Places to see

Also known as King John’s castle. King John began construction of a castle on the banks of the local river Whitewater in 1207. It provided a convenient and secure stopping place, half way between Windsor and Winchester, where he could also indulge his passion for hunting in Odiham’s Royal Deer Park. It is believed that the king and his entourage rode out from Odiham castle on the morning of 10th June 1215 to meet baronial leaders on the water meadows of Runnymede, where the Articles of Barons was probably sealed on the same day. The castle has long been associated with the Magna Carta and features in celebrations of the significant anniversaries of the signing which is seen by many as the beginning of modern democracy.

We are a lively church in the heart of Odiham. With roots going back to the 13th century, All Saints is thriving today as a growing church at the heart of our community. Please do come and join us - either for a Sunday service (traditional worship at 9am, informal family worship at 11am, every Sunday), or to find out more about what we believe at a midweek Alpha course, or to get involved in making a difference in our community (eg our Foodbank). Or you may just wish to pop in to the church building to have a look around, and to enjoy a quiet opportunity to reflect and pray. At the heart of all we do is God’s amazing love for us through Jesus, and how as we follow him we discover that there is so much more to life than we first imagined. You will be really welcome here. Please contact Revd Chris Dudgeon, or check out our website for more information.All Saints Church is a beautiful Norman building on the site of a Saxon minster. It overlooks the Bury, the core of this former market town. Evidence of all the major changes in the English church can be seen here. The earliest parts of the present church in the chancel and tower, dating from the early 13th Century, show that even then it was as long as it is now. The two chancel chapels were added about this time and the wide aisles were added by the late 15th Century, giving the church its present footprint. The outstanding external feature is the brick tower built after 1647 after the old one fell down damaging the south arcade in the nave.

'Pest’ was the old word for plague and Odiham’s Pest House, built in 1622 as a dwelling house for the poor, was subsequently used as an isolation hospital for residents or travellers with plague, smallpox or other infectious diseases. It is 1 of only 5 surviving examples in England. After 1781, the building reverted to a dwelling house for the poor and its last resident died in 1930. Today it houses a small museum managed by the Odiham Society. Opening times can be found on their website.

This complex embroidery hangs in the Bridewell and can be viewed during opening hours for the Odiham Book Exchange. It was designed by Odiham-based artist Mary Turner and depicts 800 years of local history from the time of Magna Carta to reflect the history of England as it was played out in our Parish. It features King John and the barons setting off for Windsor and Runnymede, visits by both Queen Elizabeth I and II, the meeting in Odiham that led to the founding of the veterinary profession in Britain, French prisoners of war held on parole at Odiham and North Warnborough during the Napoleonic war, and the great heavyweight boxing match between Mendoza and Humphries in 1788, among many other scenes. Eleanor de Montfort, King John’s daughter, is also shown, along with her husband Simon de Montfort who returned to join her at Odiham Castle following the first Parliament with elected representatives in 1265. The panel has been divided into individual parts that were worked on separately by around 70 volunteer stitchers. Considerable research and planning went into the project. It has been stitched in traditional materials and techniques that were recommended by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court and the National Needlework Archive in Newbury.

An area of land known as Beacon Field, now owned by Odiham Parish Council, is the site of a replica beacon used to mark national celebrations such as Royal Jubilees and birthdays. It is the site of the annual firework display known as the Spooktacula organised by the Odiham and Hook Lions on behalf of the Parish Council. It is believed the original local beacon site was at The Firs as this is the highest local point.

Old Court Almshouses were endowed in 1623 by Sir Edward More who leased the Manor of Odiham from the Crown. The almshouses today are under the stewardship of Odiham Consolidated Charities who carry on the good works of the original benefactors. The almshouses show a very early use of brick in Odiham. In the prosperous eighteenth century many High Street houses were re-fronted in brick. Local brickworks survived on Odiham Common until the early years of the twentieth century

Originally a house of correction or prison, the Bridewell was built in 1743. It had a small exercise yard and separate male and female accommodation. It was one of the first in Hampshire. Later it was used as a Police Station and Court and is now home to Odiham Parish Council, the local MP, Odiham Book Exchange and the stunning Odiham Embroidery.

The Cross Barn in Odiham, is one of the earliest agricultural buildings built of brick in Hampshire and is one of the jewels in the valuable collection of Odiham’s historic buildings. Originally built in 1532 during the reign of Henry VIII, the Cross Barn was expertly converted in 1997 and is now available for public events hire. Its size and position in the centre of the village make it an ideal “venue with a difference” for meetings, exhibitions, lectures, classes, private functions, celebrations and children’s parties. The Great Hall, the largest room in the Cross Barn, has under-floor heating and is strategically lit with quartz halogen, dimmable uplighters for ambience and independent low-energy downlighters for bright, even illumination at table-top height. The Great Hall accommodates up to 120 people in theatre style and up to 80 for a banquet. Additionally there is a separate upstairs meeting room, the Hayloft, which will comfortably accommodate 10 people at a meeting table or a maximum of 25 seated in rows. This room is let independently from The Great Hall. The Cross Barn has become the hub of community life in Odiham.

