Wherwell: a hidden gem in England’s Hampshire.

Last weekend, my friends and I planned to visit Winchester, and while I was making my list of things to do in Winchester, I came across Wherwell in one of the suggestions. Then my friend also told me about the reel she saw on Instagram about Wherwell’s most Instagrammable street.

During my research, I noticed a few pictures on Google that didn’t leave a lasting impression on me, so I wasn’t expecting much from this place. However, when I visited Wherwell, it completely changed my opinion.

Wherwell Village in Hampshire

Wherwell is still a hidden gem in Test Valley, Hampshire, England. This place looked like a figment of an artist’s imagination and took me back to my childhood, when I used to draw sceneries using sketch pencils and crayons on paper, featuring huts, a forest, and a river stream flowing nearby. I didn’t know that those huts were actually timber-framed thatched cottages in the real world.

Wherwell is a small scenic village with around 500 residents, situated on the banks of the River Test. The River Test is popular for trout fishing.

It is close to Harewood Forest, the largest area of woodland in Hampshire. So, Wherwell is also an interesting place for hikers.

Wherwell has the typical characteristics of any English village, such as a pub, a church, the countryside and a few cottages, but its charm is unique. The beautifully preserved thatched cottages are a testament that old is always gold.

There is also a folklore famous among its residents that Wherwell was once haunted by a two-legged, dragon-like creature with a rooster’s head, known as a Cockatrice.

An exquisite trivia: Residents put a basket of fruits, such as apples and peaches, outside their homes for travellers to eat. They don’t charge money yet.

LSWR Wherwell Station

The station was opened in 1865 as a twin-track line between Hurstbourne and Fullerton junction, joining Andover to Southampton. It was closed to the public in 1931. According to Wherwellhistory.com, Queen Victoria used to love this station on her frequent trips to Osbourne House, Isle of Wight.

It was also a film location for “The Ghost Train”.

London to Wherwell Road Trip

It took us almost three hours to reach Wherwell from London due to an accident on the Motorway. Usually, it takes 1.5-2 hours if you leave early. Although we left at 8 am, we got stuck in traffic mid-way. There are parking spaces available in and near Wherwell.

5 Exciting Things to Do in Wherwell

• Pound Tree Cottages Lane
• Yellow Cottages on Church Street
• Saint Peter and Holly Cross Church
• Bridge over River Test
• White Lion Inn

Wherwell village may not have many attractions to visit, but this place offers a serene nature retreat. The presence of cottages takes you back in time to the Victorian era, and you feel that time has stood still, as if the entire village has come alive straight from a postcard.

Pound Tree Cottages Lane

As soon as we parked our cars, we noticed a lane lined with fabulous and traditional thatched cottages. This was the historic 20th-century Pound Tree Lane. Currently, there is no Pound Tree on this lane.

Using social media slang, I refer to this lane as one of the Instagrammable streets in England. Besides this lane, in the centre of the village, there is a war memorial dedicated to heroes from Wherwell who fought for the country.

Note: All of these are private properties, so please be mindful while taking pictures.

Tip: A road sign located next to the remembrance memorial indicates the direction to the church and other points of interest in the village.

Yellow Cottages on Church Street Wherwell

St Peter and Holly Cross Church

This church replaced an earlier Norman church and was rebuilt between 1856 and 1858 by the Iremonger family. It was sanctified by the Bishop of Winchester in 1859. A church clock was installed in 1911 to commemorate the coronation of George V.

Bridge over River Test

There is a beautiful bridge over the River Test, a five-minute walk from Pound Tree Lane, which crosses to Chilbolton Cow Common.

Chilbolton Common and Harewood Forest are home to a variety of plant species, birds and wildlife, including Roe Deer and Buzzards.

Eat and Drink in White Lion Inn

This pub was built in 1611 as a Coaching Inn on the turnpike road between Andover and Winchester. There is a Civil War cannonball displayed in the pub from 1642.

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What are your thoughts about Wherwell? Let me know in the comments. Have a nice weekend!