Cheriton is a small village located near the cathedral city of Winchester, in Hampshire, which is just over an hour by train from London Waterloo. The village is known to many for being close to the location of the Battle of Cheriton in the English Civil War and furthermore, is home to the Source of the River Itchen. Cheriton is located on the edge of the South Downs National Park which appeals to a number of its residents as the area is heavily protected.
Cheriton at sunrise
The village boasts an outstanding local pub, The Flower Pots, known to locals simply as ‘The Pots’. It brews its own beer and has won numerous beer awards over the past twenty years, as attested to by the certificates adorning its walls. The pub also offers rooms to stay if you are looking to spend the weekend in the area. The Swan Hotel, in Alresford is also a popular choice nearby.
The community boasts a village hall, tennis courts and a cricket pitch in the village. A number of the residents enjoy being part of Cheriton Cricket Club as the teams mainly play a ‘friendly’ on a Sunday with other local teams, and it is open to all ages and all levels. Other notable local events include the Christmas Art Fair held at Hockley House, in aid of The Art Fund.
Popular amongst the young is Boom Town Festival which takes place in August at Matterley Estate, near Winchester and celebrates music, art, theatre and comedy. The four-day festival is in its fifth year and attracts many visitors from further afield for a fun weekend away.
Alresford is not far from Cheriton, and offers many traditional restaurant favourites as well as other independent outlets including the Mange Tout Deli if you are looking for a quality, but quick lunch, as well as the award winning coffee at Caracoli on Broad Street. There is also a good range of shops in town, including Moda Rosa, which is a popular local choice for stylish ladies dresses. For even more amenities, Winchester is also close by.
This house is located in the nearby village of Bramdean, £1.2m, Knight Frank
Numerous quality schools in and around the region include choices such as St. Swithun’s School for Girls, in Winchester, The Choir School of Winchester Cathedral, Prince’s Mead Preparatory School, Winchester, and Winchester College.
Alresford is also home to The Mid Hants Railway, affectionately known as the ‘Watercress Line’ due to its history transporting watercress from the beds in Alresford to London. This heritage railway was saved from total extinction by a band of enthusiastic volunteers in 1973.
The railway operates a fleet of steam locomotives as they are required to work hard to haul trains up and over the steeply graded line. Today the railway runs the full 10 miles between the market towns of Alresford and Alton, preserving an important piece of our 1940’s – 70’s railway heritage for this generation and many more to follow.
Due to the demand for houses in Cheriton, and the lack of supply, house prices in the village have generally risen in the last decade. There have been rare opportunities to buy in this sought-after village and usually if a property goes on sale, it is snapped up by keen buyers who have been hovering in the wings. A proportion of properties are often sold before coming to the open market, which is where our buying services can help.
If you are buying, or have bought in the area, and considering obtaining planning permission then generally this is no issue. It is certainly easier to obtain planning permission for a simple extension, however if you are looking to knock down and rebuild, this will be harder and more time consuming.
Cheriton offers a beautiful array of housing stock to choose from, including old and new builds, Victorian and Georgian properties. Freeman’s Yard, a new development on the edge of the village will offer more affordable housing to the village. Just a short stroll from the ducks on the village pond, the fourteen new homes have been built to exceed the current sustainability requirements with superior insulation, air-tightness and carbon neutral fuel source heating. It is unlikely to affect house prices in the village, but will certainly result in a busier community for current residents.
Example housing and house prices in Cheriton & Alresford:
* 3 bedroom cottage in reasonable condition – (approximately) in excess of £500,000
* 4/5 bedroom period house with a small garden – (approximately) in excess of £1m
* A substantial period country house with 5 plus acres and outbuildings – (approximately) in excess of £3m
