The Wickham Institute

Binsted, like Bentley, has changed little over the last hundred years yet at the same time there has also been significant change. What is meant by this seemingly contradictory statement is that to the casual observer the village appears to have changed little while to those who have known the village intimately over a long association many aspects are now very different to 100 years ago. Binsted is today, however, one of the largest Civil Parishes in North East Hampshire

A hundred years ago Binsted village was somewhat isolated in comparison with Bentley. This isolation was possibly a consequence of geography. While Bentley was located directly on one of the main routes taken by travellers between London and the Coast, now the A31 trunk road, Binsted lies about three miles or so from this long established route - hence Binsted probably attracted less attention from "passing" visitors and remained relatively undiscovered.

Mains water arrived in Binsted in 1935 but the arrival of main drainage was much later, not arriving until 1951.

Like Bentley, Binsted used to have three pubs but, sadly, two are now long gone, only the Cedars remains. The other two pubs, the thatched White Hart and the Kings Arms are now private houses and observant visitors to the village are still able to identify the original buildings.

Binsted was once the centre of a prosperous hop growing industry as is evident from the number of Oasthouses in the area. However, these are also now private houses adding to the attractive "canvas" of the village. Also, like Bentley, Binsted is no longer a truly rural community even though it can appear that way to the unsuspecting. Today's Binsted residents will most likely work outside the village, many in London.

The Cedars Pub

The remaining pub, the Cedars, is located in the centre of the village and can be easily found.

The village also has an excellent recreation ground and sports pavilion. Both football and cricket are played in the village and the recreation ground plays host to the Binsted Village Fete each year, one of the many high spots in the annual calendar.

The annual village fete provides an interesting insight to the degree of community spirit which still remains in Binsted. The fete is primarily a village affair which eschews most of the more commercial aspects adopted by many villages. However, visitors are always welcome to attend and to participate in the fete and most first time visitors will likely be surprised by the genuine rural community atmosphere which pervades this event.

Binsted School

One further and most important aspect of life in Binsted is that the village school is still serving the community at a time when most have closed. The school takes pupils up to the age of 11 and in doing so provides children with an almost unique environment during the early part of their education.

Binsted school was built in 1875 on land belonging to the Wickham Estate and constructed from stones brought from the nearby River Hill Pit. It has now been serving the local community for 122 years.

The local area is certainly fortunate in having a number of schools which include Binsted, Bentley and the neighbouring village of Froyle.

Today, Binsted offers visitors an opportunity to:

• See a rural Hampshire village which retains much of its original character and which, on the surface at least has been relatively unaffected by time.
• Explore an extremely attractive Hampshire village with some wonderful views and walks across the local countryside.
• See Semaphore House, one of the few remaining buildings which formed part of the Admiralty "Semaphore Chain" in the early 1800s.
• Inspect the local parish church which dates originally from around 1140 AD.
• Visit the grave of Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, he was a regular worshipper at the Holy Cross Church in Binsted and is buried there having lived in nearby Isington Mill during the latter years of his life.

Binsted and the surrounding area is both "honest" and extremely rural, there is little in the way of facilities for tourists or by way of entertainment. Nonetheless, it remains a satisfying and sobering experience to visit a Hampshire village which still displays a strong image of its origins.