(^50) Hampshire Life: February 2019
in Broad Street). There were also a number
of fairs, one of which, the Michaelmas
Fair, persists as today’s October Fair, again
held in Broad Street. The core may look
much the same, but things have changed
over time. The population of Old and New
Alresford combined has grown from 1502
(in 1801) to 6008 in 2011, a quadrupling
of the citizenry in two centuries. It’s still a
desirable place to live.
I caught up with longtime Alresford
resident Alf Dorres who told me that,
“Most of that population growth has
occurred since the mid-1960s, as the area
between the southern side of the railway
and the parish boundary has been filled.
That boundary has barely changed since
the late 12th century, but we’re now one
of the most densely populated areas in
Hampshire and a dormitory town for the
likes of Southampton, Basingstoke and
Winchester. Making the area north of the
railway a conservation area in the early 70s
has gone a long way towards protecting
the town though. The shopping centre is
an interesting one. We’ve had some up-
market stores move in, which means we’re
differentiating but we’ve also seen our
banks reduce from three to one and some
of our traditional shops struggle. Our local
campaign is ‘use it or lose it’. The challenge
is for us to keep those traditional stores
going alongside the new arrivals. I believe
we’re stepping up to that challenge.”
It is important that quaint places like
Alresford preserve their heritage, but also
move with the times to remain relevant in
the modern world. The fact that the town
has been lauded as the best place to live in
the countryside (Sunday Times) and our
favourite market town in the south-east
(Country Life) shows that it is getting
things right. People appreciate Alresford’s
history, but no-one wants to live in a
museum. Added to its long history that
extends back certainly over 800 years, is a
modern vibrancy. ‘The Death of the High
Street’ has been much trumpeted, but here
we have specialist local traders bucking
the trend: everything from antiques, gifts,
food and clothes, to antiquarian books (my
favourite), pictures, crafts and china.
So, what do I think of Alresford? Well,
I think it’s achieved the best of both past
and present. It’s a place where you can
admire Georgian structures, snap a plaque,
and ride behind a steam train, but also
undertake some retail therapy and get a
more than decent Americano. ‘Timeless’ it
isn’t.
1086: Alresford listed
in the Domesday Book
(probably referring to
today’s Old Alresford).
1204: Death of Bishop
Godfrey de Lucy, who built
the medieval bridge and
pond.
1302: King Edward I
made a grant of ‘pavage’
to Alresford (the right to
collect tolls).
1644: Defeated Royalists
set fire to houses in the
town following the Battle
of Cheriton.
1689/90: Much of
medieval Alresford
destroyed by fire.
1710: A further fire
destroys more buildings in
the town.
1736: The last of
Alresford’s great fires
causes more calamitous
damage.
1753: A turnpike road is
built through Alresford.
1865: Original Mid-Hants
Railway opens.
1890: New Alresford
Town Trust inaugurated.
1898: Re-building of St
John the Baptist church in
New Alresford.
1973: Closure of Mid-
Hants Railway.
1977: Mid-Hants Railway
re-opens as far as Ropley.
1985: Mid-Hants Railway
re-opens back to Alton.
1997: Itchen Valley
Brewery founded in New
Alresford.
Alresford
in time
ALRESFORD
St John’s in Alresford remains a strong part of the town’s community
Alresford Carnival in 1955
Photo: Alresford Museum
Photo: Alresford Museum
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