The Best of Burley: A Guide to its Folklore, Forests, and Felons
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About the Tour
About the Tour
The New Forest village of Burley has no shortage of intriguing stories, from its famous white witch Sybil Leek, to its rich history of smuggling, and its collection of influential residents. On this walking tour, you’ll discover the mystical secrets of a charming forest village where fun facts and folklore colour the streets.
The tour starts at the Burley Cross, where I’ll tell you about the town’s Saxon roots, with “Bur” meaning fortified place and ”Lee” meaning a meadow in the woods. I’ll take you past the Burley Cricket Club, where you’ll hear about the nearby Burley Golf Club, founded in 1906, where neighbouring New Forest ponies, cattle, and pigs add to the golfer’s challenges.
At St. John the Baptist Church, I’ll tell you about the mysteriously carved mouse in its communion table and its long history. You’ll wind through paths where smugglers once used red cloaks as signals to move their wares. You’ll make your way to a viewpoint of the historic Burley Manor Hotel, representing 800 years of village heritage.
I’ll lead you through the narrow lanes of Burley, which are named after notable residents, and share stories of the people who shaped this distinctive community, including Arthur Clough, the architect of many of the homes built here in the early 1900s. The tour ends close to the starting point, where you can enjoy the Burley Inn or Queen’s Head for some reflection and refreshment.
Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:
- Stop to buy some New Forest Cider, brewed the traditional way, using apples from their own orchard
- Discover the true story of Burley’s famous white witch, Sybil Leek, and find out about her coven, the Horsa Coven
- Hear about Commander Alexander Denniston, a Burley resident and codebreaker who led the early decryption efforts at Bletchley Park during the Second World War
- Meet characters who shaped village life, like the remarkable Constance Mary Katherine Applebee, credited with introducing field hockey to the United States
Having lived in Burley for around 10 years now, I decided to research the village and the New Forest in general. I learnt about some very influential people who have lived here, and I found it so interesting that I wanted to share the knowledge I gained with everyone!
This 90-minute walking tour offers a unique glimpse into Burley’s fascinating past, perfect for both first-time visitors and long-time residents. And, if you’ve ever wondered why a witch who left Burley for the USA over 60 years ago still has such a strong connection to this village, then this is the tour for you!
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Steve Read
My name is Steve and I have lived and worked in Burley since August 2016 and prior to then, from October 2006 to December 2007 when I was the Steward at Burley Club in Pound Lane (now The Wathen-Bartlett).
During my time living in this lovely village, I have worked for The Old Farmhouse Tea Rooms; The Moorhill House Hotel; Burley Golf Club; The Wathen-Bartlett and Shappen Stores.
Currently, I am the acting Chair for Burley Village Cinema; the Treasurer and Distributor for Burley Village Magazine; the Secretary of The Burley Community Association and the village Poppy Appeal Organiser.
The idea for these walking tours first came to me properly in the winter of 2022 and this project has been a work in progress ever since. The idea came to me in a number of ways, however mainly through visitors to Burley who stopped me whilst out walking my dog to ask about the connection to witches and witchcraft.
This led me to thoroughly researching the village, the connection with Sybil Leek and smuggling and because it has been such a fascinating journey through history, I wanted to share it with others!
Months and months of in depth research, developing new concepts, improving original ideas and forever "tweaking" and I set up Burley Walking Tours. Unfortunately, I badly fractured my leg in early December 2023, so I had to have a big re-think, as to not waste all my time and efforts and, Thanks to the team at VoiceMap, here is my self-guided audio tour!
