Awbridge

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Awbridge
All Saints Church, Awbridge
Awbridge Location within Hampshire
Population	712 (2011 Census)[1]
District	Test Valley
Shire county	Hampshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ROMSEY
Postcode district	SO51
Dialling code	01794
Police	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Fire	Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Romsey and Southampton North
List of places UK England Hampshire 51°00′48″N 1°31′51″W / 51.013396°N 1.530735°W / 51.013396; -1.530735

Awbridge is a small village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, about three miles northwest of Romsey, and near the River Test. According to the 2001 census the parish, which includes the villages of Awbridge, Upper Ratley and Lower Ratley, had a population of 695, increasing to 712 at the 2011 Census.

It is within walking distance of Kimbridge, Dunbridge and Mottisfont, with Dunbridge providing a railway link to both Salisbury (to the north west) and Southampton (to the south).

Commonly the references to the four hamlets are dropped, with locals referring to the entire area as Awbridge.

There is a large oak tree in the corner of the Primary School field which is commonly referred to as Kent's Oak. Due to the trees impressive size and age it is consider a local landmark. As well though there exists a fine house, now a home for the elderly named Kent's Oak which was formerly a children's home run by Hampshire County Council. Adjacent is Little Kent's Oak - another house built in later years though of similar appearance yet smaller.

Locally, the name of the village is pronounced 'A-bridge', with the letter 'w' silent. This pronunciation can be the subject of some snobbery (and reverse-snobbery).

Despite the small size of the village, there are a few notable attractions for visitors.

Millennium Circle The Millennium Circle, built by Bryan Raines from 2000 with a diameter exceeding 50 meters, sits on the intersection of two ley lines which are thought by druids to draw power between sites of geographical interest or historical monuments - in this case running between the Isle of Mann and Isle of Wight as well as a ley line from nearby Stonehenge. As a conservationist, Bryan reused builder's rubble to create the stones, arranging them gradually throughout the years to create the henge with stones for key moments in the year such as the summer and winter solstice and spring equinox.^[2]

Wildlife Sanctuary Located adjacent to the aforementioned Millennium Circle, the Awbridge Wildlife Sanctuary includes a secluded woodland walking area and pond.^[3]

The village church is All Saints Church which was originally designed by John Colson.^[4] It was completed in 1876 with construction starting the year before.^[4] The church was extended in 1993^[4]

• Media related to Awbridge at Wikimedia Commons
• Awbridge in the Domesday Book