Hampshire Hangers and Farmland
Overview
This area has a dramatic landscape dominated by ‘The Hangers’, ancient woodlands
which cling to the steep slopes of the escarpment, opening to commons rich in wildlife
and with spectacular views.
Short copy
This area has a dramatic landscape dominated by ‘The Hangers’, ancient woodlands
which cling to the steep slopes of the chalk and greensand escarpment at the edge of
the Hampshire Downs. Sunken lanes snake through the shady, enclosed hangers,
leading to open commons above, rich in wildlife and with spectacular views. Hamlets and
villages built in the local Malmstone dot the lower slopes.
The 21-mile Hangers Way runs the length of the area going south from Alton, and takes
you through hanger woodlands and some of the key sights, including Selborne Common
and the picturesque village of Selborne, home of 18th century naturalist Gilbert White.
Long copy
This area has a dramatic landscape dominated by ancient hanger woodland, known as
‘The Hangers’, which clings to the steep chalk and greensand escarpment marking the
edge of the Hampshire Downs. Sunken lanes lead you through the dark, enclosed
hangers, climbing the steep scarp to emerge on open commons such as Noar Hill, known
for its wild flowers and rare butterflies like the Brown Hairstreak. High on Selborne
Common you can see for miles over the lowlands to the east and beyond. The open
grassland bristles with gorse and bracken, and in the spring and summer is dotted with
Yellow Archangel and wood anemone. The 18th century naturalist Gilbert White, who
wrote The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne (still in print), lived nearby at The
Wakes, now a museum.
Many of the nature reserves and woods are linked by old trails and tracks. The 21-mile
Hangers Way runs the length of the area, starting at Alton train station and going south
through hanger woods to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park. The new 60-mile
Shipwright’s Way (opened in March 2013) starts in the Alice Holt Forest and follows the
route travelled by medieval shipbuilders transporting oak trees to Portsmouth dockyards.
At the foot of the scarp and the gentler terrace slopes the land has been cultivated for
centuries. The area is deeply rural and quiet, with small medieval villages and scattered
farmsteads built in the local Malmstone, a soft grey to white sandstone, with red and
yellow brick detailing.
Hampshire Hangers and Farmland – Special Qualities
Landscape and views
Binswood Forest and Woodland is one of very few remaining lowland pastures still
sustained by traditional grazing of commoners’ stock. The common was once part of the
Woolmer Forest, a royal hunting ground, and the mosaic of grassland and ancient oak
and beech woodland remains much as it was in medieval times.
From the Ashford Hangers near Petersfield, 323 acres of wooded hills known as ‘Little
Switzerland’, there are magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.
On the chalk scarp there are panoramic views over the lowlands to the east and beyond
from the open chalk grasslands of Selborne Common and Noar Hill.
Wildlife and nature
On the crown of Selborne Hill is Selborne Common – designated a site of special
scientific interest, and managed by the National Trust. The open chalk grassland is rich
in wild flowers such as Yellow Archangel, wood anemone and Bird’s Nest Orchid, and
butterflies including the rare Purple Emperor. Listen out for the soft, piping call of the
wood warbler, also found here.
The different habitats at Shortheath Common – a large pond, wet and dry heath, acid
grassland and a quaking bog - support an amazing range of creatures, many rare or
endangered, including 23 different dragonflies, Field crickets and water voles. Rare
ground nesting birds the woodlark and nightjar nest here from March to the end of July –
please keep to the paths so you don’t disturb them and their young.
Farming and Food
Petersfield Farmers’ Market brings together some of the best local food producers in the
county. (First Sunday of the month, The Square.)
Based in Selborne, Mr Whitehead’s Cider Company produces cider and perry made from
apples and pears grown on the south-east facing slopes of the Hampshire Downs of the
neighbouring Blackmoor Farm Estate.
On their special open days in July, visit The Lavender Fields at Hartley Park Farm, Alton,
to experience the wonderful scent of 24 acres of English lavender in full bloom. Lavender
oil is made in the farm’s own distillery, and the farm shop sells a range of lavenderbased products from hand cream to lavender chocolate.
