About Sopley

The Parish of Sopley is in Hampshire, right down in the far south west corner of the county, bounded on its western edge by the River Avon and the Parish of Burton, stretching south to the border of Bransgore Parish and east into the New Forest as far as Thorny Hill. It embraces the village of Sopley and the hamlets of Shirley, Avon, and Ripley. With fewer than 300 dwellings, it is a beautifully rural area characterised by narrow lanes and footpaths affording glimpses of farmland, flood plain, and open forest.

There are many thatched cottages in the area. Some timber-framed buildings have survived but most have been replaced with orangey red brick mainly in Flemish bond.

A small stream bisects the village of Sopley, passing besides The Woolpack before joining the Avon south of the Church. Whilst the northern end of the village has seen some modern development, the village centre retains much of its 19th century charm where a one-way system helps the narrow lanes cope with the sometimes-heavy flow of traffic between Ringwood and Christchurch.