18 minute read
Feature
Wonderful Wickham
An enticing and eclectic historic market town
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Wickham is an enchanting town, steeped in history, full of character, boasting a wealth of restaurants, shops and hotels surrounded by the beautiful countryside of Hampshire’s Meon Valley. The Romans established a settlement at Wickham, on the road from the Roman centres of Chichester and Winchester. Iron works have been found northeast of the village, and various Roman finds to the southwest. It was in Saxon Britain that the first written mention of the village appears, in a Royal Charter document dated 826. Recent excavation (1965–70) at the Manor House showed its grounds had dwellings and huts, evidence of Saxon settlement.
Although only a stone’s throw away from the larger towns of Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth, Wickham offers the visitor (and the resident!) something quite different; intriguing, independent shops, an enviable variety of eateries, serene water meadows, fascinating historical buildings and for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, the Meon Valley Trail.
The much-loved Meon Valley Trail stretches north for nine miles along the route of the old Meon Valley Railway towards the village of West Meon. Here it connects with The South Downs Way and Wayfarers’ Walk, enabling you to create an extended circular route if required. The route is level and passes by various hamlets and country pubs so it’s a path that can be enjoyed at any pace. Park in Wickham Square or Station Close Car Park for fast access to the trail and additional facilities and return later for a spot of shopping and some refreshments.
Just off of the market square visitors can also enjoy Wickham Watermeadows, where the river Meon meanders past the village. These naturally formed water meadows, covering approximately eight acres, form a rare and tranquil oasis in the middle of a town. Owned by the Lord of the Manor until the early part of the 20th century, the water meadows were used for cattle grazing. However, thanks to the foresight and hard work of local residents and volunteers, the area has been transformed, complete with a new bridge across the River Meon, paths, benches and a picnic area. So it’s now a peaceful place to walk, picnic or simply spend some time by the water’s edge.
Each year Wickham plays host to several famous festivals, the Wickham Festival, Taste of Wickham and Wickham Horse Fair, sadly these are pending return due to Covid19 restrictions. Parking in Wickham is free in the long term car park (Station Close, off Mill Lane) and free for the first 30 minutes in the Square.
For shoppers, Wickham has a surprising amount to offer. There is Bay Tree Walk Shopping Centre, Chesapeake Mill (a former watermill), now a retail centre and Warwick Lane Shopping Centre, still owned by the Warwick family and has been since the late 1800s when it was a hardware store for over 100 years. In 2012 it was developed into a small scale indoor shopping village with boutique shops, services and a coffeehouse. It provides a great place for locals and visitors to shop and meet as well as supporting the village with employment and business opportunities. Many visitors travel from Fareham, Gosport, Portsmouth, Southampton and even further afield to enjoy the delights of Wickham, its shops, cafes and restaurants.
So come along and enjoy the pleasures that our market town has to offer, we look forward to welcoming you!
FRANKS
HAIR SALON
Franks hair salon is a small studio space located in Warwick Lane, Wickham Square. Franks hair salon is owned by Francesca who has over 13 years of experience in the hair industry and is supported by top stylist Leanne. Together they make the perfect team, making sure all clients receive a bespoke service. Francesca says, “Franks ethos is simple it is to be as eco-friendly as possible using organic and vegan products. We also ensure all of our products are cruelty-free, we pride ourselves on giving your hair the best treatment it deserves.”
Franks Hair Salon is a stockist of Kevin Murphy Haircare products. Kevin Murphy approaches haircare using the same philosophy as skincare, choosing every ingredient according to the highest standards of performance, strength and longevity. Whether you are after the Kevin Murphy signature beach hair look or a solution to dry and stressed out locks, look no further than this stylish and effective brand.
Tel: 01329 745253 Warwick Lane, Wickham, Fareham PO17 5JN E Frankshairwickham
Wild Art Gallery
The Wild Art Gallery was established in 2019 by Sarah, a local artist, with a vision to create a gallery filled with beautiful art featuring animals, wildlife, seascapes and landscapes. You can see a collection of Sarah’s original paintings, prints and cards on display.
Having recently expanded, the gallery now supports over 20 artists and artisans. Their original creations include artwork, jewellery, ceramics, glassware, pottery, willow sculpture, wildlife photography and more.
The expansion has also allowed room for a range of art materials - great for all artists! Watercolour workshops will resume later in the year with a ‘wild art’ theme. Further details are available on the website. Pop in for a browse, with artwork and gifts to suit any budget, you will be sure to find something unique.
www.wildartgallery.co.uk email: wildartwickham@gmail.com Warwick Lane, 3-4 The Square, Wickham, Fareham PO17 5JN
Richard Bartlett Salon, Wickham
A very warm welcome from Richard and the team to our very own slice of heaven here in the heart of the wonderful Wickham community. Here at Richard Bartlett, we believe in excellent customer service as standard, and pride ourselves in providing precision hair cutting and styling as well as creative colouring techniques.
