Ibsley

From Wikishire
Jump to: navigation, search
Ibsley
Hampshire
Ibsley, the Old Beams Inn - geograph.org.uk - 2171429.jpg
Location
Grid reference: SU154087
Location: 50°52’39"N, 1°46’54"W
Data
Post town: Ringwood
Postcode: BH24
Dialling code: 01425
Local Government
Council: New Forest
Parliamentary
constituency:
New Forest West

Ibsley is a pretty village in Hampshire, on the east bank of the River Avon, split here into separated streams., two and a half miles north of Ringwood, deep in the New Forest in the south-west of the county.

The village is on the main road between Ringwood and Fordingbridge, and has some picturesque thatched cottages. To the south-east is a series of lakes known collectively as Blashford Lakes, which have been created as the result of sand and gravel extraction since the 1950s.[1]

History

Ibsley is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was held by a certain Ralph from Hugh de Port. Its name is recorded as Tibeslei, from the Old English for "Tibb(i)'s wood/clearing".

In the 14th century the manor of Ibsley was split into two moieties divided between John atte Bere and William de Melbury.[2] The estate of John atte Bere was acquired by William Stourton, Speaker of the House of Commons,[2] whose son was ennovbled, and stayed with the Barons Stourton until sold in 1544. In the 19th century it was sold to the second Earl of Normanton, and became annexed to the Somerley estate.[2]

That part which William de Melbury had owned had by the 16th century passed through various hands until sold to Jeremiah Cray in 1697,[2] in whose family it stayed until in the 19th century it was joined to the other manor, and also became part of the Somerley estate.[2]

St Martin's

The church of St Martin was rebuilt in 1832, replacing an earlier 17th-century church.[3] It is of brick with some stone dressings.[3] It is now deconsecrated and was in use as an art gallery as of 2008.[3]

RAF Ibsley

RAF Ibsley, 1944
Derelict control tower overlooking the lakes

RAF Ibsley was a Second World War airfield near Ibsley. It was opened in 1941, and was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces, primarily as a fighter airfield. After the war, in 1947, it was closed.

The airfield appeared in the wartime film The First of the Few as the main wartime base in the production.

Most of the airfield has since been quarried away by gravel extraction, and much of the site is covered by the Blashford Lakes nature reserve. One lake is overlooked by the derelict, windowless control tower with other remnants scattered around the nearby countryside.

Outside links

Commons-logo.svg
("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Ibsley)

References

  1. Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve: Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 A History of the County of Hampshire - Volume 4 pp 579-580: Parishes: Ibsley (Victoria County History)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Church of Saint Martin - Heritage Gateway