There have been Bowtells at Bowtell’s Farm since 1910 and today the farm shop sells the
family’s own free range meat and a range of locally produced vegetables, cheeses,
wines, beers and ciders.
Activities and learning
At the Alice Holt Forest Park there’s plenty to do for all the family. Explore the forest by
following the five waymarked trails, including the Easy Access trail, suitable for
wheelchairs, and the Cycle Trail. The Shipwright’s Way, a new 60-mile trail, follows the
route of medieval shipbuilders taking oak trees from the forest to Portsmouth dockyards.
There’s a cafe, BBQ areas and play areas for children. And you can take the Go Ape!
challenge – a course of rope bridges, zip wires and Tarzan swings, only for the brave!
Queen Elizabeth Country Park is Hampshire’s biggest country park, with 2000 acres of
woodland and downland, and 20 miles of trails for walking, cycling and horse riding.
There are special events throughout the year and you can try wayfaring and orienteering
and join guided walks.
See how our ancestors lived 3000 years ago at Butser Ancient Farm, a reconstruction of
a typical Iron Age farm. Buildings include a Roman villa, round houses and clunch sheds
based on examples found and excavated in England.
Heritage and culture
Visit The Wakes in Selborne, the home of pioneering 18th century naturalist Gilbert
White, who wrote The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, based on his
observations of the flora and fauna of Selborne and the surrounding area.
At the West Meon Pottery, skilled crafts people specialising in traditional pottery
techniques produce an array of architectural ceramics – roof finials, chimney pots,– and
garden planters, including reproductions of historical designs.
The Selborne Gallery shows a range of work created by artists using their mouths or
feet, including paintings, prints, textiles, ceramics, glass and jewellery. Next door,
Selborne Pottery produces contemporary stoneware that is hand-thrown and turned on a
wheel, with rich copper red and blue cobalt glazes; some hand-decorated with gold
lustre.
Petersfield Museum is dedicated to the social, agricultural and industrial history of the
area. Displays include archaeological finds, vintage bicycles and memorabilia from local
pubs and breweries. The Flora Twort Gallery displays the work of local artist Twort in her
old cottage.
Visit Petersfield Heath barrows to see 22 prehistoric burial mounds, the largest
concentration of Bronze Age round barrows in the area.
Peaceful and secluded Petersfield Physic Garden in the High Street is a 17th century-style
garden with medieval stone walls and contains nearly 100 species of herbs, a knot
garden, orchard and a wild flower area.
Towns and villages
The historic market town of Petersfield is built around two squares, The Spain and The
Square, venue for the town’s twice weekly market. It also has a monthly farmers’
market, a Norman church and a museum dedicated to local history.
Selborne is an attractive South Downs village in a beautiful setting at the foot of
Selborne Hanger, surrounded by beech woodlands and farmland. The village has a
Norman church, known locally for the remains of its huge yew tree – said to be 1400
years old when it was blown down by a storm in 1990. There is a pottery and art
gallery, and attracts visitors from all over the world to The Wakes, home of the 18th
century naturalist Gilbert White.
Did You Know
Explore the area’s famous Hampshire Hangers – steep sided wooded hills - on the 21mile long distance walking trail The Hangers Way. The trail starts at Alton railway station
and goes through Selborne and Petersfield, ending in the Queen Elizabeth Country Park.
The Oates Collection at Gilbert White’s House and Garden reveals the lives of two
famous explorers, Captain Lawrence Oates, who died on Captain Robert Scott’s ill-fated
expedition to the South Pole in 1911 – 12, and his uncle Frank Oates, who brought back
artefacts collected on his travels in Central America and Africa in the 1870s.
What they said
Hampshire’s great poet Edward Thomas (1878 – 1917), who lived in Steep, hanger
country known locally as Little Switzerland, wrote many verses inspired by the South
Downs countryside.
In his poem When First he describes the hangers:
Fast beat
My heart at the sight of the tall slope
Of grass and yews...
Hampshire Hangers – main image extended caption
The steeply wooded hills in this far-western corner of the Park are known as ‘hangers’
because the ancient beech, lime, yew and ash woodlands seem to hang from the tall
slopes, creating a wonderful canopy for walkers en route to the open hilltops.