Key facts
OS Grid reference Middle Wallop: SU294375
Middle Wallop What3words: ///whimpered.gliding.plotted
OS Grid reference Nether Wallop: SU301364
Nether Wallop What3words: ///reunion.billiard.timer
OS Grid reference Over Wallop: SU283383
Over Wallop What3words: ///trend.fields.passwords
Postcode: SP20
Post Town: Stockbridge
Unitary Authority: Test Valley
Parliamentary Constituency: Romsey and Southampton North
Middle Wallop, Nether Wallop and Over Wallop
The Wallops are among some of the best-known villages in Hampshire – possibly due to their memorable name, which often makes it onto lists of Britain’s funniest place names!
The three villages of Over Wallop, Middle Wallop and Nether Wallop, each have their own distinct character and are linked by the Wallop Brook, which has its source in Over Wallop.
The unusual name derives from the Old English words waella and hop, which together mean ‘the valley of springing water’.
The Wallops share two pubs, a busy village hall, a good primary school, veterinary surgery, and a shop with a Post Office.
Living in the Wallops is ideal for those who appreciate the tranquillity of village life without being too far removed from modern conveniences. Their location offers easy access to both the rolling Hampshire countryside and all the amenities of the nearby market town of Stockbridge, which is just a 10-minute drive away.
There’s the added bonus of a mainline train station in the neighbouring village of Grateley.
History
The Wallops’ history stretches back thousands of years, with archaeological finds showing settlements in the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Woods in the area are said to have been afforested by Henry II in the 12th Century and, 500 years later, William II visited Over Wallop – it’s possible that Orange Lane and Kings Farm were named accordingly. In the Middle Ages, the manors of Over and Nether Wallop were in the single ownership of Mathew de Poteria, but by the 13th Century, they had passed into the hands of the Paulets. In 1608, they became the property of Sir Henry Wallop.
The Wallops played a significant part in the defence of Britain, with Middle Wallop Airfield serving as a fighter station during WWII, and many personnel, families and evacuees billeted in the homes of local people.
Nether Wallop, with its picture postcard perfection, makes it an ideal location for film and TV, and the village starred as St Mary Mead in the TV adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple novels.
The village is centered on St Andrew’s Church, a beautiful Norman church that has stood at the heart of Nether Wallop for over 800 years.
Walking and cycling
The Wallops are in the picturesque Test Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty with rolling hills, lush fields, and clear chalk streams. The River Test, one of the most famous chalk streams in England, runs just a few miles from the villages with its own section of the long-distance Test Way walk.
There are numerous footpaths and bridleways that crisscross the countryside, offering opportunities for walking, cycling, and horseriding. The Wallop Brook Way rural walk takes you along both sides of the brook and through the pretty Wallop villages.
