Longparish. The Perfect Village

A Memory of Longparish.

Living in Longparish for 27 years from 1979 is etched deep in my memories notably because it was during the formative years of bringing up a family. Having renovated White Windows, a mid 19th century house near the church and opposite the school, thanks to my late wife Jane, it was to become a mecca for gardeners worldwide with about 1000 visitors per year for the succeeding twenty years. In particular, I have memories of being able to literally walk out of my back garden into the fields of north Hampshire and walk for miles with my beloved Norfolk terrier hardly seeing another dwelling. In the nearby Harewood Forest the tracks still had a concrete base being a relic of the army build up of transport in readiness for the D day landings. The Plough Pub two doors away was long regarded as a stopping point for travellers going to the west country on the nearby A303. I remember being woken one night in 1986 when it caught fire. Much damage but the owner was determined to open the bar the following day. The annual fete took place in the grounds of Longparish House courtesy of the delightful Dawney family. An extraordinary example of a varied and stable community community pulling together. Watching a retired general and another's widow earnestly discussing who took the most money on the stalls was a sight to behold! Villages only survive when they have a thriving church, school, shop and enlightened local council. As I return occasionally I believe Longparish is truly blessed.
The family continues to have many photos and press cuttings of life in Longparish,

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