Thursday 11 October 2012

OVER TO N OVERTON

We went to Overton last week.  I think I've posted some pics of this little Hampshire village before.  We meet up here with old friends from time to time since it's about half-way between their place in Oxford and ours in Surrey.  Luckily there's a nice gastropub there.

This is the old high street.  The village dates back to the 10th century (probably earlier).  Much of this upper part was built in the 13th century.  The southern part of the village was added much later.

They have a few little shops there, including an arms shop.  I was fascinated with this Japanese executioner's sword.


















This is the school.

It's beginning to look autumny now.







Overton is on the River Test, very close to its source in fact and so is very clean at this point.  Here's a view of the river from the Overton bridge.










You'll have to look closely to see the large trout (no Polaroid filter).  But here's a smaller one.




Overton was on the main Winchester-Exeter stagecoach route, but has now become less important as a stopping off point.  It's good that we keep the inn going!

Probably because of the water, the old corn mill in the centre of the village has been taken over by De La Rue.  This is where they make the paper that much of the world's bank notes are printed on.




7 comments:

  1. (Tr)out and about in Overton. Lovely old village. The old high street looks similar to a village near here, except each building has been painted a different pastel colour.

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    1. Yes, I think this street looks prettier on a bright sunny day (2005).

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  2. I don't know the village, but looks very charming, even with Trout in the river. Interesting the De La Rue remark. My mother's first job (at the age of 14 - must have been 1927) was with the company De La Rue (in the East End of London somewhere). I remember her telling me she had to separate the bank notes that came out on a large sheet. Not only English, but Chinese and all sorts of others.

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    1. How interesting, Pat. Yes, they make the paper for many mints around the world in Overton, but the bank note printing is done in more secure surroundings elsewhere.

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  3. Lovely village by the look of things ... and the trout looked good. We have some good sized ones in the Rivers Wye and Lathkill but it's never easy getting a good photograph of a fish is it.

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    1. I have a Polaroid filter on my other camera which overcomes the reflection. Oddly, you can see the fish with this camera but not on the photograph . . . I did ask whether I was permitted to catch one, but no. No doubt why there are so many!

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    2. Just thought - I should try taking my glasses off before looking through the view finder . . .

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