Damerham
Damerham is a quaint rural village and civil parish located in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It is close to the market town of Fordingbridge. Damerham is distinguished by significant Neolithic and Bronze Age burial mounds. Historically, it was home to an Anglo-Saxon religious community and was referenced in the will of Alfred the Great, as it was at that time part of the royal estate. At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, Damerham was recognized as a prominent settlement under the ownership of Glastonbury Abbey. It was mainly farms and agrarian small holdings. Today, the village still features a riverside mill and the church of Saint George date’s back to the Norman period. There is a church hall that hosts numerous local, seasonal events.
I had the pleasure of visiting Damerham today, as I was attending a family wedding and the reception was held at the village hall. The hall was built in 1996 and is situated next to the Allen River. This proved to be the perfect venue for a late winter afternoon wedding reception, as the weather was unseasonably pleasant, bright and warm. The riverside setting was ideal for wedding photos and the village hall amenities were more than adequate for a gathering of 70 plus guests. I took the time to take a stroll around Damerham prior to the reception getting into full swing and it is an extremely picturesque settlement. There is clear pride evident in the village, with so many committees and local bodies overseeing the upkeep and maintenance of facilities.
The church of St. George looks very imposing. It has served the community of Damerham for at least 900 years. It is likely that a Saxon church preceded it. The church is situated in a picturesque setting, positioned on a gentle rise that provides a view over a water meadow. It is an enchanting and harmonious structure that incorporates features from various architectural styles of churches dating back to the 12th century, while maintaining a balanced aesthetic that is not dominated by any single aesthetic. There are also numerous walking trails and footpaths throughout the local area, which highlight the natural beauty of the county of Hampshire. The village also has a wide variety of social clubs, with horticultural and gardening societies featuring prominently.
In many ways Damerham is the epitome of romantic preconceptions of a “rural Southern English village”. However, what struck me and left a very strong impression was a tapestry in the village hall celebrating the millennium of Damerham. There have been people living in this area for over a thousand years. This certainly provides a sense of continuity and I can see why the villagers are so proud of their home. Much of modern day life is ephemeral and yet in Damerham, there is a rich vein of history that runs all the way back to the stone age. A thousand-year-old village is a living testament to time, carrying the weight of history in its stones, streets, and traditions. Its existence raises deep questions about continuity, change, and the nature of human legacy. I look forward to returning at a later date and spending more time in this charming village.
