Awbridge, Sherfield English, Wellow
One of nineteen tapestry panels covering the
Borough of Test Valley
Awbridge
canvas
TOP BORDER:The
School and All Saints Church
MIDDLE SECTION:Awbridge is a loosely connected series of hamlets with the
main population centred on Kents Oak, which dominates the panel.
The high ground in the panel denotes the hilly nature of the
parish, with Abbot's Ridge in mind, The tractor on the left in the
ploughed field symbolises the agricultural nature of the locality
while the golfer, swinging his club on the right, illustrates the
Dunwood Manor Golf Course between Awbridge and Sherfield English.
The lake in the panel behind Kents Oak is at Awbridge Danes. The
Friesian cow and calf on the right of the tree, and the chickens to
the left represent local dairy and egg farming. The rather unusual
four-sided Parish notice board was presented to the newly formed
Parish Council in 1984. Soaring into the sky above the tree is a
hot air balloon owned by a local enthusiast.
LOWER BORDER:
Rhododendrons representing the many banks of shrubs to be seen in
the locality; mushrooms, from the local mushroom farm, an important
employer of part time workers.
Sherfield English
canvas
TOP BORDER:Shield of Smith of Ellingham. Shield of the l'Engleys;
shield of the Ringwood family.
MIDDLE SECTION:The church dominates the picture as it does the parish. In
the bottom left hand corner is part of the old churchyard and wall.
To its right is the path to the church through daffodil and
bluebell woods, with specimen trees and typical wild flowers in
grass and gravel.
LOWER BORDER:
Hedgerow fruits – brambles and rosehips
Wellow
canvas
TOP BORDER:Shield of the Gurnays; the Parish Council medallion worn
by the Chairman; the arms of the Berkeley family.
MIDDLE SECTION:The country scene at the top of the panel represents the
farming activities in the area. The bright yellow oil seed rape
became a popular crop during the 1980's. Prominent on the left is
the Sounding Arch, which carried a carriage driveway over the road
below to Embley Park, home of Florence Nightingale's family. To the
right of the arch are rhododendron bushes in Ryedown Lane. In the
bottom left hand corner New Forest ponies graze amid gorse and
heather on Canada Common. The trees in the panel are some of the
many growing in the parish. Prominent on the right is the church of
St Margaret of Antioch in East Wellow. Florence Nightingale's
memorial stone is at the bottom of the panel.
LOWER BORDER: Rose hips and brambles.