Hurstbourne Priors is a small village and civil parish in the Basingstoke and Deane district of Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Whitchurch, which lies approximately 1.8 miles (3.1 km) north-east from the village.

Hurstbourne Priors
Village and civil parish
St Andrew the Apostle
Hurstbourne Priors is located in Hampshire
Hurstbourne Priors
Hurstbourne Priors
Location within Hampshire
OS grid referenceSU4373646383
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townWHITCHURCH
Postcode districtRG28
Dialling code01256
PoliceHampshire and Isle of Wight
FireHampshire and Isle of Wight
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Hampshire
51°12′54″N 1°22′31″W / 51.214980°N 1.375205°W / 51.214980; -1.375205

Geography

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The parish sits astride the River Test, and a minor tributary, the Bourne Rivulet, runs north to south through the village, paralleling the B3048. The West of England line runs along the north of the parish, the nearest station is Whitchurch to the east or, slightly further, Andover to the west. The A34 runs through the south-east of the parish with a junction at Tufton.

History

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There is evidence of prehistoric Stone Age pit dwellings in the area.[1]

Catherine Conduit, the great-niece of Isaac Newton married Lord Lymington and they lived in the former manor house at Hurstbourne Park, north-east of the village centre, which was described by Charles Kingsley as the "most beautiful park in the south of England". She brought with her a number of Newton's manuscripts and other relics. The house was destroyed by fire in the late 19th century but the collection was saved.[1] The park itself is now Grade II listed on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.[2]

Church

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The Grade II* listed church of St Andrew the Apostle dates back in parts to the 12th century[3] and is probably the oldest existing church in the Diocese of Winchester.[4] In the churchyard is the grave of noted Irish baritone Harry Plunket Greene (1865–1936), as well as those of his two sons, Richard (1901–1978) and David (1904–1941).[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Mee, Arthur (1939). Long, E.T. (ed.). The King's England: Hampshire with the Isle of Wight (1967 ed.). London: Hodder and Stoughton. p. 132.
  2. ^ Historic England (31 May 1984). "Hurstbourne Park (Grade II) (1000216)". National Heritage List for England.
  3. ^ Historic England (16 May 1966). "Church of St Andrew (Grade II*) (1339806)". National Heritage List for England.
  4. ^ "Hurstbourne Priors, Hampshire, St Andrew's Church | History & Photos".
  5. ^ "Biography". Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2015.