Four Marks

Four Marks is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 4.4 miles (7.1 km) southwest of Alton, on the A31 road. It is situated on the borders of the South Downs National Park on the Pilgrims' Way [1] that leads from Winchester to Canterbury.

Four Marks

Medstead & Four Marks Station
Four Marks
Location within Hampshire
Population4,799 
OS grid referenceSU669351
Civil parish
  • Four Marks
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townALTON
Postcode districtGU34
Dialling code01420
PoliceHampshire
FireHampshire
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament

History

Four Marks was originally settled by veterans of the Crimean War, who were allocated plots for their smallholdings, and was the site of a telegraph.

According to Bartholomew’s Gazetteer, the village of Four Marks is the only so named place in the United Kingdom.

The first mention of it appears in a document c.1550, albeit spelt differently. The heading of the page can be translated as ‘Perambulation of the Manor of Alresford’ and consists of a description of the boundaries. The reference to Four Marks translates roughly as “a certain vacant piece of land called Fowrem’kes near Bookmere and so called Fowrem’kes because iiii adjoining tithings abut there namely the tithings of Medsted Ropley Faryngdon & Chawton”. There were thus borders (marks in Old English) extending in four directions, called a quadripoint.

The area was well known as Four Marks and even had its own post office and facility for cancelling stamps. The first mention of the post office is a record in the proof books of the General Post Office of the issue of a rubber datestamp on 25 March 1897.[2] Four Marks did not become a parish until 1932 when seven parishes were annexed to create it. It included parts of the above-mentioned parishes i.e. Medstead, Ropley, Farringdon and Chawton, Kitwood, East Tisted and Newton Valence.[3]

Local amenities

The village has its own restored railway station on the Watercress Line, services from which connect with the nearest national rail station 4.4 miles (7.1 km) to the northeast, at Alton, although being a heritage railway it does not run commuter services.

The village has a large recreation ground including football, cricket, tennis courts, local bowls club and BMX ramps. The village Centre has been recently refurbished, and includes a restful area surrounded by flowerbeds under the village clock. The local amenities include a bakers, a fish and chip shop, an off licence, a fine wine shop, both female and male hairdressers, and good free parking. The Primary School (Four Marks Primary School), is a Church of England school bearing the highest possible rank of "Outstanding" by OFSTED.[4] The village has a historic railway station forming part of the Watercress Line.

Four Marks is situated in some of the finest unspoilt Hampshire countryside. It is about half way along the historic St. Swithun's Way passing through the south-western fringe of the village, which links the South Downs Way at Winchester, the capital of Saxon England; to the North Downs Way at Farnham.

Local interest

Steam Locomotives, restored and operated by The Watercress Line, run regular services between Alton and Alresford (Hampshire), stopping at Medstead and Four Marks railway station.

Four Marks is host to a small brewery Triple fff Brewery whose beer can be found in several pubs in the region.

Media

The local newspapers are the Alton Herald and the Hampshire Chronicle. Both are published weekly. The Alton Herald regularly features articles about Four Marks.

The village has a volunteer-produced monthly magazine, the Four Marks News.

The Breeze (radio network) is the local Radio station on 101.6FM with a transmitter based in Four Marks, the service is relayed from the Southampton area.

BBC South is the local BBC service and ITV Meridian is the local ITV service. The BBC Local Radio service for the area is BBC Solent. All services are broadcasting from the Southampton area.

gollark: Idea: EWO bots.
gollark: Yeees.
gollark: Oh no, my U+202E player died.
gollark: Hey, maybe if there was some sort of alternating checkerboard pattern on the floor it would look like you're moving more.
gollark: Also balance.

References
  1. "Pilgrim's Way".
  2. James Alexander Mackay (1986). Sub Office Rubber Datestamps of England and Wales. ISBN 978-0-906440-39-1.
  3. Four Marks: Its Life and Origins, by Betty Mills, 1995, ISBN 978-0-9526603-0-9
  4. Ofsted | Four Marks Church of England Primary School
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