Overton - introducing our village

Overton, a large village in the upper Test Valley, began the decade with a population of about 3,800 people. The built-up area straddles the Test River and climbs up the valley slopes. It is in Basingstoke and Deane Borough, in the geographical and administrative county of Hampshire. The village is in the centre of the civil parish of Overton, with the settlements of Ashe, Ashe Warren, South Litchfield, Coxford Down, Polhampton, Southington, Quidhampton and Northington spread in the outlying districts.

From the Middle Ages
Overton was first mentioned in AD909 when King Edward the Elder granted the estate of 'Uferanton' to the then bishop of Winchester. The village at that time is thought to have been located north of the river. In the 13th century, the bishop founded a new community south of the river, with the grid street pattern that still exists in the centre of the village. Overton's fortunes waxed and waned through the centuries, and its Sheep Fair - given a charter in 1246 - continued well into the 20th century. The Sheep Fair was resurrected in 2000 to mark the Millennium.

Routes to Overton
Located on the stagecoach route from London to Exeter, Overton catered for travellers at several hostelries. In 1854 the railway opened between Basingstoke and Andover, giving villagers a direct link to London. Present-day transport links remain good, with frequent bus and train services.

More people with more cars mean that roads through the village are increasingly busy - especially the east-west B3400. But access to main roads is good: in less than 10 minutes the C29 road to Micheldever brings drivers to the A303, and then on to the M3 motorway. And the B3400 at Whitchurch links with the A34, its dual-carriageway leading to the M4, the M40 and the Midlands.

Geography ...
The civil parish of Overton covers 3,471 hectares - an area about six 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). Most of this is entirely rural, and the north of the parish is 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. It meanders southwards through Hampshire, eventually reaching the sea at Southampton.

... and geology
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 250 feet above sea level, but the northern and southern extremities of the parish rise to between 500 and 600 feet, offering extensive views of the surrounding area.

Earning a living
Much of the parish is covered by arable crops, although livestock-rearing has increased in the recent past. But Overton is an industrial village, with the former Portal's paper mill - now owned by De La Rue - just north of the railway station. The mill is famous for making watermarked currency paper for customers around the world. For many decades this mill employed a large proportion of the local population, and has provided jobs for local families for generations. Employment opportunities diversified in the 1960s and 70s with the rapid expansion of nearby towns, but today a considerable number of people who live elsewhere come to Overton to work.

A modern, thriving community
Overton is fortunate to have a wide variety of shops and facilities that many other small communities have lost. This has led to pressure to develop land for housing at a pace that concerns many residents. Some see this as a threat to the strong community spirit for which Overton has been locally renowned.

Although some properties in new developments will taken up by local residents, many will go to newcomers to the village. Hopefully these newcomers will quickly integrate into the community, supporting and contributing to its many economic, social, sporting and cultural activities, and taking advantage of its services and facilities so that Overton will continue to thrive.