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45-592: Mary Russell Mitford (16 December 1787 – 10 January 1855) was an English essayist, novelist, poet and dramatist. She was born at Alresford in Hampshire , England. She is best known for Our Village , a series of sketches of village scenes and vividly drawn characters based upon her life in Three Mile Cross near Reading in Berkshire . She was the only daughter of George Mitford (or Midford), who apparently trained as

90-541: A Thunderbirds , helicopter, fire engine, Open-top bus , Tardis , and a BMW 5 Series. This is followed by Father Christmas giving presents to children in his grotto. The presents are organised by the Christmas Tree Fund. Money donated by the crowd at each year's event goes back into the pot for the following year. The Duck Race is organised by the Alresford Pigs and held biennially on odd numbered years. It brings

135-656: A 'Guy' is burned following tradition, with the Guys made by local schoolchildren. The arrival of Father Christmas is a joint effort led by the Christmas Tree Fund. It takes place in Broad Street near a large Christmas Tree erected annually. A carol service with music provided by Perins Community School's orchestra precedes the arrival. The Alresford Pigs create the secret process by which Father Christmas arrives. He has arrived in World War 2 NAAFI van driven by Wallace and Gromit and in

180-524: A central conservation area , and several tea rooms and pubs. The western terminus of the Watercress Line heritage railway is at Alresford railway station in the town. Although Alresford is recorded in several Anglo-Saxon charters these records are in reference to Old Alresford the older of the two settlements. Alresford derived from the Old English Alor and ford meaning the ford at

225-459: A community minibus). A fee for street usage is usually payable by organisers, which helps in the Trust's other works, including running the local minibus which serves the elderly and disabled. A number of events are organised by The Alresford Pigs Association, which raises money in the local area for those in need, by the local Rotary club (such as the annual 5 November Fireworks at Arlebury Park), and by

270-561: A cottage in Swallowfield , three miles away, where she remained for the rest of her life. She died there on 10 January 1855, after being injured in a carriage accident the previous December. She was buried there in the churchyard. Her life was dramatised in the 1940 Australian radio play Three Mile Cross by Catherine Shepherd . New Alresford New Alresford or simply Alresford ( / ˈ ɒ l z f ər d / OLZ -fərd or / ˈ ɔː l z f ər d / AWLZ -fərd )

315-577: A generation of British-Tahitian children on Pitcairn Island in 1811; and Blanche , part of a projected series of "Narrative Poems on the Female Character", in 1813). Her play Julian was produced at Covent Garden , with William Charles Macready in the title role, in 1823; Foscari at Covent Garden, with Charles Kemble as the hero, in 1826; while Rienzi , 1828, the best of her plays, ran for 34 performances, and Mitford's friend, Thomas Noon Talfourd , supposed that its popularity detracted from

360-542: A medical doctor, and Mary Russell, a descendant of the aristocratic Russell family . She grew up near Jane Austen and was an acquaintance of hers when young. In 1797, ten-year-old Mary won her father a lottery ticket worth £20,000, but by the 1810s the small family suffered financial difficulties. In the 1800s and 1810s they lived in large properties in Reading and then Grazeley (in Sulhamstead Abbots parish), but, when

405-476: A mile to the east. This expansion also involved the construction of the Great Weir, an earth dam across the river south of Old Alresford, allowing the river to form Alresford Pond on what is now the north side of New Alresford village.Today, Alresford pond is at the centre of a 30.2-hectare (75-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. A medieval stone bridge said to have been built about 1190 built

450-517: A number of community events throughout the year. Several are organised by or with New Alresford Town Council (NATC). All events which are held in the main streets within the original town (Broad Street, East Street, West Street) require the permission of the New Alresford Town Trust (NATT – a registered charity which preserves the town's traditional rights of access, to fairs and to street markets, preserves old documents and buildings, and runs

495-588: A school in Hans Place , Knightsbridge, London, the successor to Reading Abbey Girls' School , which Austen had attended a few years earlier. Her father engaged Frances Arabella Rowden , formerly governess to the family of Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough , to give her extra tuition. Rowden was not only a published poet, but according to Mitford, "she had a knack of making poetesses of her pupils". Rowden took Mitford to Theatre Royal, Drury Lane , especially to plays featuring John Kemble , and entranced her with

