Overton, Hampshire

The civil parish of Overton covers 3,471 hectares – an area about seven miles north to south (from Polhampton to the A303) and two and a half miles east to west (Ashe Park Lodge to Southington Lodge at Laverstoke Park) and is located in the County of Hampshire. Most of Overton parish is entirely rural with the north of the parish being in the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The River Test, a chalk stream world-famous for its trout fishing, rises about a mile east of Overton at Ashe during normal rainfall conditions though the source can migrate eastwards as far as Oakley in a period of very heavy rainfall. The river flows westwards through the village, historically powering a number of mills, towards Whitchurch before it meanders southwards through Hampshire, eventually reaching the sea at Eling near Southampton.[4]

The underlying geology – primarily chalk, with alluvial deposits adjacent to the river – results in typical chalk rolling countryside. The lowest parts of the village are about 80 meters above sea level, but the northern and southern extremities of the parish rise to between 160 and 200 meters, offering extensive views of the surrounding area.[4]

The village is a civil parish and part of the Overton, Laverstoke and Steventon ward of Basingstoke and Deane borough council.[9] The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district of Hampshire County Council.

Henry Portal founded Portals Paper Mill at Bere Mill, on the River Test between Overton and Whitchurch, in 1712, adding Laverstoke Mill to his enterprise seven years later, which allowed him to win the contract to make banknote paper for the Bank of England in 1724. Portals significantly expanded in the 20th century with the development of a new Overton Mill near Quidhampton in 1922 and the Bank of England relocated a significant number of employees to the area during World War II.

Papermaking was undertaken within the village at the Overton Mill which used to produce high-security paper for over 150 national currencies.[10] In 1995 the firm was sold to De La Rue and the Portals name was lost only for it to return in 2018 when De La Rue sold its papermaking assets to Epiris who resurrected the Portals name.[7][11] Epiris closed Portals Mill in 2022 and after three hundred years papermaking is no longer undertaken in the area. The historic Laverstoke Mill has been refurbished is now used by Bombay Sapphire with a visitors centre.

The location of the Portals Mill at Quidhampton has been referenced as the reason why £1 is known as a "Quid". However, there are many disputed origins and, given the various locations for Portals Papermills around the Overton area over the last three centuries, it is probably unlikely.[12]

Overton church, dedicated to St Mary, has medieval origins though the current church building is from the late Norman period in architecture.

Although only the nave pillars remain of the original church, there is a record that in 1180 it had a nave of three bays. The old church probably had narrow aisles and a small chancel, the expansion of the church occurred in the 13C with new chancel windows, north and south, and possibly its single frame roof with tie beams. At that time the aisles of the nave were probably widened to give more room in the nave.

For many centuries the bishop appointed a rector of Overton church and parish, who very often did not live in it, and he in turn appointed a vicar, who conducted services and was, in fact, 'the Parson'. The rectors and vicars since 1246 are recorded in a diptych board in the north aisle, near the door of the outer vestry.

The present aisles of the nave date from about a hundred years after the first names on that board. The great door of the main (south) entrance may similarly date from about 1350–1400. It may have been locally made, or perhaps only its lock and hinges are of local construction. The door is unusual in that it folds in the middle. The ornamented ironwork is said to be of Hampshire workmanship.

In the late 15th century the tower was rebuilt further west than an earlier one, and the nave and aisles were extended westward to meet it. The new tower had wooden board cladding at the belfry stage, and a timbered spire. The chancel was also enlarged at this time to its present length. On the inner sill of the north-west window in the chancel there is an inscription c. 1400. It reads: ‘Hic jacet d°. Willms Savage quondam rector istius ecciesie’ – i.e. Here lies Dominus (Master) William Savage, formerly rector of this church. In 1609 the first two bells of the present ring were cast.

In 1853 the whole church was re-roofed and some of it rebuilt, however, the rebuilt tower did not last long. A huge crack soon appeared in it, so the spire was removed and the west wall was shored up with foot-square beams of oak at a cost of about £1500. In 1908 the tower was again rebuilt with a spire added in 1913.[13]

The churchyard is noted for having a large and long-established colony of glow worms (Lampyris noctiluca), which are becoming increasingly rare in the UK.[14]

Bombay Sapphire

The 2011 population of the village was 4,315, rising to 4,935 when the hamlets of Laverstoke and Steventon are included[15] with the village expanding following the developments at Foxdown, Overton Hill, Charters Hill and Seven Acres.

The village has local industry with the Portals Papermill and the recent Bombay Sapphire development in nearby Laverstoke, as well as light industrial units to the north and east of the village.

The village has a selection of shops and services and has four public houses; The White Hart, The Greyhound, The Red Lion and The Old House at Home.

Overton Village School (1868)

The first village school was founded in 1817 as a free primary school situated in the workhouse. In 1834 a grant was made available to relocate the school to cottages on the River Test, though the building was never satisfactory and in 1858 a new school situated in the centre of the village at the crossroads was developed.

In 1968 a new school was built at the top of Court Drove to meet the needs of modern education and the school has been repeatedly upgraded in 1998, 2001 and 2014. The school has a landscaped playing field, children's play area and formal playgrounds.[16] The school is in the latest inspection (July 2014) rated "outstanding" by Ofsted.[17]

The 1858 school buildings still remain, now serving as the village library and community centre.

The village is served by Overton railway station on the West of England Main Line, which lies to the north of the village and by a weekday bus service provided by Stagecoach South to Whitchurch, Basingstoke and Andover.

Overton has over 30 acres of sporting facilities that are managed by the Overton Recreation Centre including a 9-hole Golf Course, Cricket Pitches, Football Grounds, Tennis Courts as well as numerous covered venues. Overton also has an outdoor swimming pool at Lordsfield and has many societies ranging from Art to Zumba.[18]

In Richard Adams' Watership Down, the rival rabbit warren of Efrafa was located just north of the railway above Northington Farm in Overton.

Percy and Pierre the Peacocks enjoy the afternoon sun in an Overton back garden

Two peacocks, nicknamed ‘Pierre’ and ‘Percy’, live in the Dellands area at the top of the village. Thought to have come from a lavender farm in nearby Whitchurch and accused by some locals of disturbing the peace with their courtship vocals, a plan was initially hatched to evict them but this was overturned by the Parish Council which has agreed that they can stay.[23]

• Historic photographs of Overton

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