Bransgore

Bransgore is a village and civil parish in the New Forest District of Hampshire. The parish includes the village of Thorney Hill, and the hamlets of Neacroft, Godwinscroft, Beckley, Hinton, and Waterditch.[http://www.bransgore-parish.gov.uk/ Bransgore Parish Council] At the time of the last national census of 2011, Bransgore had a total population of 4,238, with just over half being aged between 20 and 64.{{cite web|title=2011 census|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadDatasetList.do?a=7&b=11121093&c=bransgore&d=16&g=6430916&i=1001x1003&m=0&r=1&s=1485429839672&enc=1&domainId=13|website=ONS Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for national Statistics|access-date=26 January 2017}} Bransgore now straddles the border of the newly created New Forest National Park, with the majority of the village being outside the park.

Bransgore has a wide variety of shops including a post office, pharmacy, bakery, greengrocer, hairdresser, and take-away food shops.[http://newforest-online.co.uk/bransgore-virtual-high-street.asp Bransgore Virtual High Street], newforest-online, retrieved 12 September 2011 There are also several pubs/restaurants.[http://newforest-online.co.uk/bransgore-things-to-do.asp Things to do in Bransgore], newforest-online, retrieved 12 September 2011 Bransgore has a village sports field with a children's playground. The sports field is the location of the Village Fun Day event which is held each summer.

The earliest deeds mentioning Bransgore date from the 1730s.A. T. Lloyd, J. E. S. Brooks, (1996), The History of New Milton and its Surrounding Area, Centenary Edition, page 14 The village was called, in 1759, "Bransgoer Common", and in 1817 "Bransgrove".[http://www.envf.port.ac.uk/hantsgaz/hantsgaz/s0000916.htm Old Hampshire Gazetteer – Bransgore] The word "gore" in Middle English means a triangular piece of land. It is uncertain who or what "Bran" refers to.

A local myth is that the name Bransgore came from one of King Alfred's battles against the Danes, Brans from "brains" and Gore from "blood". In the 19th century, Victorian romantics even persuaded the Ordnance Survey to mark on their maps the site of a battle at Bransgore, on the road leading to Sopley.See for example: Ordnance Survey (1919) Bournemouth and Purbeck map There is unfortunately, no truth in this story, and the name Bransgore does not derive from "brains and gore."

File:St. Mary's Church, Bransgore - geograph.org.uk - 35096.jpgThe Crown Inn in Bransgore dates from the 18th century,{{Cite web |url=http://www.hants.gov.uk/hampshiretreasures/vol05/page028.html |title=Hampshire Treasures – Bransgore, page 28 |access-date=14 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605084145/http://www.hants.gov.uk/hampshiretreasures/vol05/page028.html |archive-date=5 June 2011 |url-status=dead }} as does the Three Tuns pub.[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-143568-three-tuns-public-house-bransgore Three Tuns Public House, Bransgore], British Listed Buildings The church of Saint Mary the Virgin was erected in 1822 as a chapel of ease.[http://bransgore.org/about/the-parish-of-bransgore/st-marys/ St Marys] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724095921/http://bransgore.org/about/the-parish-of-bransgore/st-marys/ |date=24 July 2013 }}, bransgore.org[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42056 Victoria County History, (1912), A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 5, Christchurch, pages 101–110] The church is of brick with stone dressings, with a tower and originally a spire.[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50824 Samuel Lewis (editor), (1848), A Topographical Dictionary of England, pages 347–350] However, the spire was removed in 1967. The early 16th-century font, which is said to have come from Christchurch, is octagonal, with a monogram J D, perhaps for "John Draper," the last Prior of Christchurch Priory. The ecclesiastical parish of Bransgore was formed in 1875 from parts of Christchurch and Sopley.[http://bransgore.org/about/the-parish-of-bransgore/ The Parish Of Bransgore] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724095657/http://bransgore.org/about/the-parish-of-bransgore/ |date=24 July 2013 }}, bransgore.org Henry William Wilberforce, son of William Wilberforce (known for his campaign against slavery), was once the vicar of Saint Mary's church.[http://newforest-online.co.uk/bransgore-history.asp The History of Bransgore], newforest-online, retrieved 12 September 2011 He founded a school in the village in 1841. In 1895, a National school was built accommodating 174 pupils,{{Cite web |url=http://www.hants.gov.uk/hampshiretreasures/vol05/page025.html |title=Hampshire Treasures – Bransgore, page 25 |access-date=12 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605084323/http://www.hants.gov.uk/hampshiretreasures/vol05/page025.html |archive-date=5 June 2011 |url-status=dead }} which is now the Primary School.[http://www.bransgoreprimaryschool.co.uk/ Bransgore Primary School]

All Saints church near Thorney Hill is a grade I listed, Edwardian Baroque church, built in 1906.[http://bransgore.org/about/the-parish-of-bransgore/all-saints/ All Saints] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724095634/http://bransgore.org/about/the-parish-of-bransgore/all-saints/ |date=24 July 2013 }}, bransgore.org{{cite web|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-143786-church-of-all-saints-sopley|title=Church of All Saints|publisher=British Listed Buildings|access-date=6 June 2011}} Designed by Detmar Blow and constructed from Caen stone and rendered brick. Inside are wall paintings by Phoebe Anna Traquair (1852–1936) of Te Deum featuring local people.

Between 1894 and 1974, Bransgore was part of the civil parish of Christchurch East.[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10211748&c_id= Christchurch East CP], www.visionofbritain.org.uk Following the county boundary changes of 1974, Christchurch East parish was split into the parish of Bransgore (Hampshire) and the parish of Burton (Dorset).

In 2023, the building of 100 homes in a flood prone area near Derrit Lane in Bransgore was approved despite many objections.{{Cite web |title=100 homes set to be approved – despite fears plans would "destroy" village |url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19975471.homes-set-approved-derrit-lane-bransgore/ |access-date=2022-03-10 |website=Bournemouth Echo |date=8 March 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Alexander |date=6 October 2023 |title=Controversial plans approved for 100 homes for Bransgore |url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/23836361.controversial-plans-approved-100-homes-bransgore/ |access-date=25 July 2024 |work=Bournemouth Echo}}

Bransgore is twinned with:

• {{flagicon|FRA}} Saint-Georges-Montcocq, France{{cite web|url=http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |title=British towns twinned with French towns |access-date=11 July 2013 |work=Archant Community Media Ltd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705094933/http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |archive-date=5 July 2013 |df=dmy }}

{{reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Bransgore}}

• [http://www.bransgore-parish.gov.uk/ Bransgore Parish Council]

{{New Forest towns}}

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Category:Villages in Hampshire

Category:New Forest District