• Welcome to the Candover Valley

    In the heart of rural Hampshire
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The Candover Valley is a unique rural community in mid-Hampshire, centred around a group of five villages and four hamlets situated between Basingstoke and Winchester.

The aim of this site is to provide information to both locals and visitors about the events, amenities, and local services which are available in the Valley. It is in the early stages of development, and dependent on its users to provide information to go on it, and feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Coronation Fair in Preston Candover

Residents of Preston Candover and neighbouring villages celebrated King Charles’s Coronation in grand style with a “Big Lunch”, with music and children’s games on the village field in the centre of the village on Sunday, 7 May. Celebrations followed the traditional activities of a country fair with a hog roast, live music and games, and the addition of a giant inflated ‘castle’ incorporating a children’s slide. Nearly two hundred residents gathered with food and drink just after noon and celebrations began in earnest with music from the ‘Ukulele Band’ and continued until early evening.

Gardening Club – June visit

Candover Valley Gardening Club will be visiting the gardens of Tichborne House, Alresford, for its next meeting on Thursday, 15 June.  Other visits are planned for the July and August meetings and further details are available for these and the rest of the programme for 2023/24 can be found here - Gardening Club – 2023:2024

Continuing success for Candover Valley Store.

As it approaches its fourth anniversary the Candover Valley Community Store has enjoyed nearly four years of successful trading since opening in June 2019.  It provides valley residents with much needed food and household services, and was a ‘life-saver’ for many people during the past difficult times of the coronavirus pandemic.   The store operated throughout the Covid-19 lockdown periods providing much needed provisions and support.   Grateful thanks are due to the staff and volunteers who kept the store open during this difficult time.   Further information and more details of the services it provides are available here.

Appeal on Dummer warehouse application rejected

The appeal by the developers, trying to build a large warehousing complex at Dummer against the decision of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to refuse its application, was rejected by the HM Government Inspector. In a decision published on 15 December 2022 the Inspector decided the proposal conflicts with the Basingstoke Development Plan. The Inspector, Stephen Wilkinson, said: “the adverse landscape and visual impacts is the determining issue in this appeal”.

The company, Newlands Developments Limited had come up with a new scheme after an earlier proposal was also turned down by the council and submitted new plans in February 2022 to BDBC for permission to build the complex for a warehousing and distribution centre on the land at Oakdown Farm on the A30 close to junction 7 of the M3. The new proposal was not fundamentally different to the original scheme and would still create all the environmental problems and traffic issues of the earlier proposal.

It was rejected by the Council on 19 May on the principal grounds that “The proposed development would be detrimental to the character and visual amenity of the landscape…..”  but the developers were quick to react and appealed to the Minister.

Notice of refusal -Refusal – Dummer warehouse

See more here 

and see here for the full details of the application –

https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=R84614CR0AQ00

The Oxdrove

The Oxdrove is the parish magazine for the Candover Valley and the neighbouring village of Wield.  It is published monthly and, in addition to information about events at the four churches in the combined benefice, it also provides news and information about a wealth of activities in the Valley and nearby villages, and carries advertising for local services.

Subscriptions are £10 a year for all 12 issues.  People who are not subscribers and interested in doing so should contact Ros Partridge at rospartridge1@gmail.com

 

Planning any road journeys?

If you are planning any important road journeys in the next few months, it may be useful to check out if there are any road closures on your route.  At this time of year the weather can play havoc with road surfaces, especially in the country areas.  Have you been caught out when you come across an unexpected road closure or a diversion?  Maybe, if you had known earlier you could have avoided it – taken a different route.

In theory, you can know in advance.  Highways England operate an interactive map showing planned roadworks across counties, and even the country. Log on to the map and you can scroll down to local areas, or scroll up for a wider view; or by panning across, and up and down, you can cover a much wider area, maybe even to cover your whole route.  The link below takes you to Hampshire County Council’s list of roadworks, scroll up to find the map.

See here for the map -

https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/plannedmaintenance#list-works

 

No bells at Candover Valley churches!

The joyful sound of church bells will not be announcing services at churches in the Candover Valley during this year. The bells at all three principal churches will be silent from a serious lack of ringers!

Read more here.

Going for a walk?

