Freefolk Explained

Country:England
Coordinates:51.2361°N -1.3061°W
Official Name:Freefolk
Static Image Name:Freefolk - geograph.org.uk - 8858.jpg
Civil Parish:Laverstoke
Shire District:Basingstoke and Deane
Shire County:Hampshire
Region:South East England
Constituency Westminster:North West Hampshire
Post Town:WHITCHURCH
Postcode District:RG28
Postcode Area:RG
Dial Code:01256
Os Grid Reference:SU4853848772

Freefolk is a village in Hampshire, England. It lies to the west and almost directly alongside the village of Laverstoke; the two villages are separated by the River Test. It is about 1.5miles east of Whitchurch and 1miles west of Overton on the B3400 road between Basingstoke and Andover.

In the village is an inn named the "Watership Down", known locally as "the jerry". Built in 1840, it was called the Freefolk Arms but was renamed in honour of local author Richard Adams and his book Watership Down, which took its name from the down about 5miles to the north of the village.

The village name was brought to many people's attention by the "Forever Freefolk" garden at the 2016 Chelsea Flower Show, sponsored by Brewin Dolphin and designed by Rosy Hardy of local nursery Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants. The garden highlighted the fragility of England's chalk streams, and won a silver medal.[1] [2]

Governance

The village is part of the civil parish of Laverstoke and is part of the Overton, Laverstoke and Steventon ward of Basingstoke and Deane borough council.[3] The borough council is a Non-metropolitan district of Hampshire County Council.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Welcome to Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants. Hardy's. 25 May 2016.
  2. Web site: The Brewin Dolphin Garden – Forever Freefolk. RHS CHelse Flower Show. Royal Horticultural Society. 25 May 2016.
  3. Web site: Basingstoke and Deane Wards info . 2010 . 26 October 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101024232035/http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/council/councillors/wardsinfo.htm . 24 October 2010 .