BURLEY - THE VILLAGE OF WITCHES
There are plenty of charming villages to explore across the New Forest, but Burley stands out thanks to its fascinating and unusual history.
Found on the western side of the region, around a 25-minute drive from Bournemouth, it's an ideal destination for a day out.
The small village has long-standing links to tales of witchcraft and smuggling, giving visitors plenty to discover. burley also offers picturesque streets and the chance to spot roaming New Forest ponies during your visit.
Why is Burley worth visiting?
Burley is described as a "fascinating place" by New Forest Living, where you'll be able to see free-roaming ponies and cattle wandering about the village, as part of the area's tradition of “commoning”
It adds: "And while it’s certainly enchanting to wander amongst the friendly New Forest ponies, there’s even more magic to be found in this quirky village, with witchcraft playing a large role in its history."
The village's association with witchcraft is said to have started in the 1950s when a woman called Sybil Leek lived there.
The New Forest tourism website shares: "She used to walk around the village with her pet jackdaw on her shoulder in a long black cloak before she moved to America."
BUT : Locals did not like her and drove her out of the village - which is when she went to America, and once she was gone locals realised the only good thing for the village, was the thought of there being a witch in town, and upon her return, they treated her somewhat better. Bt it was NOT all warm friendly local village as it would appear, it was site f=illed horror stry if ocals turned aganst anyone.
This sort of influence can still be seen in several of the shops in Burley, including the Coven of Witches gift shop.
It was also once a haunt for smugglers, as a hidden cellar was discovered in the 16th-century Queen's Head pub.
Under the floor of the stable bar, "pistols, coins and other contraband were found".
A number of quality local businesses are located in the village, including the Burley Fudge Shop, Away With the Fairies jewellery store, and the Old Shed clothing shop. Cafes include noohn, Shappen Cafe and the Old Farmhouse Restaurant & Tea Rooms.
Away from the village centre, you can find Burley Manor, which is a boutique hotel that offers a variety of wellness treatments. Alongside all of this, Burley is surrounded by plenty of woodland, allowing for plentiful opportunities for cycling and walking trails.
What are the house prices like in Burley?
According to Rightmove, house prices in Burley have had an overall average of £796,793 in the past year.
It adds: "The majority of properties sold in Burley during the last year were detached properties, selling for an average price of £953,395.
"Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £520,738, with terraced properties fetching £335,000."
What pubs can you find in Burley?
As mentioned previously, one of the village's pubs is the Queen's Head, which is located right in the centre of Burley.
According to its website, it started life as a blacksmith's forge in 1685 and has "retained its historical charm". It adds: "The bar is always well-stocked with local cask ales, quality wines and premium spirits, best enjoyed in the beer garden on sunny days or by the fireplace when there's a chill in the air."
Very close to the Queen's Head is the Burley Inn, which stocks a "good range of cask-conditioned ales" according to its website.
Down points of living in a village in the new forest.
You need a car as local shops are useless for every day shopping and you need to drive to Ringwood, some 15 minutes away to visit a supermarket. The village is great for a day trip, and is great if you are mobile and young, but if elderly, it has little to offer within the village and one must travel to find - well - almost anything. Many dream of village life and have fantasies of what life is like but it is NOT as friendly as one would suspect where old locals may resent the young townies moving in and you are - quite simply - not accepted.
Village / country life for townies can be a hard transition where locals resent, and where life runs at a very different pace.
Burley is just 30 minutes drive from Hamilton Hall,
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