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540-456: A second in 1826, a third in 1828, a fourth in 1830, a fifth in 1832. They were reprinted several times. Belford Regis , another series of literary sketches in which the neighbourhood and society of Reading were idealised, was published in 1835. Her description of village cricket in Our Village has been called "the first major prose on the game". Her Recollections of a Literary Life (1852)

585-505: A series of improvements to the property. There is one infant, one junior and one secondary school in Alresford with more than 140 staff and 2,000 pupils – Perins School (1,200 pupils – secondary school ). This school converted to Academy status in 2011 and in September 2017 formed a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) with Sun Hill Junior School. In 2001 Perins was granted specialist status for leading

630-417: A warm friendship. The strain of poverty told on Mitford's work, for although her books sold at high prices, her income did not keep pace with her father's extravagances. In 1837, however, she received a civil list pension, and five years later, on 11 December 1842, her father died. A subscription was raised to pay his debts, and the surplus increased Mary's income. In 1851 she moved from Three Mile Cross to

675-477: Is twinned with: Causerie The causerie style is characterized by a personal approach to the reader; the writer "babbles" to the reader, from which the term derives. Language jokes, hyperbole , intentional disregard of linguistic and stylistic norms, and other absurd or humorous elements are permitted. For example, in a causerie about a politician, they may be placed in an imagined situation. Sentences are usually kept short, avoiding over-explaining, and room

720-500: Is a market town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire , England. It is 8.0 miles (12.9 km) northeast of Winchester and 12 miles (20 km) southwest of the town of Alton . New Alresford, situated with the River Alre to its north, has a remarkably well preserved 17th and 18th Century high street which offers several shops, a tourist information centre,

765-470: Is a series of causeries about her favourite books. Her talk was said by her friends, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Hengist Horne , to have been even more amusing than her books, and five volumes of her Life and Letters , published in 1870 and 1872, show her to have been a delightful letter-writer. The many collections available of her letters provide especially useful commentary and criticism of her Romantic and Victorian literary contemporaries. Mitford

810-594: Is an attractive art, rail and tourist destination, with its two classical, dense Georgian streets. Here can be found the Swan Hotel, Bell Hotel, jewellers, wine merchants, butchers, flower shops, toy shop, dress shops, the Alresford Gallery, Candover Gallery and tea rooms. There are three other public houses, the largest being the Globe Inn, by one of the stream channels and the play area. Alresford railway station

855-548: Is at the south-western end of the Watercress Line – officially the Mid-Hants Railway. This heritage railway line runs steam and diesel trains, and gained its nickname from the fact that it used to be the line that took locally grown watercress up to London. The other end of the heritage line is Alton , which is also the terminus of the Alton line , enabling rail access for visitors from London. The 13th-century church of St John

900-407: Is closed to traffic. Organised by the local Rotary Club and usually held on 5 November. Traditionally the firework display is preceded by a torchlit procession starting in Broad Street making its way along West Street and up Pound Hill into Arlebury Park, the venue for the firework display. The display is always well attended with proceeds donated to local, national and international causes. Each year

945-476: Is left for the reader to read between the lines. The content of causerie is not limited and it may be satire , parody , opinion, factual or straight fiction. Causerie is not defined by content or format, but style. Although usually published in a newspaper, many authors have published anthologies. The causerie as a form became popular in the English-speaking world during the later nineteenth century following

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990-541: Is still in place on the north side of New Alresford and the flow of water through is the main outflow from Alresford Pond. New Alresford became established as a prosperous market town on the main road from Alton to Winchester south of the river. Commerce focussed on products from sheep and cattle such as wool and leather; and in the 14th century Alresford sheep markets were said to produce one of five highest turnovers in England. Alresford sent two members to parliament until

1035-447: The Alder tree. New Alresford itself was founded as a market town in 1189 and is first mentioned in a record of the mid 1200s as Nova Villa de Alresford , Latin for the "new settlement of Alresford" in . In 1332 Chepyng Alresford is recorded denoting a market town, from Middle English chippyng . There is evidence of Neolithic , Bronze Age and Iron Age occupation on several sites in

