Milford was a Saxon settlement and 500 years later it is recorded in the Domesday Book as being a small manor with a church, mill and about 50 inhabitants. It belonged to Christchurch Priory from around 1107 to 1539 and then passed into many hands including courtiers and merchants.

The main resource was agriculture and also the  production of sea salt which was done on a seasonal timetable. One of its other and less appreciated activities was smuggling!

During the later part of the 18th century wealthy people started to buy up property such as farms and to buy or build some fine houses, this changed not only the outlook of the village but its character as well, and today you will see many fine Georgian houses there.

The sea salt business was different, here there was a lot of expansion especially in mid century and this decline quickly during the 1780s until only a small piece of the Salterns remained and then that began to disappear after 1800 and the land was reclaimed and turned into an area of natural beauty.

The modern Milford is connect to Colonel Cornwallis-West of Newlands Manor who in 1886 tried to have the village modelled into a a major seaside resort and to add 'on-sea' to its name, but this did not bring any new wealth to the village but it did give it a more ordered layout, but despite this there is still a strong village community here.

The first church here was more than likely to be a timber one built around 1080 and then later replaced in the 12th century by a stone one of which some parts can stilll be seen. The village green is all that remains of ancient common land and is still a popular place for fetes etc.

At the corner of Cornwallis Road and Victoria Road is the oldest pillar-box in Hampshire and is said to be one of the 20 oldest in the country, it dates from about 1856 and is designed with vertical fluting and posting slot. It is also placed in a peculiar place as well as no houses or roads were in that part of the village during that period.

The war memorial which stands in the churchyard.

The graveyard of old Hordle church is just west of the village and since around 1830 it has been deserted but there are lots of overgrown gravestones which have been brought into the light from the brambles and nettles. Some of the people on these are victims of shipwrecks  that foundered on the local cliffs.

THE HISTORY OF ALL SAINTS CHURCH

All Saints Church
The pride of the village is the village green which is situated at a junction in the centre of the village.One local resident told us that Milford-on-Sea was one of the best villages in the county and the green is used by the local residents for a lot of functions. Going by the number of people there on the day we visited it needs to be a lot bigger! When were there  a lot of activity was going on as a fete was being held on the green, which included a display by the Cumberland Foot a re-enactment group as well as side shows and vintage cars on display. The muskets they carried actually fired and despite a warning about covering ones ears, a lot of people jumped when they were fired!! As well as a large queue to the ice-cream van, a whisky stall was also an obvious favourite! The sun was hot and not a cloud spoiled the view, thus making it a great day out for both young and old. THE VILLAGE FETE
Toy Soldiers on parade		Stand still that man!!
Ramrodding their muskets		Ready!
Fire!		Reload!
The Drummer boys		Marching off in victory!
A shiny Buick
The Buick again		The drivers eye view of the Buick
And MG restored to its former glory with the font of a Morris Minor just showing in the right hand picture