Fordingbridge

Fordingbridge is a town and broader civil parish with a population of 6,200 on the River Avon in the New Forest District of Hampshire, England. It is located near the Dorset and Wiltshire borders and on the edge of the New Forest.

It is southwest of London, and south of the city of Salisbury. Fordingbridge is a former market town famed for its seven-arch late medieval bridge, which crosses the River Avon at the centre of the town. The Avon Valley Path passes through the town.

Since 1982 Fordingbridge has been twinned with Vimoutiers in Normandy, France.

Overview

thumb|left|[[Fordingbridge Town Hall]]

Known as "The Northern Gateway" to the New Forest, Fordingbridge is popular with tourists, with various campsites, pubs and restaurants, and other tourist facilities locally. The Fordingbridge Museum, which houses many local and New Forest history exhibits, and the Visitor Information Centre are located within King's Yard, Salisbury Street. The town's High Street is well known for its pubs, cafes and local shops. The town also has its own Cinema, within the buildings of a former pottery. Rockbourne Roman Villa is in the nearby village of Rockbourne which sits northwest of Fordingbridge. The village of Breamore is 3 miles north of Fordingbridge and is home to Elizabethan country house, Breamore House.

thumb|upright=0.75|right|Statue of Augustus John The Great Bridge, from which the town received its present name, has seven arches and can be seen from the town's large riverside park and recreation ground. The park contains a children's play area, secluded memorial gardens, and large sports playing field. A bronze statue of the painter and former resident Augustus John stands on the banks of the Avon near the Great Bridge.

St. Mary's Church, which has some typical Norman characteristics, is located in the south of the town. The church has a memorial to James Alexander Seton, last British person killed in a duel in England. The town also has a Catholic church in the form of Our Lady of Sorrows and St Philip Benizi.

Fordingbridge Hospital is a small community hospital built within the grounds of a Victorian workhouse. Most of the older buildings have been redeveloped into private housing, however, the hospital site still houses an inpatient ward, as well as limited outpatients services. Fordingbridge Doctors Surgery is on the same site in Bartons Road. Fordingbridge Hospital was used as a COVID-19 vaccination centre from 2020.

The local comprehensive school is The Burgate School and Sixth Form Centre, in Burgate, a small hamlet to the north of the town.

Sport

Fordingbridge Turks are one of the oldest football clubs in England, established circa 1868. Their unusual name is believed to derive from wishing to emulate the determination shown by Ottoman forces at Siege of Plevna. This has seen them featured on BBC regional television and gain a large social media following. Affiliated to the Hampshire Football Association, the club are run entirely by volunteers and have numerous sides in various age categories. They play their matches at the recreation ground with the men's 1st team now playing in the Southampton League Premier Division. In 1982 they won the Bournemouth Pickford Cup at Dean Court and in 1993 celebrated their 125th anniversary with a prestigious friendly match against Southampton. Their most famous player is Frank Jefferis, who was born in the town and went on to enjoy a successful professional career that saw him play for England.

'The Rec' is also home to Fordingbridge Rugby Club, and Fordingbridge’s weekly Parkrun.

Geography

The parish of Fordingbridge contains the hamlets of Burgate to the north, Criddlestyle to the east, Bickton to the south, and Ashford to the west. Burgate and Bickton are settlements dating back to the time of the Domesday Book, and Bickton was in male heads of households greater than Fordingbridge in 1086. Criddlestyle is an ancient manor, also known as East Mill, with a history dating back to the 14th century. The manor was held by a certain Robert from "Robert the son of Gerald". From that date Fordingbridge followed the same descent as Rowner. Before 1277 the property had escheated to the Crown by the felony of William de la Falaise, grandson of William, and was granted in that year to Sir William le Brune, chamberlain to the king. which were never rebuilt. The bridge brought much traffic through the town. It was founded 1272, and dissolved 1546;

Frank Jefferis – (1884–1938), former Southampton, Everton and England footballer
Neil McCarthy – (26 July 1932 – 5 Feb 1985), was an English actor
Anne-Marie Mallik – born 1952, former child actress, portrayed Alice in Alice in Wonderland (1966 TV play)
Paul Kidby – artist, born 1964, best known for his art based on Terry Pratchett's Discworld, lives and works in Fordingbridge
Daniel O'Mahony – writer, born 1973
David Oakes – actor, born 1983

Overview

Sport

Geography

References

External links