Copythorne

Copythorne is in the north-eastern part of the New Forest, in Hampshire, England. The village is on the A31 Romsey Road, just south of the M27 motorway which splits the parish in two halves.[2] There is an Anglican parish church dedicated to Saint Mary, an Infants School, and a hall.

The parish contains the villages of Cadnam, Bartley, Winsor, Newbridge, and Ower.[2] To the north of the village is Copythorne Common; parts of Cadnam Common and Furzley Common are also in the parish, as well as Shelly Common in the far north of the parish.[3] There is woodland in the south and north of the parish, and Paultons Park – an old estate with a modern theme park – is also in the parish.

Copythorne is first recorded as Coppethorne in the 14th century.[4] The name means "Cropped (haw)thorn",[4] which relates to the practice of pollarding trees to provide feed for animals.[5]

There are several Bronze Age barrows in the parish, locally called "Money Hills".[5] At approximately the site of the present church, the Roman road from Nursling suddenly turned south towards Cadnam roundabout.[5]

In the middle ages much of the land in the area was part of the monastic estates of Amesbury, Netley, and Glastonbury.[3] After the Dissolution many of these lands become part of the Paultons estate.[3]

Saint Mary's Church in Copythorne is a red brick structure built in 1834, with alterations made around 1891-2.[6] The civil parish of Copythorne was one of those created out of the ancient parish of Eling in 1894.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Copythorne.

• Copythorne Parish Council