Hampshire &amp; Isle of Wight


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>This bijou Georgian town on the edge of the South Downs National Park is known for its postcard-pretty pastel houses, riverside walks and,&nbsp;err, being the UK’s watercress capital. For a town this size, (New) Alresford boasts a surprising number of indie shops&nbsp;and excellent eateries, which makes it a good option for those wanting countryside vibes while still having enough to do.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="953" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/pulpo-negro-gambas.jpg" alt="Gambas prawns tapas Pulpo Negro Alresford Hampshire best places to live" class="wp-image-28652" style="aspect-ratio:1.5739769150052465;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/pulpo-negro-gambas.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/pulpo-negro-gambas-800x508.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/pulpo-negro-gambas-1000x635.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/pulpo-negro-gambas-768x488.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/pulpo-negro-gambas-826x525.jpg 826w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pulpo Negro</figcaption></figure></div>


<p>Foodies have more than enough to tickle their&nbsp;tastebuds&nbsp;here.&nbsp;<a href="https://pulponegro.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pulpo Negro</a>&nbsp;on Broad Street is renowned for its Bib Gourmand-recommended tapas (above). <a href="http://caracoli.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caracoli</a>&nbsp;is a must-do for fantastic coffee and brunch, with a specialist food, cheese, wine and foodie gift shop attached.&nbsp;Warmly welcomed by locals, there&#8217;s also a new branch of the Hampshire brunch and coffee indie <a href="https://www.josieswinecoffee.com/our-shops" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Josie&#8217;s</a> here too.</p>



<p>Something of a destination here, head to the <a href="https://www.longbarn.co.uk/cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Long Barn&#8217;s café</a> for cosy coffees, cheese-filled watercress scones and one of the best bacon butties for miles. And there&#8217;s always fresh coffee and a lot more, including a busy events programme, at the rural farm café and events space, <a href="https://www.theyardhampshire.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Yard</a> in the Candover Valley.</p>



<p>There are more country pubs than you can shake a bunch of watercress at in Alresford, but our top picks are&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bellalresford.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bell Inn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thewoolpackinn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Woolpack</a> and the <a href="https://www.thethreehorseshoesbighton.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Three Horseshoes</a> at Bighton, the proprietors of which have just opened <a href="https://www.thetownhousealresford.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Townhouse Alresford</a> a new café, bar, co-working and events space. </p>



<p>And special mention too for <a href="https://www.thebushinn.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bush Inn</a>, a 17th century pub&nbsp;on the banks of the River Itchen and a favourite of local celebs Sarah Parish and Jim Murray, located a couple of miles away in the picturesque village of Ovington.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>For designer fashion, keep your eyes peeled for the chic teal storefront of <a href="https://www.modarosa.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moda Rosa</a>&nbsp;on West Street,&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.delilahboutique.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DelilahBoutique/">Delilah Boutique</a>, across the road. Bookworms will love&nbsp;<a href="http://www.birketfoster.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Laurence Oxley</a>, a second-hand bookshop&nbsp;also selling art and supplies, while&nbsp;the delightfully traditional Morgan Hardware Merchant on Broad Street is a treasure trove for interiors.</p>



<p>Handy (or dangerous, depending on whether or not you can be trusted around pretty things) <a href="https://www.alresfordlinen.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Alresford Linen Company</a> is a clothing and lifestyle store with on-site laundry and dry-cleaning. Another local&nbsp;speciality&nbsp;in abundance is lavender, which you can pick up (along with home and garden wares, womenswear and gifts) at&nbsp;<a href="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/long-barn-arlesford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Long Barn</a>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>Perfect for gym bunnies and yoga lovers, <a href="https://www.stationmill.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Station Mill</a> in the restored 1860 heritage building combines yoga and barre with the latest gym tech and a floor dedicated to wellness therapies. Alresford locals don&#8217;t need to go far for beauty treatments either – top-rated salons in town include <a href="https://alresfordbeauty.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alresford Beauty</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/saddlehousemedispa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saddle House Medi Spa</a> and <a href="https://yourbeautyritual.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Visit RITUAL Skin &amp; Beauty</a>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>Alresford loves a show &#8211; and they don&#8217;t come any bigger than the world-famous and brilliantly quirky <a href="https://www.watercressfestival.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watercress Festival</a>. Watch the Watercress King and Queen throw out bunches to the waiting hoards or catch a ride into town on the Watercress Line (surely be the UK’s most scenic park and ride) to wander the stalls and see fiercely competitive folks attempt to break&nbsp;the watercress&nbsp;eating record. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/The-Watercress-Line.jpg" alt="The Watercress Line, Alresford" class="wp-image-28653" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/The-Watercress-Line.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/The-Watercress-Line-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/The-Watercress-Line-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/The-Watercress-Line-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/10/The-Watercress-Line-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Watercress Line</figcaption></figure></div>