With weeks of different levels of lockdown during the past year of the coronavirus pandemic many people and families have been looking for ways of getting out of the house and seeking some form of recreation.  Families living in the Candover Valley are fortunate in having a wide network of footpaths and bridleways where it is possible to take short, or longer walks, through beautiful countryside, even in winter and in relative safety, largely away from the rural roads which are narrow, without pavements, and also, mostly with a 60mph speed limit!

Read more here. 

Parish Councils in the Candover Valley

There are three parish councils serving the residents of the Candover Valley.  At the northern end of the valley it is Preston Candover and Nutley Parish Council which covers Axford as well as Nutley and Preston Candover.  At the southern end of the valley Northington Parish Council serves the residents of Northington, Swarraton and Totford, and in the middle it is the Candovers Council looking after people in Brown and Chilton Candover.

Information about the respective councils and their activities can be found on their own websites:

Preston Candover & Nutley PC

Candovers Parish Council

Northington Parish Council

More information about the role and duties of parish councils in general can be found here. 

 

What to do? Where to go?

Activities, events and places in the Candover Valley and surrounding area.

There are many organisations active in the Candover Valley and the surrounding area, and a wide range of places to visit, and activities to enjoy, in addition to many public footpaths giving you access to the countryside and its teeming wildlife.  See more information here.

 

 

 

 

Developments in Candover stream study

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, has now received further funding from the national lottery to continue its study programme into the wild life of Hampshire’s chalk streams.  Among others, the programme involves the study of habitats and wildlife in the Candover stream. Read more about it here, and the latest update report here from Maggie Shelton, the community catchments officer.

AA rosette awards for the Purefoy

The Purefoy Arms, the 18th century pub and restaurant in Preston Candover, is continuing its success under the direction of award-winning chef Gordon Stott, the licensee. It has been awarded two rosettes by the AA in recognition of the outstanding quality and variety of its food. It is one of only three pubs in this part of Hampshire to have gained this award. More information is available here.

 

Oak Hill Lane

Oak Hill Lane, the BOAT (byway open to all traffic) which runs from the Preston end of Bradley Lane (Red Lane) alongside fields to Southwood Farm Lane, is just one of several public footpaths and tracks running through the Candover Valley.  It was resurfaced by Hampshire County Council in early 2015.  More information about footpaths around Preston Candover can be found here.

Scenic Strolls in the Candover Valley

Many years ago a former clerk to the Preston Candover and Nutley Parish Council compiled a series of seven circular walks using  footpaths in the parish and with links on local roads.  Details of the walks can be found here.

Please Report Potholes!

Potholes can be a serious road hazard and the state of some roads around the Valley is bad. We need everyone to report the problems.  The process is easy, and you can also keep a check on progress on the problems which have already been reported .Please report on potholes  here

 

 

 

Let us know your plans!

Organising an event in the area? Starting a new club or society? If you are, we’d like to hear from you. Please contact our editors about a free listing for your event or group on this site.

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Candover Valley Gardening Club

Candover Valley Gardening Club

The Purefoy Arms

The Purefoy Arms

Candover Valley Choir

Candover Valley Choir

Scenic Walks in the Candover Valley

Scenic Walks in the Candover Valley

St John’s Church, Northington

St John’s Church, Northington

St James’ Church, Wield

St James’ Church, Wield

All Saints Church, Bradley

All Saints Church, Bradley

St Mary the Virgin Old Church, Preston Candover

St Mary the Virgin Old Church, Preston Candover

The Yew Tree, Wield

The Yew Tree, Wield

Candover Valley Club

Candover Valley Club

Play Area, Preston Candover

Play Area, Preston Candover

Recreation Ground, Preston Candover

Recreation Ground, Preston Candover

Tennis Courts

Tennis Courts

Candovers Cricket Club

Candovers Cricket Club

Tennis Club

Tennis Club

Preston Candover Village Hall

Preston Candover Village Hall

Alresford Shops

Alresford Shops

Preston Candover C of E Primary School

Preston Candover C of E Primary School

Candover Valley Pre-School

Candover Valley Pre-School

The Woolpack Inn

The Woolpack Inn

St. Peter’s Church, Brown Candover

St. Peter’s Church, Brown Candover

St. Nicholas “Buried” Church, Chilton Candover

St. Nicholas “Buried” Church, Chilton Candover

The Purefoy Arms

The Purefoy Arms

St. Gregory’s Catholic Church, Alresford

St. Gregory’s Catholic Church, Alresford

St. Mary the Virgin, Preston Candover

St. Mary the Virgin, Preston Candover