The approach to Hartley Witney from Basingstoke or Fleet is glorious. You cannot fail to be impressed by the magnificent and historic commons of mature oaks. These and the charming High Street lined with quality independents, among them antiques shops, a bakery, traditional butcher’s, boutiques, cafes, and rustic luxe florist, immediately make you want to browse estate agents’ windows. That’s without sight of the picturesque cricket green hidden behind the High Street, and the quaint village ponds with thatched duck houses.
This is a big village with a small-town vibe. It grew as a stopping place on the route from London to Exeter (aka the A30). The A30 still runs through its centre, and is likely responsible for the thriving shopping experience. Hartley Wintney has the convenience of having everything you need on the doorstep. You can buy most things for your home, your wardrobe and your dinner, along with the essentials such as dental surgery, doctor’s practice, optician’s and post office.
For a picture postcard village surrounded by countryside, it is surprisingly well-connected. There’s easy access to the M3, at Fleet and North Warnborough, and mainline train services to London Waterloo in an hour (more or less) from Fleet, Winchfield and Basingstoke.
Schools tick another box. According to Ofsted, Oakwood Infant School is ‘good’ with ‘outstanding’ features, and Greenfields Junior School is ‘good’. The nearest secondaries are Yateley School, ‘good’ with ‘outstanding’ 16-19 programmes, and Calthorpe Park and Court Moor, both in Fleet, and both ‘good’. Independents include prep schools St Neots in Eversley and Wellesley in Stratfield Turgis. At secondary level there’s St Nicholas School in Fleet and Lord Wandsworth College in Long Sutton.
As for property, take your pick from period cottages, Victorian villas, farmhouses, converted barns, mid-century and new family homes.
EXPLORE
Active types are sorted. Sports clubs include a football club, tennis club and golf club with an 18-hole parkland course. There’s also a cricket club, one of the oldest in the country (established in 1770) playing on what must be one of the prettiest greens – edged by mature trees and overlooked by period properties.
It is also easy to go for a run, cycle or walk as footpaths wander off in all directions into surrounding countryside – such as Hazeley Heath, 447 acres of heathland wilderness that’s home to nightjars, tree pipits and woodlarks.
In and around Hartley Wintney there’s an abundance of commons, popular with families and dog walkers, among them that impressive Central (or Oak) Common, Hunts Common, Cricketer’s, Causeway and Phoenix Green. These are often used to host local events. The Vaughan Millennium Community Orchard on Hunt’s Common is the venue for a Village Picnic every September and an Apple Day in October. Meanwhile Central or Oak Common hosts the village’s popular Summer Festival, a traditional affair with procession, tug o’ war, stalls, dog show, fairground and more.
Summer is music season at Hartley Wintney. At West Green House acclaimed garden designer Marylyn Abbott has combined her passions for English gardens and international opera. She has created a garden of fountains, woodland glades, arbour, elaborate potager and moon gate that provides a glamorous backdrop for her boutique opera festival, Opera by the Lake, held every July. This year the programme includes Falstaff and Il Barbiere di Siviglia. The gardens are also open to visitors until 27 October, and there are more events timetabled, such as ‘Music Under the Vines’, planting and flower arranging workshops, and afternoon teas.
At the other end of the musical spectrum is FleetingDays Fun on 17 August. Launched last year, this family-friendly, micro-festival includes children’s entertainments and live rock, pop, ska and soul music. It’s held in the beautiful grounds of The Elvetham, a grand Gothic Revival pile built in 1860, replacing a much earlier property which was home to the Seymour family. Rumour has it that this is where Henry VIII fell in love with Jane Seymour. Elizabeth I was another guest and some say that Shakespeare also visited and the estate inspired in part A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Now a country house hotel, The Elvetham provides a dream location for afternoon tea, Sunday lunch, and a cocktail or two in the bar.
If a relaxed country pub is more your hangout, you are spoiled for choice. The Waggon & Horses is a traditional village pub; 18th century The Cricketers, overlooking the cricket green, is perfect for enjoying a refreshing glass of something while listening to the soft thwack of leather on willow; and family-run Phoenix Inn has a warm welcome and skittle alley. Slightly further afield, there’s top notch dining pub The Mutton at Hazeley Heath. All this, plus cafes, restaurants and a wine merchant, Auriol Wines, that has just opened its own Nightjar wine bar. Village life surely doesn’t get better than this. Cheers!
Also worth a visit is The White Lion Antique Centre. The Georgian Grade II listed former coaching inn has a rich history, including being frequented by highwayman Dick Turpin and used by Cromwell’s troops during the English Civil War. It was also a stop for George III and part of the Admiralty route in 1805 but is now a treasure trove of antiques, jewellery, clothes and collectibles.
BAG A PROPERTY
Lee and Katie Grace own Charlton Grace Estate Agents, which opened its doors in Hartley Wintney 21 years ago in 2003.
Katie Grace says: ‘As one of Hampshire’s prettiest and most popular villages, Hartley Wintney offers a thriving High Street with many independent shops and cafes. With its fantastic local and independent schools, coupled with its tight knit community, it is no wonder buyers are willing to pay to live in this thriving village.
‘Although the property market across the country has been affected recently by changing mortgage rates, the Hartley Wintney market remains strong. We have noticed there has been an increase in the number of sellers now taking part in ‘discreet marketing’ where properties are not advertised immediately through portals such as Rightmove; instead, we use a registered buyers list to sell their properties.
‘As locals ourselves, who have lived in and around the village for many years, we are experts in this market. Desirable areas include the beautiful period properties that surround the village green and even though these range in price from £400,000 to £2,000,000 plus, these properties are fantastic investments and are rarely for sale.
‘There really is a price bracket for everyone in Hartley Wintney. Through modern developments such as St Mary’s, Hartley Row and Albion Yard, there is a choice of affordable housing for couples and families, while retirement complexes include Fleur De Lis for over 60s, which is well-situated close to the High Street and offers top quality shared facilities.
‘Sought-after roads in Hartley Wintney include tree-lined Brackley Avenue and picturesque Thackham’s Lane, while villages and hamlets on the outskirts of the village include West Green and Dipley where we have sold properties up to £5,000,000.’
charltongrace.co.uk
VILLAGE LIFE
Jess Hughes started her business, Organically Speaking, in 1999, and opened her shop in Hartley Wintney in 2004.
‘It is hard to believe that this year it’s 25 years since I started the business, and 20 years since I opened the shop! I based my business here as I’ve always had a soft spot for the village, having gone to school in Hartley Wintney, and after school, with my mum and sister, I often went shopping on the High Street.
‘What hasn’t changed over the years is that, thankfully, a large proportion of the shops are still independent. Organically Speaking, which sells over 4,000 products from carrots to organic paint, is in the centre of what isn’t a particularly large high street, but it caters for just about everything. There’s a bakery, coffee shops, dentist, florist, hairdressers, gift shops, sweet shop, pubs, and more.
‘The majority of the buildings on the High Street are listed and as we are in a conservation area it’s a pretty place to work and shop. Behind the shops you can watch a game of cricket, wander through Hartley Wintney’s famous oak trees or sit on a bench with a coffee or lunchtime sandwich and admire the picturesque surroundings.’