1080-597: The Alresford area, with a Roman or Romano-British site on nearby Fobdown and to the south-east of the town in Bramdean . Alresford was listed in the Domesday Book but this refers to what is now Old Alresford a short distance to the north of the river. Old Alresford is near to the Pilgrims' Way between Winchester and Canterbury which from Alresford goes east to Farnham , Guildford , Dorking and Maidstone . New Alresford

1125-528: The Baptist was rebuilt in 1898 by Sir Arthur Blomfield in the Norman gothic perpendicular style, except the 14th century tower, although the top third of the tower is of 16th century red crenellated parapet brickwork. Brandy Mount House is a Grade II listed building and is a short distance east of the church. In 2012 it was holding a National Plant Collection of snowdrops in its grounds. The gardens were open to

1170-520: The City of Winchester District Council as part of the wider Alresford and Itchen Valley Ward. As with the Hampshire County Council War, this also includes Old Alresford . The ward is currently represented by one Conservative Councillor and two Liberal Democrat Councillors: The town council holds elections, and is currently composed of eleven Councillors and six members of staff. New Alresford

1215-646: The borough council was abolished under the Municipal Corporations Act 1883 , its assets were transferred to the New Alresford Town Trust, which was constituted in 1890. Alresford is part of the wider Itchen Valley Ward of Hampshire County Council , which stretches across the Northeast of the City of Winchester and includes several other parishes such as Itchen Valley . Itchen Valley has been represented since 2005 by Jackie Porter, most recently elected in 2017: Alresford also elects three representatives to

1260-589: The centre of Alresford. New Alresford was formerly on both the A31 road between Guildford and Winchester , and on the Watercress Line , a secondary main line of the London & South Western Railway between Alton and Winchester. However the A31 now by-passes the town, whilst the old road through the town has been redesignated the B3047. The Watercress Line was closed in 1973, although

1305-456: The church and Market House, another in 1710 and a 'like calamity' in 1736. Much of the town was rebuilt in the 18th century, with many of the Georgian buildings that remain today. A turnpike toll road linking London to primarily Southampton but viable for Hamble and Portsmouth (now the A31 ), some of which was a Roman road then a track in variable condition maintained by each parish ,

1350-513: The community out to watch several (decoy) duck races with 32 ducks in each race. The event, races and ducks are sponsored by a local family or business. It has been held for many years on the lawn at the Weir House, which has space for traditional fete activities such as Tea and Cake, Beer Tent, Tombola, as well as Scalextric Racing, Face Painting, Bouncy Castle, and Jazz Band. This is the largest fundraising event organised by The Alresford Pigs. After

1395-458: The field in sport in Hampshire. This enabled Perins to open and complete a new state-of-art gym open to the public in the evenings, although the school no longer carries the title Community Sports College. Alresford has a Non-League football club Alresford Town F.C. , which plays at Arlebury Park. Alresford is also home to a rugby club, Alresford RFC, which plays its home games at Arlebury Park in

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1440-550: The first Saturday in September. Animals are shown, flowers and vegetables are judged, there is horsejumping and other entertainment. The Alresford Pigs and Alresford Rugby Club assist. Entry is chargeable. A one-day street fair takes place on 11 October ( Old Michaelmas Day ) or the first Thursday thereafter. The traditional English funfair, arrives on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning and sets up in Broad Street. The fair lasts from 3pm – 11pm and has to be gone by dawn on Friday. The main north–south road of Alresford (Broad Street)

1485-573: The life of the theatre. Mitford's youthful ambition had been to be the greatest English poetess, and her first publications were poems in the manner of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Walter Scott ( Miscellaneous Verses , 1810, reviewed by Scott in the Quarterly ; Christina, the Maid of the South Seas , a metrical tale based on the first news of discovery of the last surviving mutineer of the H. M. S. Bounty and

1530-493: The money was all gone after 1819, they lived on a small remnant of the doctor's lost fortune and the proceeds of his daughter's literary career. He is thought to have inspired Mary with the keen delight in incongruities, the lively sympathy, self-willed vigorous individuality, and tolerance which inspire so many of her sketches of character. She cared for her mother and father until their deaths and supported them and herself by proceeds from her writing. From age 10 to 15 she attended

