| Tufton |
| The Hamlet of Tufton is
about 2 miles to the south-west of Whitchurch and is on the south bank
of the River Test and on a north facing slop in the valley. Here can be
seen the embankment and viaduct of the redundant Didcot, Newbury and
Southampton Railway which forms the west boundary of a conservation
area. The A34 trunk road from Winchester to the Midlands passes near to
the eastern boundary. The name of the hamlet derives form 'Tuccantun' or 'Tuccinghtu' which is Old English meaning 'Tucca's Farm' . The Manor of Tufton followed the descent of Wherwell up to 1698 and in that year Edmond Boutler who had purchased the manor from Lord de la Warr sold it to Alice Wallop who was the widow of John Wallop of Hurstbourne Priors and the mother of the first Earl of Portsmouth. The 1845 Tithe map shows the settlement with the buildings as they are today, the main difference being is the row of buildings along the Southern bank of the river are long gone. The predominent source of employment here was agriculture and this still plays an important part in how the hamlet appears today with the centre concentrated around the church and Manor Farm complex
The 12th century church of St Mary blends in well with the surrounding area as it looks more like a small barn from a distance with its tiny wooden tower the chancel arch and two of the tiny windows being Norman and there is a painting of St Christopher on the north wall which comes from the 15th century.
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