Burley (England)

Burley is a village of 1,400 people (2011) in the New Forest. It has ancient origins and is now somewhat tourist-orientated. Burley has a long connection with witches; in the late 1950s, Sybil Leek, a self-styled white witch, lived in the village. The village now has a new age presence, and several shops sell paranormal paraphernalia such as tarot decks and incense candles.

Understand
Burley sits towards the western edge of the New Forest, 4 miles (6 km) south-east of the town of Ringwood The village is fairly scattered, and apart from the village centre, there is Burley Street to the north; Bisterne Close to the east; and the Mill Lawn area to the north-east. The village still practises the old tradition of commoning, allowing animals to graze on the open Forest, and ponies and cattle roam freely around the village.

The village is surrounded by the open heathland of the New Forest, containing a complex of woodland, heathland and acid grassland, shrub and valley bog, supporting a richness and diversity of wildlife. Burley is twinned with Beurlay in southwestern France. Burley Fire Station is thought to be the only fire station in the country with a cattle grid at the entrance.

Visitor information

 * Visitor information for Burley

By car
The village is 2½ miles (4 km) south of the A31 expressway, and 10 miles (16 km) from the end of the M27 motorway. The nearest town is Ringwood, 5½ miles (9 km) to the north-west.

By bus
Burley is part of the New Forest Tour bus route.

See




Do

 * Burley Golf Club can be found to the southeast of the village.
 * Burley Golf Club can be found to the southeast of the village.

Buy
Burley has many small shops selling apparel, souvenirs and locally made fudge. Burley has a post office, newsagents, butcher's shop, village stores, tea rooms, a hippy/festival clothing shop, antique shops, art galleries and gift shops, pubs and a large cycle shop and cycle hire centre.



Eat
Burley itself has a few pubs and cafés.



Go next

 * Other towns within the New Forest such as Ringwood and Lyndhurst.
 * Visit the seaside in Dorset such as at Bournemouth and Christchurch.