Minstead Travel Guide

Sherlock Holmes fans will probably know that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is buried at All Saints in Minstead. Information about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s grave can be found at the All Saints Church.

Overlooking the green is a public house the The Trusty Servant which is a typical New Forest pub, with outside tables in the garden where a great British pint can be enjoyed in the sun. Take a look at the signage at the pub, on which a man has the features of different animals. The Minstead village stores is a quaint shop, selling a small selection of delicatessen goods, local produce, post cards, and ice creams. The shop is also a small tea shop, with a few chairs and tables, where a cake and tea be eaten whilst looking out of the window on to the green. As one steps out of their car the faint smell of new forest ponies reminds the visitor of their time in the New Forest.

Minstead village hall is home to many organisations and groups such as stage performances by local theatre groups. Originally the huts that make the hall were used for munitions in the First World War that found their way from Romsey to Minstead by a kind donation in the twenties by David Hanbury. Very near to Minstead is the Rufus Stone which is a memorial of where William the II was killed by a fired arrow.

From Cadnam and the A31 in a Westerly direction, take a sharp left up the hill signposted Minstead, and this will take you straight into the centre of Minstead. The exit route from Minstead is slightly varied, as one can only travel West on the A31, so it is better to leave Minstead via the Lyndhurst to Cadnam road.

Not far from the village centre of Minstead is Furzey Gardens, which are open to the public with a set minimum donation. A charitable trust, the gardens operate to support the work that the Trust does with adults with learning disabilities. There is a vegetable garden, Cobb cottage, tea rooms and gallery that shows off local artists work available for purchase, sales of plants grown in the garden’s own nursery, extensive gardens and pond, children’s play area and secret fairy doors for exploration and discovery. A visit to Furzey gardens benefits the charity which supports work with adults with learning disabilities, who are given paid jobs to do at the gardens to care and tend patches within the garden teaching not only gardening skills but life skills.

To get to Minstead head south on in A337 to Lyndhurst and look for the brown signpost right to Minstead and Furzey Gardens.

From Bournemouth heading North, take junction one on the A31/M27 right t the Cadnam roundabout and follow the instructions above.

There are no local rail links.

From Lyndhurst or Lymington head north on the A337 and turn left signposted Minstead about a quarter of a mile from the Cadnam roundabout.