Our stylists continuously aim to better themselves with advanced training to further their skills and stay relevant in an industry that is ever-changing. Meaning we can keep you up-to-date with the latest fashions and styles whilst still personalising your hair to best suit you.
Salon Owner - Richard Bartlett Salon owner of five years Richard can still be seen creating exceptional style on the salon floor and continues to train our salon assistants to be excellent hairdressers of the future.
We are proud to use the luxurious La biosthetique colouring, hair care and styling range, which are passionately climate-neutral and use 100% Eco energy during the production of their fantastic range. A welcoming peaceful, friendly environment with personal touches means you can expect to leave feeling like the best most beautiful version of yourself.
Whether you are looking for an update, transformation or to maintain your hairstyle we look forward to meeting you and guiding you on your hair journey soon.
Call: 01329 835991 or book online @ Richardbartlett.salon
Wickham boutique is situated in our charming village square in the heart of Hampshire • We are a Robell trouser stockist along with a range of casual to occasional attire with a large selection of footwear. • We also stock a great selection of jewellery including the colourful miss milly range • Our beautiful accessories include scarfs and wraps and max & ellie facinators for those long awaited summer weddings and a day at the races
julieatthewickhamboutique@hotmail.com www.wickham-boutique.myshopify.com Warwick Lane, 3-4 The Square, Wickham, PO17 5JN
E Q
CURIOSITY R e v i v a l
Situated in the picturesque village of Wickham
• We stock beautiful gifts for your freinds and family along with that special something for your home and garden
julieatthewickhamboutique@hotmail.com www.wickham-boutique.myshopify.com Warwick Lane, 3-4 The Square, Wickham, PO17 5JN
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Bay Tree Gifts, Wickham
In 2006 Cathy and Paul decided to give up their busy metropolitan lives in London and change careers at the same time. Paul had held a Senior Position in Banking and Cathy had worked in Teaching. So off we set on our new adventure and bought a Post Office and Card shop in Hampshire. We successfully built up the business having never done anything like it before. Fast forward to 2015 and Paul decided to retire so we sold up but wait- Cathy was ready for a new challenge so when Bay Tree Gifts became available we just had to buy it. Now Paul is perhaps not quite as retired as he thought he would be as he is kept busy doing odd jobs around the shop and the accounts.
Cathy is in her element - all she has to do is buy pretty sparkly things. She carefully selects every item herself so customers are guaranteed high quality products. Sustainable, eco friendly, vegan, fair trade, hand made and Made in Britain Products are all important. Come into the store and have a look around and see out for yourself!
We pride ourselves in sourcing unusual gifts and sustainability is at the heart of what we do. We are consciously seeking products which are vegan or eco friendly and alongside many of our fairtrade and handmade offerings. Many of our items are only available in single quantities so please get in touch or visit us in person to see our entire range. So please browse our store, where pretty things sparkle
You can also visit our online store has become synonymous with quality, and we ensure a continuous variety of fantastic merchandise that fit any budget. Check it out and start shopping today.
Tel: 01329 835282 www.baytree gifts.com email: btgp@hotmail.com facebook @BayTreeGiftsWickham Bay Tree Walk, 9 The Square, Wickham, Hampshire, PO17 5JQ
Bath & Wick - Handmade. Vegan. Scented Delights
At Bath & Wick we are committed to providing our customers with the very best quality ethically-sourced and animal-friendly scented delights for their home and bath-time experiences. Everything we sell is Vegan and made using only the finest ethically sourced high performance ingredients and packaged in recycled, recyclable, biodegradable or re-usable packaging. We now also sell a wide range of home living products all environmentally friendly and waste free.
Shop with ease because we pride ourselves on delivering top quality handmade products for very reasonable prices, because being eco friendly shouldn’t cost the earth.
Bath & Wick is so proud to be part of the Wickham community and are looking forward to welcoming you to our very first shop in the beautiful Warwick Lane shopping precinct, To help us get on our way if you mention this article to one of our friendly members of staff well give you a free bath bomb to try on us! with any purchase, T&C’s apply one per customer offer expires 30th June 2021.
Help support your local community by shopping local. ‘Helping to save the planet one scented delight at a time’.
For more information visit: www.bathandwick.co.uk facebook @bathandwick Warwick Lane, 3-4 The Square, Wickham, PO17 5JQ
BAY TREE GIFTS
Gifts, Jewellery, Accessories, Homeware, Wellbeing, Books & Cards & More
Open 7 days a week 10-5 Tel: 01329 835282 www.baytree gifts.com email: btgp@hotmail.com facebook @BayTreeGiftsWickham Bay Tree Walk, 9 The Square, Wickham, Hampshire, PO17 5JQ
Bishop’s Waltham Rotary Club News
Indian Covid crisis
As I write this the UK is steadily moving towards some sort of normality with restrictions being lifted and numbers of Covid infections tumbling to levels we have not seen for many months. Although this is the case in the UK other areas of the globe are being hit by exponentially rising numbers of patients. We have seen on the news the desperate situation in India with families queuing outside the many government hospitals where treatment is free.