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 4
Former home of Sybil Leek II
From an early age, she lived and grew up in the New Forest area, one of the oldest forests in England, steeped ... Read More
View locations and route
How VoiceMap Works
Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Burley Village
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The Burley Inn
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Coven Of Witches
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Burley Cricket Club
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St John the Baptist Church
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Burley Manor
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Burley Ice Creams
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Old Farmhouse Restaurant & Tea Rooms
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New Forest Cider
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The Cider Pantry
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Wathen Bartlett
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Queen's Head
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The Classic Connection
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Dawson Engineering Burley Ltd
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The Cross
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Burley Primary School
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The Mall
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Shappen Stores
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Shappen Cafe
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Park View Surgery - Twin Oaks medical Centre
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Clough Lane
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Esdaile Lane
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Garden Road
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Pound Lane
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Total distance2km
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Distance back to start location63.22m
Directions to Starting Point
The tour begins at The Cross in the centre of Burley village.
Burley is best reached by car or bicycle, as public transport is only very limited.
From Ringwood, continue along the A31 towards Southampton and London and exit at Picket Post (petrol station and McDonalds), turn right and go under the A31 and continue straight on for 2.5 miles until you reach the centre of Burley.
From the Southampton side of Lyndhurst, drive into Lyndhurst and bear left round the one way system onto Gosport Lane then you will need to be in the right hand lane. Follow this lane around to the right and all the way to the end then turn left onto the main A35 which passes, on a tight left hand bend, The Swan Public House. Continue along the A35 for just over 6 miles until you reach the Holmsley junction. Exit onto the slip road and at the end, turn left and go back under the A35 passing The Old Station Tea Rooms on the left and continue for just over 2 miles until you reach the centre of Burley.
Parking is available in the village centre, immediately behind The Queens Head and another car park behind there - charges apply.
Or you could try one of the Forest car parks just outside the village and walk into the centre.
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
If you fancy traditional pub grub, then I recommend The Burley Inn.
For just drinks, both The Burley Inn and The Queens Head offer a good selection of ales, ciders, lagers, soft drinks, spirits and wine.
Best time of day
This tour is best completed during daylight, due to being in the New Forest and having no street lights in the village centre. Also, St. John the Baptist Church is open during the day (normally between 9am and 5pm) and I highly recommend that you visit and take a look around.
Burley does get very busy from Easter through the Summer, especially at weekends and when the weather is fine. Car parks are often full in high season or when events are on. I recommend arriving first thing in the morning or around 4pm to avoid the masses!
Precautions
Please take great care when crossing the main road through Burley, as there are blind and tight bends.
Please follow The New Forest Code:
- Keep your distance from the animals - don't feed or touch them
- Take home litter and dog waste
- No fires or barbecues
- Keep dogs under control. Don't let dogs approach or chase any animals
- Park only in car parks
- No wild camping
- Stick to the permitted cycle tracks
- Drive with care - animals on the road!
- Help wildlife by keeping to the main tracks
Have you got everything you need? Here is a list of things you may wish to consider bringing with you:
- Bag / rucksack (to keep all or some of the things listed below in!)
- Clothing: An extra layer (e.g. fleece, jumper - depending on time of year / forecast) Comfortable boots or shoes Gloves, hat & scarf (again, depending on time of year / forecast) Waterproof(s) (with our unpredictable weather, don't leave home without!)
- Drink / Food: A bottle of water (it is very important to keep yourself hydrated, especially if it is hot or warm) A hot drink in a flask / Thermos (for those chillier days) A snack (e.g. biscuits; crisps; flapjack; high energy bar etc. for emergency medical situations such as Hypoglycemia in diabetics or just as a release of energy)
- Medication (any regular medication required at certain times of the day as well as for any unforeseen emergencies)
- Mobile phone (fully charged)
- Mobility aids / walking aids: Portable seat Walking pole or stick
- Photography equipment (after all, you're going to see some stunning New Forest scenery!)
- Protection: Blister relief (if this is something you regularly suffer from) Suncream (even if it doesn't look that sunny, UV rays can still get through to our skin) Sunglasses (not just for those bright, sunny days - winter snow can be very bright as well as very pretty) Torch (especially through the Autumn / Winter months)
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