<p>You can’t visit Alresford without hopping on the nostalgic steam railway&nbsp;(as seen on countless TV dramas). The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.watercressline.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watercress Line</a>&nbsp;is a 10-mile track that takes you through the Hants countryside via&nbsp;Ropley,&nbsp;Medstead&nbsp;and&nbsp;Alton. The nearest National Trust property is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hinton-ampner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hinton Ampner</a>, an elegant country house with landscaped gardens for rambling, views for miles and a lovely café for the obligatory tea and cake. <a href="https://janeaustens.house/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jane Austen&#8217;s House</a> and <a href="https://chawtonhouse.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chawton House</a> are just a couple of miles from Alresford.&nbsp;And filled with all creatures great and small, <a href="https://www.marwell.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marwell Zoo</a> is 20 mins drive.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<p>Music, opera and ballet performances are held every summer as part of <a href="https://thegrangefestival.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Grange Festival</a>, held at the beautiful <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/northington-grange/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grange at Northington</a>. The nearest theatre is the Muddy Award-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Theatre Royal Winchester</a>, showing a mix of drama, dance, comedy, music and family theatre. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Properties in Alresford&nbsp;come in at an average price of&nbsp;&nbsp;£488,398, with detached properties selling for&nbsp;an average price of £673,841 and semi-detached at £498,035. Terraced properties sold for an average of £416,071.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1031" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Alresford-cottage.jpg" alt="Cottage house for sale in Alresford Hampshire Best Places to Live" class="wp-image-34557" style="aspect-ratio:1.454898157129001;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Alresford-cottage.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Alresford-cottage-800x550.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Alresford-cottage-1000x687.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Alresford-cottage-768x528.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A 4-bed character cottage on the outskirts of Alresford in Upper Wield. <a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/properties/residential/for-sale/upper-wield-alresford-hampshire-so24/win012407191" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market with Knight Frank for £895,000</a>.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p><a href="https://patchworknursery.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Patchwork Day Nursery and Pre-School</a>, based at&nbsp;Perins School&nbsp;in Pound Hill, takes children between 6 mths – 5 yrs. <a href="https://busybeesbishopssutton.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Busy Bees</a> is an outdoorsy pre-school and Forest School in the hamlet of Bishop&#8217;s Sutton, for littlies aged two years upwards. Both are rated as Good by Ofsted.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>The state schools here hold their own and unlike nearby Winchester, aren’t over-subscribed.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sunhillinfants.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sun Hill Infants</a> and <a href="https://www.sunhilljs.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sun Hill Junior</a> are Ofsted Good. For seniors, <a href="https://www.perins.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perins School</a>, an academy, is also rated as Good. For independents,&nbsp;there&#8217;s <a href="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/pilgrims-school-winchester/">Pilgrims&#8217; School</a>, a prep day and boarding school for boys right beside Winchester Cathedral. <a href="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/princes-mead/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prince’s Mead</a>&nbsp;is another bucolic&nbsp;co-ed prep school just outside of Winchester, around 13 min drive, as is <a href="https://www.stswithuns.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St&nbsp;Swithun’s&nbsp;School</a>,&nbsp;an independent day, weekly and full-boarding school for girls.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>Ditch your Champagne and swap it out for a bottle or two from&nbsp;<a href="https://hants.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/hattingley-valley-wine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hattingley Valley</a>, an eco-friendly winery&nbsp;just&nbsp;20 mins from the&nbsp;centre&nbsp;of town.&nbsp;Try one of their award-winning sips on a tour and tasting.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>Winchester is only 15 mins by car&nbsp;if you can nab a seat on the regular service into London Waterloo, which takes just over an hour. Alton is also an option – it may take longer but is generally less busy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 300 Places to Live</a></em>.</p>


Alresford

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