Rotary in the UK, and indeed our own club, have had close links with the Rotary Clubs in India for many years and we have collaborated on many projects together improving healthcare and providing education in the most deprived areas. We have also had members of our club travel to India as part of the national Polio Immunisation effort in support of Rotary International’s End Polio Now campaign.
Due to these links many close friendships and working relationships have been made which have enabled direct communication with the local Rotarians who are helping the Government Hospitals in India to access the much-needed medical equipment. Through direct communication with a former Rotary District Governor in Kerala, India, it has been possible to get first-hand information from the Government Staff Doctors of what equipment would be of best use. What they have told us they are desperate for, and what will help them to assist the most patients and in the best way, is a Bipap (Bilevel positive airway pressure) machine which is a type of ventilator which assists the patients breathing and aids the exchange of oxygen. In response to this need, Bishop’s Waltham Rotary Club have donated just over £730.00 to purchase one of these devices which will be delivered directly to where it is needed the most through the local Rotary Clubs in India.
If you would like to make a donation to help us help others, you can go to our website and click on the donate button in the top header.
Like our Facebook page or take a look at our website for updates on what is going on, what we have been up to and how you can help us help others! ian.treveil@bishopswalthamrotary.org.uk
New Music Makers Keep Singing!
Throughout the pandemic the New Music Makers choir from Hedge End have continued with their weekly zoom rehearsals As well as supporting the benefits and importance of socialising throughout these
Give & Take Event
Do you have cupboards, drawers, sheds, attics, and garages full of things that you no longer use and need? If you are like us, then the answer is yes! That is why, this year the Bishop’s Waltham Town Team has come up with a way of helping you to de-clutter, while reducing the amount of goods that are sent for waste disposal in our area – it is called Give & Take.
From June to October, there will be a monthly free exchange stall in St George’s Square. Each one will have a different theme (see inset for dates, times, and themes). The concept is simple … you can give unwanted items. … for others to select and take. And you never know, you may find something useful to take home for free too! You do not have to give to take … you can give, you can take, or you can do both. Our first Give and Take will be on Saturday 26th June. The theme of the exchange is Gardening and DIY. So now is the time to start going through your garages, attics, and sheds to sort through the items you no longer need or use. The types of items we will be able to accept are:
• DIY and gardening tools of all shapes and sizes – just as long as they are not electric. • DIY and gardening equipment and materials – fleeces, wire netting, stakes, wood cuts, plaster board, pipes, flashing, cables, ties, wallpaper, pots, planters, seed packets etc. • Unopened and non-toxic containers of gardening and DIY supplies – fertilizer, cleansing solutions, adhesives, grouting etc. • DIY and gardening hardware, nails, brackets, fixings, wiring etc.
For safety reasons we will not be able to accept electrical items, opened containers, toxic materials or out of date items. Anything brought for exchange should be clean and useable. If in doubt whether something is acceptable, either email us in advance at bishopwalthamtownteam2@ gmail.com or bring it along – we will however reserve the right not to accept items if they are not appropriate. Donated items will be accepted between noon and 3.00pm. Goods will be available to take home from 1.00pm to 4.00pm. We are grateful to Hampshire County Council for a grant from their Waste Prevention Community Scheme and to Solent Design for their financial support. Ackroyd (Driver-Belcher) have very kindly allowed us to use their parking spaces as the location of our stall.
So put the dates in your diary now and start sorting! If you would like to find out more or to volunteer to help with running these events go www.lovebishopswaltham.com and follow our Facebook page Bishop’s Waltham What’s- On for regular updates.
strange times, they have been concentrating on familiar and new pieces, have been learning about resonance, breathing exercises and posture. With Lockdown rules continuing to lift they are very much looking forward to face to face gatherings and for the new members to finally meet the rest of the choir in person as opposed to just seeing each other from shoulders upwards!
As well as recording a Virtual Christmas Concert and other pieces which can be found on their YouTube channel, the choir are working towards performing concerts with a live audience hopefully by the end of the year. All government guidelines will be strictly adhered to ensuring a Covid safe environment for everyone.
New members are always welcome so if you love to sing and are looking for a friendly choir to join then please don’t hesitate in contacting them through their website: newmusicmakers.com
Whatever you want to store...
Whatever your needs, long or short term
...for whatever reason – house sale and purchase not coinciding, travelling, bereavement, house building work, decorating or even ‘de-cluttering’ to sell your house more quickly – we offer a friendly, flexible and secure facility. Barn Store is a rurally-based, family run business covering the whole of the Meon Valley area. We offer all the features associated with the national chains, from high-tech security to hassle-free 24/7 access. For more information, visit our website: www.barn-store.co.uk
or give us a call quoting FORUM-MV: Fareham:
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Full Offer Price List
Tel: 01962 690 005 or 07790 883507 1 £57 2 £77 3 Carpet Price Carpet Price Carpet £97 Price 4 Carpet £117 Price 5 Carpet £137 Price
FULL OFFER PRICE LIST
Carpet Price Carpet Price Carpet Price Carpet Price Carpet Price
