A Real Village

A New Forest pub, a gastronomic French restaurant next door and a Methodist church, along with little more than a handful of houses . . . and that’s Nomansland.

Certainly it is only small village on the Hampshire - Wiltshire border, but actually in Wiltshire, and within the New Forest National Park.

The pub itself, the Lamb has a reputation for good hearty food and patrons travel miles for a pub lunch there, while the French restaurant, Les Mirabelles, next door is recognised for high French cuisine. The first Methodist chapel was built in the mid-19th century and replaced by a then new building nearly 120 years ago.

All three face a traditional village green and this summer the village is high in the visitor stakes. I found it relaxing to sit on the green for a while this morning. Unfortunately I was there before the pub opened for the day, and the restaurant is traditionally closed on a Sunday.

`Cannot wait to go back . . .