Buriton Village Association

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The Buriton Village Association, formed in the early 1970s, has three broad aims:

  1. looking after the interests of the area - its residents and its environment (often in conjunction with the Parish Council)
  2. researching and recording the local history of the parish
  3. providing opportunities for social gatherings of residents (generally two or three evening meetings each year plus occasional walks and visits).

Next Meetings

Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 10th April at 7.30 in Buriton Village Hall: "Local Farming - Past, Present and Future". Details are available here.

The Buriton Heritage Bank 

The Association's main piece of work over the last few years has been the Buriton Heritage Bank - an innovative research project which has collected together lots of fascinating information about the parish and over 3,900 old photographs that may otherwise have been lost.

Nine well-illustrated booklets about the parish were published in 2003 to ensure that the information gathered can be shared widely and is recorded for all time.

Our latest annual 'Local History' exhibition was held in September 2023 and featured a range of fascinating displays about aspects of village life with a focus on sports teams and activities.    

A special website provides more details about this award-winning project: www.buriton.org.uk

Contact details

Secretary: Sarah Stevens 

Messages can also be sent to heritage@buriton.org.uk

Previous Meetings

Previous meetings arranged by the Buriton Village Association, with guest speakers from near and far, have included:

  • Gardening for nature and the climate: by Melanie Oxley, PeCAN & H&IoWWT (March 2023)
  • Butser Ancient Farm - Past, Present and Future: by Maureen Page, Director, Butser Ancient Farm (October 2022)
  • Some history and natural history from the Ditcham part of the parish: by Doug Jones and Di Mitchell (March 2022)
  • The growth of the parish: Buriton's historic buildings. By Pam Bruce (October 2021)
  • Petersfield Museum Roadshow: photos by Buriton's Don Eades, artefacts and information from museum curators (March 2020)
  • Buriton's trees and woodlands: past, present and future. By Mark Broadmeadow, Principal Advisor on Climate Change, Forestry Commission (October 2019) 
  • Secrets of the Heath and the Buriton Hoard. By Ryan Watts of the Petersfield Museum (March 2019)
  • Some reflections to mark the Armistice. Findings from local WW1 research by Doug Jones, Paul Turrell and Lynette Watson (November 2018)
  • Bygone Buriton Revealed (tales from the Tithe Map of 1840). By Robert Mocatta (April 2018)
  • Queen Elizabeth Parks: Buriton and Uganda. By Joe Williams (October 2017)
  • History of the Portsmouth - London road: the old A3 through the parish. By Jennifer Goldsmith (March 2017) 
  • Secrets of the High Woods by Anne Bone (October 2016)
  • Local woodland industries of yesteryear by Tim Winter (March 2016)
  • Edward Thomas: local literary giant and war poet by Julia Mayo (October 2015)
  • Restoring Gilbert White's Garden by David Standing (April 1915)
  • The Making of War Horse by Andrew Robertshaw (October 2014)
  • The build-up to D-Day around Buriton by Andrew Whitmarsh, Curator of D-Day Museum (June 2014)
  • What makes Buriton special? by Nick Heasman, South Downs National Park Authority (March 2014)
  • Just what does a graphic designer do all day? by Paul Martin (October 2013)
  • Michelle Magorian - Insights into Goodnight Mister Tom (February 2013)
  • From our own (Royal) correspondent - a behind the scenes look at the Royal Family during Jubilee year (October 2012) - by Richard Palmer
  • The Ups and Downs of our Local landscapes (how the geology shapes the scenery) by Martin Mitchell - and 40th Birthday Party for Buriton Village Association (March 2012)
  • Researching the DI Faraday novels (including scenes set in and around Buriton) by international thriller writer Graham Hurley (December 2011)
  • The Buriton Chalk Pits - a new community resource (April 2011)
  • A Day in the Life of Dominase: Buriton's sister village in rural Ghana (October 2010)
  • Surprise Farewell Party for Mick Lee, our village postman (May 2010)
  • Buriton's Wonderful Night Skies (October 2009)
  • The Butser Ancient Farm (April 2009)
  • The Future of Food, Farming & the Countryside (October 2008)
  • The Mary Rose - the last 25 years, and the next (April 2008)
  • Forestry on the South Downs around Buriton (October 2007)
  • Identifying Local Birds by Sight and Sound (April 2007
  • Bygone Buriton - an illustrated talk from the Buriton Heritage Bank (October 2006)
  • A Year in the Life of our local Coulters Dean Nature Reserve (April 2006)
  • From Hops to HSB - by the Gales Brewery (October 2005)
  • John Goodyer - Buriton's famous 17th century botanist (April 2005)
  • Local farming - past, present and future (October 2004)
  • The wildlife and wild flowers of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park (March 2004)
  • Save money and make a difference: the East Meon Sustainability Centre (October 2003)
  • Buriton stories from a family history (March 2003)
  • Buriton in the Hampshire Records Office (October 2002)
  • Iron Age and Roman Buriton (March 2002)
  • Fascinating Fungi - things we can all find nearby (October 2001)
  • A history of Petersfield's postal services (March 2001)
  • The Golden Age of Cinema - some short films from yesteryear (October 2000)
  • Reminiscences from the last century (March 2000)