Clanfield began as a small settlement in the Middle Ages. Its name was claen feld. The Saxon word 'feld' did not mean field in the modern sense, it meant an area of open land.  The word 'claen' meant cleared i.e. cleared of shrubs and other plants. For centuries the people of the hamlet of Clanfield lived in simple wooden huts and they farmed the surrounding land.

In those days Clanfield was a tiny settlement. It was just a cluster of huts near the edge of the Forest of Bere which stretched from Clanfield to Winchester.  By the 14th century a parish church existed at Clanfield.

At the time of the first census in 1801 Clanfield only had a population of 153. Towns and cities were much smaller in those days than they are today, even so Clanfield was a small and isolated hamlet.  In the 19th century the area began to change when parts of the Forest of Bere were sold for building.  Waterlooville and Cowplain were built in the 19th century.  Nevertheless, by 1901 Clanfield still only had a population of 213.

The first school in Clanfield was a National (Church of England) school, which opened in 1857. The first state school was Clanfield Board School, which opened in 1880 with 36 pupils.

During the Second World War when Portsmouth was heavily bombed some people built shacks at Clanfield where they could shelter at night.

In the mid-20th century Clanfield began to grow rapidly.  By 1959 the village was growing so fast some people feared that Clanfield would cease to be a village.  However Clanfield has managed to keep its charm.  The Rising Sun Inn (originally built in 1920s) was rebuilt in a day in 1960, and was rebuilt again in 2004. Clanfield Memorial Hall was built in 1982.  In December 2007 St James Church was badly damaged by a fire, but has now been restored.

Today Clanfield is a flourishing village. The population of Clanfield is about 4,500.

Clanfield consists of two parts, Old Clanfield and Clanfield.  Old Clanfield has been around for roughly 250 years and Clanfield 30 years.

Clanfield is twinned with Val d'Oison in Normandy, France.

St James Church, Clanfield

The church of St James dates from 1305 and was rebuilt in 1875 in brick with an external facing of flint and wrought stone, and consists of chancel with north vestry and organ chamber, and nave with south porch and west bell turret.  The two bells in the turret are both mediaeval, the work of Roger Landon.  The treble bell has his founder's mark, his cross, and the lion's face, but no inscription, and the tenor bell is inscribed "Ave Maria" in black capital letters.

Wishing Well

Flint lined village well, thatched well head supported on timber posts, open sides.  Some original machinery remains, some has been accurately replaced by the local blacksmith.

Clanfield Observatory

The famous telescope makers, Thomas Cooke and Sons of York and London built a 5" telescope sometime in the early 1890s, and this is now sited at Clanfield Observatory.  The Observatory has been at Clanfield since 1972, and in 1978 Patrick Moore opened the first main 20" dome.

Butser Ancient Farm

Replica of an Iron Age farm circa 300 BC, with buildings, animals and crops.  Both a museum and an open-air laboratory for research into the Iron Age.

Further history of clanfield is available at Bristish History Online

Rising Sun Inn                                             St. James Church