1575-423: The other hand, Tom Fort, writing in 2017, took the view that "for a reader of today she is rather hard going ... She is, I'm sorry to say, trite, sentimental, long-winded, short-sighted, arch, chatty and twee." Esther Meynell 's 1939 novel English Spinster: a portrait is a fictional treatment of the life of Mary Russell Mitford. Mitford met Elizabeth Barrett Browning in 1836 and their acquaintance ripened into

1620-505: The population was reduced by the Black Death in 1348. In the 17th century the town made news as a dangerous place to live due to the uncommonly frequent fires which razed it; in the spring of 1644, the Battle of Cheriton took place on Cheriton Down, reaching the outskirts of Alresford. Much of the medieval town was destroyed by a fire in 1689/90 that destroyed 117 houses in the town as well as

1665-464: The public during the season. The overflow from New Alresford Pond flows down a stepped cascade at Mill Hill, then travels downstream to the river Itchen. The Itchen Valley brewery was founded in New Alresford in 1997. The brewery produces a range of cask ales and a selection of beers which until early 2006 were bottle conditioned by Gales Brewery . About 220 yards (200 m) west along

1710-448: The river path, on the border between Old and New Alresford, is a Grade II listed 17th Century half-timbered house and mill with mill race underneath. It benefited from the construction of the Great Weir. Dating from the period when the wool trade was the dominant local industry, it ceased operating early in the 19th century and has been used as a domestic dwelling ever since. In 1950 it was acquired by Mr and Mrs G B Gush, who carried out

1755-403: The section between New Alresford and Alton is now operated as a heritage railway under the same name. The town is served by a two bus routes operated by Stagecoach in Hampshire including the half hourly number 64 (and 64X) bus between Winchester and Alton via New Alresford and the number 67 providing a more limited service between Winchester and Petersfield via New Alresford. Alresford holds

1800-661: The success of his own play, Ion . Charles the First was refused a licence by the Lord Chamberlain , but was played at the Surrey Theatre in 1834. The prose, to which she was driven by the need to earn a living, was the most successful and financially rewarding of her literary productions. The first series of Our Village sketches appeared in book form in 1824 (having first appeared in The Lady's Magazine five years previously),

1845-528: The town council. The town is famed for its production of watercress and is recognised as The Capital of Watercress. Once a year New Alresford holds a festival on the third Sunday in May which attracts an enormous crowd; there is a street market with locally made food on sale and usually cookery demonstrations. From 2006 to 2008, Antony Worrall Thompson was the celebrity chef. The agricultural show, founded in 1908 and held at Tichborne Park since 1960, takes place on

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1890-428: Was a prolific and successful writer, though the quality of her prose has elicited mixed opinions. In his introduction to a 1997 reprint of selections from Our Village , Ronald Blythe stated that "it is hard to know what to praise most, her style or her spirit. Both rise to heights rarely found either in the women's journalism of her day or in a woman who by every law of the time should have been crushed by adversity." On

1935-537: Was built in 1753, passing through the town. During the late 18th century, Alresford Cricket Club was one of the strongest sides in England. Alresford Community Centre , formerly Alresford Town Hall, was completed in 1865. During the Second World War US Soldiers from the 47th Infantry Regiment were stationed in and around Alresford from 1943 to 1944 prior to the D-Day Landings. The regimental HQ

1980-504: Was founded in the 12th/13th century, the idea originally being that of Henri de Blois , the Bishop of Winchester and brother of King Stephen of England . The design of the town (originally named Novum Forum) was followed by de Blois' successor Godfrey de Lucy . Alresford was one of the Bishop's six new towns and was his most profitable — one of his residences was situated in Bishop's Sutton about

2025-583: Was situated in Broad street. There is a memorial to their mascot Hambone jr. alongside the river path and a plaque on the former HQ building. A Cold War commemorative plaque on the wall of public toilets, close to the railway station, commemorates that occasionally secret military documents obtained by members of the Portland Soviet spy ring in the early 1960s were left here for collection . The town, crowned by its large T-shaped main street conservation area,

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