One of the most attractive parts of the Canal is a short distance north of Broad Oak, where a small pond lies beside the Canal. Nearby, stands one of the strangest and most attractive buildings of North Hampshire, the ‘Hunting Lodge’. This was probably erected in the 1730’s to house a gamekeeper working for the Dogmersfield Estate, but was given its very special facade to make a point of interest in the view from a Belvedere in the park which was developed in the middle of the 18th Century. This is the only surviving structure of an extraordinary set of buildings which stood for a mere 40 years, only to be destroyed about the time the Canal was built in the 1780’s. At that time the whole area was remodelled in the new Capability Brown style which sought a harmonious natural landscape, one no longer cluttered by such romantic curiosities. The Hunting Lodge survived perhaps because it served a useful purpose, and perhaps because it was cut off from the rest of the park by the new Canal. The ‘Hunting Lodge’ is privately occupied so walkers are asked not to disturb the peace of this beautiful spot.

Our High Street runs west to east along a line of springs and was mainly built in the 15th to 18th centuries. Long ‘burgage plots’ are behind most of the medieval properties on the north side of the street. Georgian frontages were added to many properties to hide timber framing and jetties. There is attractive architecture, interesting shops and good hospitality.

From 1376 every town or village had to have stocks ‘to encourage virtue and discourage evil doers’. They were used up to the early 19c to punish misdeeds such as blasphemy, drunkenness and breaking the sabbath. In Odiham stocks can still be seen in The Bury, the village heart with All Saints church and The Bell Pub facing it. This was the original area of settlement and fairs were held here from the 15c to 19c. It is now used for many village events including carol singing, jazz and more.

The Firs is a small area of densely tree'd land owned by Odiham Parish Council and located about half a kilometre west of the village centre in an elevated position (130m above sea level) affording good views over the village and adjoining landscape. It is believed that the copse of trees was created and planted in about 1790 as an 'eyecatcher' on the edge of the Dogmersfield Estate. This was probably in conjunction with the general remodeling of the estate’s landscaping by Sir Henry St John Mildmay, the third baronet, and along the lines advocated by Capability Brown. The site contains an Ordnance Survey concrete triangulation pillar used during the mid-20th century re-triangulation or survey of the United Kingdom. The site has in the past been used for local beacon celebrations, but a modern replica beacon has been erected closer to the village centre for use on national celebrations such as Royal anniversaries and birthdays. Local legend has it that The Firs was the site of a beacon to signal the arrival of the Spanish Armada - but sadly there is no evidence to support this.

The Parish is proud of its association with the Magna Carta and is the gateway to the Magna Carta trail. Patricia MacGregor’s book about Odiham Castle 1200-1500 explains that King John was active at Odiham in the days leading up to the sealing of Magna Carta (the blueprint for democracy around the world). The remains of the Castle are still visible in North Warnborough today and can be seen as part of a stroll along the Basingstoke Canal. On May 29th 1215 he addressed a letter from Odiham to the Pope complaining about the insubordination of the barons. He travelled between Windsor, Winchester and Odiham in early June. On the 9th June he returned to Odiham and met with Peter de Roches, Bishop of Winchester, who accompanied him to Windsor the following day. On the 10th June he met baronial leaders at Runnymede. The King was forced to agree to the limitations of his power and to consider the 48 articles (paragraphs) in the Articles of the Barons.The Articles were drawn up in an attempt to avert civil war, and formed the basis for Magna Carta, which was agreed by King John at Runnymede on 15 June following five days of concentrated discussion and negotiation, when many of the Articles of the Barons (which King John had accepted in principle) were amended. Magna Carta finally consisted of 63 clauses but in the charter itself the clauses were not numbered, and the text read continuously. The barons, successfully had said ‘no’ to the King and no King of England would ever have unrestricted power again. King John returned to Odiham Castle on 26th June on his way to Winchester. The following day, the 27th June 1215, the Anglo Norman (vernacular) translation of the Magna Carta was issued from Odiham, along with the writ addressed to the Sheriff of Hampshire.

The Basingstoke Canal is recognised as one of the most picturesque in the country. It runs through Odiham and North Warnborough Odiham and the tow path offers a gentle walking route through the Parish. A number of local pubs are close to the canal making for a very pleasurable outing. For those wanting a more active experience, Colt Hill Wharf is a centre for boating activity with a canoe club and marina where it is possible to hire canal boats, rowing boats and canoes. The canal is also popular for fishing. Due to its particular water quality, the canal is a Site of Special Scientific Interest as well as having conservation status due to its beauty and history. It is a great place to spot wildlife, including rare dragon flies, herons and the occasional kingfisher. It was completed in 1794 and ran from Basingstoke, passing through or near Greywell, North Warnborough, Odiham, Dogmersfield, Fleet, Farnborough Airfield, Aldershot, Mytchett, Brookwood, Knaphill and Woking. Its eastern end is at Byfleet, where it connects to the Wey Navigation. This, in turn, leads to the River Thames at Weybridge. Its intended purpose was to allow boats to travel to and from the docks in East London to Basingstoke. The canal was conceived as a way to stimulate agricultural development in Hampshire, although one of the main cargos carried from Basingstoke was timber. The canal was never a commercial success and fell into disuse. From 1950, lack of maintenance allowed the canal to become increasingly derelict. After many years of neglect, restoration commenced in 1977 and on 10 May 1991 the canal was reopened as a fully navigable waterway from the River Wey to almost as far as the Greywell Tunnel. The tunnel itself if now one of the foremost roosts for bats in Europe.