Sherfield English
Sherfield English is one of the parishes to the
west of Romsey and reaches the Wiltshire border. It has many of the
characteristics of the New Forest and its flora, with larger and
older trees and denser undergrowth than the rest of Test Valley. It
is a small village along the A27, Romsey to Salisbury road with
little more than the church, the Hatchet Inn, the village hall, a
garage and a few houses to catch the eye of the speeding motorist.
Many of its cottages and lonely farms are located down narrow,
winding lands.
At the time of the Domesday Book the name was
Sirefelle which by the 16th century had become Shervill. The name
English derives from the l'Engleys family. It is not known when the
family became tenants of the manor but Gilbert l'Engleys held land
in the neighbourhood as early as 1254 and Richard l'Engleys is
mentioned in 14th century documents.
St Leonard's Church is the second one on this
site, the first being built in the 13th century and the second in
1902 by Lady Caroline Ashburton in memory of her daughter, Mary
Florence Marchioness of Northampton. The East window is dedicated
to her. St Leonards has eight bells, famous for their superb
sound.