downland and the New Forest, ports of Southampton and Portsmouth and the old capital of England, Winchester. A captivating county in all its seasons, wiles and nuances.

Rolling chalk downs, clear chuckling streams in delightful valleys. Cottages that seem to be part of the ground from which they were built, their thatched roofs making chocolate box pictures. Villages strung along those winding narrow lanes that beg exploration.

The New Forest now a National Park is an area of beautiful forest and heathland. Ponies graze on the roadside, there are no fences throughout the forest. Deer are plentiful, but very shy during the day. A large area of nearly 225 square miles it encompasses several towns and villages.

Southampton from which the name Hampshire derives, is a large city port in the south of the county. Famous as the port from which those luxury Cunard liners left for America. Southampton Water is the estuary for two chalk rivers, the renowned trout stream, the River Test, and the River Itchen.

Portsmouth, affectionately known as Pompey, is a major Royal Navy port. The headquarters of the D Day landings of World War II were at Southwick House to the north of the town. Portsmouth is home to “HMS Victory”, Nelson's flagship in the Historic Dockyard, which also houses the “Mary Rose” and “HMS Warrior”. Both Charles Dickens and Isambard Kingdom Brunel were born in Portsmouth.

Winchester, once the capital of England, is a picturesque city on the River Itchen which meanders along near the magnificent Cathedral. King Alfred with his sword arm raised stands guard over the High Street. At the opposite end rises Winchester Castle, although now only the ancient Great Hall remains. It is now a museum and a 'copy' of King Arthur's Round Table adorns the wall.

Jane Austen was born in the small village of Steventon, near Basingstoke, in the north of the county.