Bed and breakfast availability
Petersfield b&b, guesthouse and hotel accommodation

Visit Petersfield and the surrounding villages and stay in bed & breakfast accommodation:

Petersfield, Hampshire. The town's first charter was granted in the 12^th century. It grew prosperous from the wool trade and later became famous as a coaching centre. There were once as many as nine inns here and about 27 coaches a day came through.

Today much of the bustle has gone and the atmosphere in the streets of this market and agricultural town is peaceful. There is plenty of elegant Georgian building in evidence.

The once gilded figure of William III, mounted and slightly incongruous in Roman dress, surveys the square. Nearby is the Church of St Peter, much of which dates back to the 12^th century. The top of the tower is Perpendicular, as are the north windows, and the church was much restored in the 19^th century. The Norman chancel arch is outstanding, and there are l8^th-century monuments inside, and interesting headstones outside in the churchyard.

Street names in Petersfield tell their own story. The Spain is thought to have gained its name from the Spanish wool merchants who bought at the market here. The origin of Sheep Street is obvious, and Music Hill dates back to the time when l8^th-century military bands played there.

There is great interest in the surrounding country. Petersfield is set in a wide valley. To the north the hills are fringed with beech and to the south they open into wide spacious downland. Less than 1 mile south east, Petersfield Heath has a lake and 21 ancient barrows, mostly of the bowl variety, scattered over its 80 odd acres.

Butser Hill, less than 3 miles south west, soars to 889 ft, and gives magnificent views as far as the Isle of Wight. The land here is open and dotted with gorse. There is plenty of evidence of previous occupation, with two round barrows on the hill itself and three more bowl barrows on Ramsdean Down nearby. There is also evidence of ramparts and ditches and an ancient Celtic cultivation system.

Nearby Buriton is beautifully situated in the shadow of the downs. It is a charming village with a pond, pretty cottages and a Georgian manor which once belonged to the father of Edward Gibbon, the historian.

Nearby cities: Chichester Portsmouth, Winchester

Nearby towns: Bordon, Havant, Liphook, Liss, Midhurst, Waterlooville

Nearby villages: Bepton, Bramshot, Buriton, Catherington, Chilgrove, Chithurst, Compton, East Harting, East Marden, East Meon, East Tisted, Elsted, Empshott, Hawkley, Horndean, Iping, Lower Farringdon, North Marden, Privett, Rake, Rogate, Ropley, Selborne, Sheet, South Harting, Stedham, Steep, Stoughton, Stroud, Trotton, Upper Marden, West Harting, West Meon, West Tisted

Have you decided to visit Petersfield or the surrounding villages? Please look above for somewhere to stay in:

• a Petersfield bed and breakfast (a Petersfield B&B or Petersfield b and b)
• a Petersfield guesthouse
• a Petersfield hotel (or motel)
• a Petersfield self-catering establishment, or
• other Petersfield accommodation