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St Mary Bourne

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St Mary Bourne
Thatched Cottage and The George Inn
Population1,377 (parish 2011 Census)
OS grid referenceSU422503
Civil parish
  • St Mary Bourne
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townANDOVER
Postcode districtSP11
Dialling code01264
PoliceHampshire and Isle of Wight
FireHampshire and Isle of Wight
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Hampshire

St Mary Bourne is small village and civil parish in northwest Hampshire. It lies in the valley of the Bourne Rivulet, a tributary of the River Test 5 miles (8 km) northeast of the town of Andover.

Governance

The village of St. Mary Bourne is part of the civil parish of St. Mary Bourne,[1] and is part of the Burghclere, Highclere and St. Mary Bourne ward of Basingstoke and Deane borough council.[2] The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district of Hampshire County Council.

Geography

The village is in a rural area of downland, with a mixture of farms and woodlands nearby. The Bourne Rivulet flows through the centre of the village and has been known to flood in the past.

Landmarks

St Peter's Church

It has many thatched houses and in the south part of the village is the flint and stone church of St Peter. The church is particularly notable for its 12th century Tournai marble font

Culture and community

There is a local amateur dramatic society, and two golf clubs, both of which are based around pubs. These societies, along with the cricket club and other local organisations, are representative of the community in microcosm. The farms, pubs (local pubs include the Coronation Arms (now closed), the Bourne Valley Inn and The George Inn) and the partly volunteered shop aren't the only businesses in the village. There's one of the world's leading watercress companies - Vitacress. There's a business improvement consultancy, a thriving garage, a recruitment company, an agency for marketing responsible tourism, and a maker of quality curtains and soft furnishings. There is also a primary school. Most locals commute, heading off to railway stations 5 or more miles away. Just as many drive to Newbury, Whitchurch, Basingstoke, Winchester or Andover.

Notable people

A local celebrity is James Blunt, the singer, who spent much of his life in St. Mary Bourne.[3]

Further reading

  • A Brief Church Guide (available from the church)
  • A Full Church Guide (available from the church)

References

  1. ^ "Hampshire County Council's legal record of public rights of way in Hampshire" (PDF). 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  2. ^ "Basingstoke and Deane Wards info". 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  3. ^ "Chart-topper drops in on fete". Andover Advertiser. 2005. Retrieved 2007-06-20. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)