Ossemsley

Human settlement in England
  • New Milton
District
  • New Forest
Shire county
  • Hampshire
Region
  • South East
CountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townNEW MILTONPostcode districtBH25 5Dialling code01425PoliceHampshire and Isle of WightFireHampshire and Isle of WightAmbulanceSouth Central UK Parliament
  • New Forest West
List of places
UK
England
Hampshire
50°46′45″N 1°40′09″W / 50.7792°N 1.6693°W / 50.7792; -1.6693

Ossemsley is an extended hamlet in the New Forest National Park of Hampshire, England. It lies close to the village of Bashley. The nearest town is New Milton, which lies approximately 1.7 miles (2.4 km) to the south.

History

Ossemsley

The name Ossemsley probably means "Osmund's wood/clearing".[1] An estate called "Oselei" appears twice in the Domesday Book, but it is listed with places in the Boldre area, so it is thought unlikely to refer to Ossemsley.[1][2] In 1670 Thomas Stevens is known to have been in possession of "Osmondsley".[3]

The Ossemsley Manor Estate

Ossemsley has never developed into a village, and today it is a scatter of houses in a mix of farmland and woodland. Ossemsley Manor House changed hands a few times during the 19th century before being rebuilt in 1908 [4] for Sir Alfred Cooper. Ossemsley Manor was one of the houses in which Siegfried Sassoon's wife, spent her childhood.[5] Sassoon himself is known to have visited Ossemsley Manor in the 1930s.[6] In the lead up to the D-Day invasion of 1944, the battalion of the 2nd Glosters were stationed (in tents) at Ossemsley manor.[7] It is also reported that there was a prisoner-of-war camp at Ossemsley, but its precise location is not certain.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b A. T. Lloyd, J. E. S. Brooks, (1996), The History of New Milton and its Surrounding Area, Centenary Edition, page 14
  2. ^ H. C. Darby, Eila M. J. Campbell, (2008), The Domesday Geography of South-East England, page 327. Cambridge University Press
  3. ^ A. T. Lloyd, J. E. S. Brooks, (1996), The History of New Milton and its Surrounding Area, Centenary Edition, page 28
  4. ^ Ossemsley Manor House, English Heritage
  5. ^ Max Egremont, (2006), Siegfried Sassoon, page 384. Pan Macmillan
  6. ^ Max Egremont, (2006), Siegfried Sassoon, page 385. Pan Macmillan
  7. ^ Andrew Holborn, (2010), 56th Infantry Brigade and D-Day: An Independent Infantry Brigade and the Campaign in North West Europe 1944-1945, page 57. Continuum International
  8. ^ Every prisoner of war camp in the UK mapped and listed, The Guardian, retrieved 14 January 2012
  9. ^ Prisoner of War Camp 624, Pastscape, retrieved 14 January 2012
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Towns, villages and hamlets in the New Forest District of Hampshire, England