Bransgore
Encyclopedia
Bransgore is a village and parish
within the New Forest
District, Hampshire
, UK. The village developed in the 19th century when a church and a school were built. It is technically classified as an urban area, although in some respects it still has the picturesque character of a rural
English village.
in the New Forest District
of Hampshire
. The parish includes the village of Thorney Hill, and the hamlets of Neacroft, Godwinscroft, Beckley
, Hinton
, and Waterditch. At the time of the last national census of 2001, Bransgore had a total population of 4333 (of whom approximately half were aged between 20 and 64) and approximately 1746 distinct dwellings. Bransgore now straddles the border of the newly created New Forest National Park, with the majority of the village being outside the park.
Bransgore has a wide variety of shops including a Post Office, Pharmacy, Bakery, Greengrocers, Hairdressers, and Take-Away Food shops. There are also several pubs/restaurants. Bransgore has a village sports field with a children's playground. The sports field is the location of the Village Fun Day event which is held each summer.
means a triangular piece of land. It is uncertain who or what "Bran" refers to.
A local myth is that the name Bransgore came from one of King Alfred's battles against the Danes, Brans from "brains" and Gore from "blood. In the 19th century, Victorian romantics even persuaded the Ordnance Survey
to mark on their maps the site of a battle at Bransgore, on the road leading to Sopley
. There is unfortunately, no truth in this story, and the name Bransgore does not derive from "brains and gore."
The Crown Inn in Bransgore dates from the 18th-century,as does the Three Tuns pub. The church of Saint Mary the Virgin was erected in 1822 as a chapel of ease. The church is of brick with stone dressings, with a tower and spire. The early-16th-century font, which is said to have come from Christchurch
, is octagonal, with a monogram J D, perhaps for "John Draper," the last Prior of Christchurch Priory
. The ecclesiastical parish of Bransgore was formed in 1875 from parts of Christchurch and Sopley
. Henry William Wilberforce
, son of William Wilberforce
(known for his campaign against slavery), was once the vicar of Saint Mary's church. He founded a school in the village in 1841. In 1895, a National school
was built accommodating 174 pupils, which is now the Primary School.
Between 1894 and 1974, Bransgore was part of the civil parish
of Christchurch East. Following the county boundary changes of 1974
, Christchurch East parish was split into the parish of Bransgore (Hampshire) and the parish of Burton
(Dorset).
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
within the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
District, 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...
, UK. The village developed in the 19th century when a church and a school were built. It is technically classified as an urban area, although in some respects it still has the picturesque character of a rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
English village.
Overview
Bransgore is a village and civil parishCivil 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 New Forest District
New Forest (district)
New Forest is a local government district in Hampshire, England. It is named after the New Forest.It was created on 1 April 1974, and was a merger of the borough of Lymington, New Forest Rural District and part of Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural 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...
. The parish includes the village of Thorney Hill, and the hamlets of Neacroft, Godwinscroft, Beckley
Beckley, Hampshire
Beckley is a hamlet in Hampshire, England. It lies in the civil parish of Bransgore.Beckley is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, when it was held by "Nigel the doctor" from Earl Roger of Shrewsbury. Before 1066 it was held by Holmger. The manor was known as Bichelei in 1086, and Beckele in 1294...
, Hinton
Hinton, Hampshire
Hinton is a dispersed settlement in the civil parish of Bransgore, in the English county of Hampshire.Hinton is centered on the main A35 road northeast of Christchurch and gives its name to both Hinton House and Hinton Admiral...
, and Waterditch. At the time of the last national census of 2001, Bransgore had a total population of 4333 (of whom approximately half were aged between 20 and 64) and approximately 1746 distinct dwellings. Bransgore now straddles the border of the newly created New Forest National Park, with the majority of the village being outside the park.
Bransgore has a wide variety of shops including a Post Office, Pharmacy, Bakery, Greengrocers, Hairdressers, and Take-Away Food shops. There are also several pubs/restaurants. Bransgore has a village sports field with a children's playground. The sports field is the location of the Village Fun Day event which is held each summer.
History
The earliest deeds mentioning Bransgore date from the 1730s. The village was called, in 1759, "Bransgoer Common", and in 1817 "Bransgrove". The word "gore" in Middle EnglishMiddle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
means a triangular piece of land. It is uncertain who or what "Bran" refers to.
A local myth is that the name Bransgore came from one of King Alfred's battles against the Danes, Brans from "brains" and Gore from "blood. In the 19th century, Victorian romantics even persuaded the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
to mark on their maps the site of a battle at Bransgore, on the road leading to Sopley
Sopley
Sopley is a village and civil parish situated in the New Forest National Park of Hampshire, England. It lies on the old main road from Christchurch to Ringwood, on the east bank of the River Avon. The Parish extends east as far as Thorny Hill and borders the parishes of Bransgore and Burton to the...
. There is unfortunately, no truth in this story, and the name Bransgore does not derive from "brains and gore."
The Crown Inn in Bransgore dates from the 18th-century,as does the Three Tuns pub. The church of Saint Mary the Virgin was erected in 1822 as a chapel of ease. The church is of brick with stone dressings, with a tower and spire. The early-16th-century font, which is said to have come from Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, is octagonal, with a monogram J D, perhaps for "John Draper," the last Prior of Christchurch Priory
Christchurch Priory
Christchurch Priory is an ecclesiastical parish and former priory church in Christchurch in the English county of Dorset .-Early history:...
. The ecclesiastical parish of Bransgore was formed in 1875 from parts of Christchurch and Sopley
Sopley
Sopley is a village and civil parish situated in the New Forest National Park of Hampshire, England. It lies on the old main road from Christchurch to Ringwood, on the east bank of the River Avon. The Parish extends east as far as Thorny Hill and borders the parishes of Bransgore and Burton to the...
. Henry William Wilberforce
Henry William Wilberforce
Henry William Wilberforce , was a Church of England clergyman, a Tractarian, a convert to the Roman Catholic Church, and thereafter a newspaper proprietor, editor and journalist.- Life :...
, son of William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
(known for his campaign against slavery), was once the vicar of Saint Mary's church. He founded a school in the village in 1841. In 1895, a National school
National school (England and Wales)
A national school was a school founded in 19th century England and Wales by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education.These schools provided elementary education, in accordance with the teaching of the Church of England, to the children of the poor.Together with the less numerous...
was built accommodating 174 pupils, which is now the Primary School.
Between 1894 and 1974, Bransgore was part of the 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...
of Christchurch East. Following the county boundary changes of 1974
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, Christchurch East parish was split into the parish of Bransgore (Hampshire) and the parish of Burton
Burton, Dorset
Burton Village is a village and parish in the borough of Christchurch, Dorset, England. It is situated some 2 miles north-east of Christchurch town centre...
(Dorset).