Warnford

Infobox UK place
official_name= Warnford
map_type= Southampton
country= England
region= South East England
static_

static_image_caption=
latitude= 51.003803
longitude= -1.109848
os_grid_reference= SU624231
post_town= Southampton
postcode_area= SO
postcode_district= SO32
dial_code= 01730
constituency_westminster= Winchester (constituency)
civil_parish= Warnford
shire_district= City of Winchester
shire_county= Hampshire
website=
population = 220 [cite web |url= http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=795230&c=Warnford&d=16&e=15&g=453310&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1205249871437&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 |title=Parish Headcounts, Area: Warnford CP|date=2001 |accessdate=2008-03-11 |work=Neighbourhood Statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics ]

Warnford is a village and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England.

The village lies on the A32 in the valley of the River Meon between West Meon and Exton. It has a a church and a pub, the George and Falcon. There is an infrequent bus service from Bishop's Waltham to Petersfield. The village was by-passed by the former Meon Valley Railway (now a footpath and cycleway), which ran down the east of the valley.

The Church of Our Lady, to the south of the village, was rebuilt in the 12th century and contains relics of an earlier Saxon church. The ruins of the 13th century St. John's or King John's House are nearby. [cite web |url=http://www.hants.gov.uk/hampshiretreasures/vol01/page305.html |work=Hampshire Treasures Vol. 1 pp.305-311 |title=Warnford|publisher=Hampshire County Council| accessdate=2008-03-11 ] There are watercress beds at two places in the valley.

The Beacon Hill National Nature Reserve and SSSI is at the western end of the parish, a chalk hill some convert|201|m|ft high flanked by numerous steep-sided dry valleys. The Monarch's Way long distance footpath crosses the valley in Warnford. The route of the South Downs Way, which shares short sections of the Monarch's Way route either side of the parish, has been contentious and was the subject of public inquiries in 2004 and 2006. Currently Ordnance Survey maps show both a route through Warnford, and a southerly route past Beacon Hill via Exton.

Warnford is currently in the Winchester parliamentary constituency but will be in the new Meon Valley in future elections.

References

External links

* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41966 Victoria County History - Warnford]
* [http://www.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/archive/presscentre/press_200408.asp Countryside Agency - South Downs Way Public Inquiry 2004 ]
* [http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns/article.asp?ArticleId=3&PageId=3 Natural England - South Downs Way - Latest news on the route across the Meon Valley]