This small city in Take a look at Valley in Hampshire has a inhabitants of lower than 600. It was lengthy one of many smallest cities in the UK, however the city corridor was given to voters as a bribe within the 18th century.
But it has lured royalty and celebrities, from James II to Edward VII and his socialite and actress mistress Lillie Langtry. Its sights embrace fishing on the River Take a look at, the place the Houghton Membership, which claims to be the oldest fishing membership in England, was based.
Stockbridge Excessive Road follows the movement of a number of tributaries of the Take a look at. Streams and ponds line the highway and youngsters lean in opposition to railings to feed trout as they swim by.
The town was additionally an essential put up on a cattle route. Within the seventeenth century sheep and cattle have been herded alongside the excessive avenue on their approach to Wales. A Welsh signal above the Grade II listed Drovers Home on the finish of the excessive avenue is a relic of this era.
Though the fishing season solely begins in April, there may be nonetheless lots to do within the coming weeks. The city’s marshland gives nice walks, whereas a set of pleasant pubs and impartial companies, from present retailers to a gallery, line the excessive avenue.
To maneuver
There is no such thing as a railway station in Stockbridge. The closest is at Winchester, operated by South Western Railway. Direct trains run from right here to London for connections to different components of the UK.
Buses quantity 16 (50 minutes drive) and 68 (half-hour) run from Winchester to Stockbridge. Nevertheless, they solely work till the early afternoon. A 20 minute taxi trip prices round £25.
Drop your baggage
Courting again to the nineteenth century, the Greyhound of the Take a look at has received a number of awards for its meals, together with a spot within the UK’s high 100 gastropubs. The dog-friendly property has 10 rooms. Seven rooms are above the restaurant and drawing room and the opposite three within the adjoining Leet Cottage, two of that are on the bottom ground. Every room has a roll-top tub or walk-in bathe. There are Molton Brown toiletries, Nespresso machines and, in two of the cottage rooms, a Bose multimedia system. Breakfast choices vary from smoked trout with scrambled eggs to a full English breakfast. Rooms from £90, together with breakfast, thegreyhoundonthetest.co.uk.
Cozy cafe
Kudos Espresso, sitting, on the mouth of Stockbridge Frequent Marsh, is a energetic place on weekends. Seize a flat white and a do-it-yourself sausage (or vegan sausage) roll. Then, climate allowing, select a seat on the entrance porch to benefit from the winter solar and watch canine being taken for a stroll to the marsh. The espresso makes use of beans from The Roasting Occasion in Winchester.
Browse the shops
Stockbridge’s Georgian excessive avenue is brief, however filled with engaging retailers. Choose a potted plant or two from the Backyard Inn, a florist that additionally sells dwelling and backyard clothes. Browse the number of presents at Broughton Crafts (native maps, kids’s toys, stationery and pottery are among the many inventory) or pattern pigtails at John Robinson Butchers, which has been buying and selling for over 50 years. Pop into the city corridor: there may be normally one thing occurring, similar to a sale of cashmere sweaters.
Extra Winter weekends
Supper time
Prego Deli has fairly a repute – the night time membership has an 18 month ready listing. For these simply passing by, homeowners Mandy and Dave can personalize their menu to swimsuit buyer tastes and counsel wine pairings. Begin with a sharing platter, together with Italian hams and salamis, cheese, bruschetta, and ciabatta. Portion sizes of do-it-yourself pastas are beneficiant and embrace choices similar to chorizo ravioli in gorgonzola sauce. Puddings embrace gelato, do-it-yourself pastries, affogato, cannoli, and panettone baked Alaska.
Elsewhere, The Greyhound serves a roast dinner on Sundays. Different dishes on the seasonal Sunday menu embrace Lyme Bay plaice and porcini mushrooms as mains and apple and berry crumble or heat date pudding to complete.
A drink by the hearth
Have a drink in one among Stockbridge’s 4 pubs – all are dog-friendly and are positioned alongside the excessive avenue. The White Hart is a fuller’s pub on the finish of city with open fires, a ‘whiskey wall’ with over 50 choices and a traditional pub menu.
Former coach home The Three Cups dates from the sixteenth century and is good for a day with a very good guide resulting from its atmospheric lighting and comfortable corners.
Havens for wet days
The Wykeham Gallery, on Stockbridge Excessive Road, at the moment holds a set of unique watercolors and lithographs by Karl Martens, an artist specializing in work of birds and different wildlife similar to mice and bugs.
Strive one among Stockbridge’s home-grown wines at Black Chalk Property (blackchalkwine.co.uk), six minutes’ drive from town centre. When the climate improves, attempt a tour – they run all yr spherical, Thursday to Sunday at 11am. Alternatively, afternoon tea is obtainable from 1pm to 3pm, Friday to Sunday (the tasting room is quickly closed).
The Military Flying Museum is a 10-minute drive from Stockbridge. The museum’s highlights embrace a Sopwith Pup, an instance of a single-seat fighter launched in 1916, and a Lynx helicopter, which broke the world velocity file in 1972. £16 for over 16s, £9.50 for ages 5 to fifteen, £45 for 2 adults and as much as two kids. Admission is free for youngsters beneath 5 and several other army personnel.
Winter walks
The Take a look at Manner Stroll is a 70km route cut up into eight levels, together with one from Stockbridge to Mottisfont (8.5km). It follows an outdated railway line and passes via Stockbridge Frequent, which is crammed with reed beds and gives habitat for waterfowl.
For a style of Iron Age historical past, attempt the path to Danebury Hill Fort. It begins within the heart of Stockbridge and takes about two hours. You’ll be able to observe a narrative path to raised perceive the positioning. Hike to the highest for panoramic views of the Hampshire countryside, with different hill forts. See visit-hampshire.co.uk for extra info.
Three stuff you won’t find out about Stockbridge…
1) The town has impressed poets through the years. Do not miss a path of 10 poems on plaques as you wander via town.
2) The title refers to a “inventory bridge”, that means a bridge of logs.
3) Danebury Hill Fort was constructed no less than 2500 years in the past and was occupied till the Roman invasion.
