Bishop's Waltham

Bishop's Waltham is a medieval market town situated at the source of the River Hamble in Hampshire, England. It has a foot in the South Downs National Park and is located at the midpoint of a long-established route between Winchester and Portsmouth. It is home to the ruins of Bishop's Waltham Palace, a Scheduled Ancient Monument under English Heritage management, and a well-preserved high street with many listed buildings which now house independent shops. Bishop's Waltham's long history includes a roll call of Medieval and Tudor kings and queens who visited the town to stay at the palace. The name of the town is Saxon, being derived from the two words: "wald" (forest) and "ham" (settlement). Modern day Bishop's Waltham has a population of over 6,500 and is the largest settlement in the Winchester district outside the city itself. It is home to an infant and junior school.