Area Guides

The pretty market town of Alresford is the centre of the area that we serve and where Hellards have been operating since 1988. The town has a unique feel, with its eclectic mix of independent shops and businesses, and a distinct lack of chain stores. A selection of welcoming pubs and imaginative restaurants line Broad Street and West Street, interspersed with comfortable tea and coffee shops offering a chance to catch up with friends, or watch the world go by. For steam enthusiasts, The Watercress Line starts here and meanders its way up to Alton, with stops along the way. In late spring, the town is invaded by countless 'foodies' coming for the annual Watercress Festival and, in the autumn, the Alresford Show returns to Tichborne, a unique day out celebrating the best of local produce, animals and agriculture. Alresford Golf Club, founded in 1890, sits on a parkland course at the southern edge of the town. Many of the houses in the town centre are Grade II listed and comprise charming Georgian townhouses, which were built following a number or large fires in the 17th century. There is a good supply of more modern houses and bungalows to the south of the old town. Schooling is provided for at Sun Hill Junior and Infant Schools, and Perins Secondary School. Sixth form education is available in Winchester and Alton.

To the south of Alresford there are several pretty villages located within the South Downs National Park. Tichborne is a charming hamlet with a convivial pub with a delightful garden to have lunch in. Cheriton has everything from a local shop and post office, The Flower Pots pub, an amateur dramatics society, a village hall and an Ofsted 'outstanding' primary school. Bramdean has its own 17th century coaching inn, The Fox Inn, a garage, a village church c1170 and a chapel in the woods, built around 1883 in kit form out of corrugated iron and still used for services to this day. There is also a village hall and an Ofsted Outstanding nursery school. Hinton Ampner has a pub and a church, and is home to the picturesque Hinton Ampner House and gardens, which are run by The National Trust. Beauworth and Kilmeston are more rural and seem unaffected by modern life. There is superb walking available with several long distance paths criss-crossing the area, beautiful scenery and gurgling chalk streams. The area is characterised by charming cottages, many of them being thatched, with pretty gardens.

Located about 3 miles from Alresford, Ropley is a sought-after village where newcomers will be readily welcomed into the community. A multitude of clubs and societies are available to join, as are the active cricket and tennis clubs. There is a popular primary school with a 'good' Ofsted rating, a community-run shop and St Peter's Church, which is currently being renovated following a devastating fire in 2014. Many of the properties in Ropley date from the 20th century, and are often on good plots, allowing the possibility to extend.

There are several attractive villages within a short distance of Alresford, to the north and east of the town. They have a semi-rural feel, with plentiful dog walks and far-reaching views of lovely Hampshire countryside. There is a mix of property types, ranging from thatched cottages to more modern homes on good plots. Bishops Sutton has a regular bus service into Alresford, Winchester, Alton and Petersfield, and has an active community centred round the village hall and local pub.

Conveniently located on the A31 mid-way between Winchester and Farnham, Four Marks has an Ofsted 'outstanding' Primary School, a doctor's surgery, garage and a good range of day-to-day shops. Regular buses allow easy access to secondary schools, colleges and more extensive shopping facilities in Alresford, Alton and Winchester. Medstead is found just to the north of Four Marks and has a semi-rural feel. It has an active community with a good number of clubs and societies, a village hall, church, shop and post office and an Ofsted rated 'good' primary school. The majority of the properties date from the middle of the 20th century and are often on large, private plots. The majority of the homes in Four Marks are of modern construction, apart from the roads to the south of the town, which have large plots and plenty of space for larger homes.

The picturesque Candover Valley lies to the north of Alresford and includes a string of small hamlets and villages, with a selection of charming cottages, attractive period homes, and modern homes on good plots. The whole area is surrounded by farmland and lovely countryside with a wonderful choice of beautiful walks and long-distance footpaths. Preston Candover has an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ primary school, a well-known pub/restaurant and a community-run shop. A bus service runs along the valley connecting the villages with Alresford and Basingstoke.

To the south-east of Alresford lies the delightful Meon Valley, located in the heart of the attractive South Downs National Park. West Meon has a range of local amenities, which includes an Ofsted rated ‘good’ primary school, a church, local shops, a popular pub, The Thomas Lord, and a regular bus service. East Meon and Privett are both off the beaten track and lie in idyllic countryside. There are two pubs in East Meon, The Izaak Walton and Ye Olde George Inn.

Situated along the old route between Alresford and Winchester, these popular villages offer the best of village living, whilst being within easy reach of Winchester and the M3. Crystal clear chalk streams wind through the valley, on their journey to the sea, and the area has the most beautiful walks you could imagine, with picnic spots by the river and bluebells aplenty at Micheldever Wood. Itchen Abbas has an Ofsted rated ‘good’ school, an active village hall and a pub/restaurant, The Trout. Ovington has a popular pub, The Bush Inn, and Easton boasts The Cricketers and The Chestnut Horse, as well as an active cricket club.

There is excellent road access to London, the M25, the Midlands and West Country via the local road network. The A31 and A272 run through the centre of our area, connecting up with the M3, A34, A3 and A32. There is mainline rail access to London Waterloo from Winchester, Alton, Basingstoke and Petersfield, with a journey time of about an hour. For air travellers, Heathrow Airport is about an hour away, with Gatwick just a little bit further. Southampton Airport is about half an hour away.