New Alresford - Art, Tourism and Rail Transport

Art, Tourism and Rail Transport

The town is crowned by its large T-shape main street conservation area. The town is an attractive art, rail and tourist destination, with its classical, dense two Georgian streets situated near Winchester and the South Downs National Park. Here are the Swan Hotel, Bell Hotel, Pink House Hotel, jewellers, wine merchants, butchers, flower shops, toy shop, dress shops, the Alresford Gallery, Candover Gallery and tea rooms. There are three other public houses, the larger being the Globe Inn by one of the stream channels and play area. Alresford is at the south-western end of the Watercress Line (officially the Mid-Hants Railway). This heritage railway line runs steam and diesel trains, and gains its name from the fact that it used to be the line that took watercress up to London. The other end of the heritage line is Alton, which is also the end of the current Alton-London Waterloo line, making it possible non-peak (if £13 extra) to take the train from Alresford to London: steam to Alton, and then modern train into London. Accordingly, the town council provide 115 hanging baskets every summer.