| Four Marks | |
Medstead & Four Marks Station |
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Four Marks
Four Marks shown within Hampshire |
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| OS grid reference | SU669351 |
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| Parish | Four Marks |
| District | East Hampshire |
| Shire county | Hampshire |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | East Hampshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Hampshire | |
Four Marks is a large village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 4.4 miles (7.1 km) southwest of Alton, on the A31 road.
The village has its own restored railway station on the Watercress Line, services from which connect with the nearest national rail station 4.4 miles (7.1 km) to the northeast, at Alton.
Four Marks was originally settled by veterans of the Crimean War, who were allocated plots for their smallholdings, and was the site of a telegraph. A former resident is Formula One racing driver Derek Warwick.
According to Bartholomew’s Gazetteer the village of Four Marks is the only so named place in the whole of the United Kingdom.
The first mention of it appears in a document c 1550 albeit spelt differently. The heading of the page can be translated as ‘Perambulation of the Manor of Alresford’ and consists of a description of the boundaries. The reference to Four Marks translates roughly, as “a certain vacant piece of land called Fowrem’kes near Bookmere and so called Fowrem’kes because iiii adjoining tithings abut there namely the tithings of Medsted Ropley Faryngdon & Chawton”.
The area was well known as Four Marks and even had its own post office and facility for cancelling stamps. The first mention of the post office is a record in the proof books of the General Post Office of the issue of a rubber datestamp on 25 March 1897.[1] (The post office closed in early 2007). Four Marks did not become a parish until 1932 when seven parishes were annexed to create it. It included parts of the above-mentioned parishes i.e. Medstead, Ropley, Farringdon and Chawton, Kitwood note changed spellings, plus East Tisted and Newton Valence.[2]
In recent years, Four Marks has had problems with inappropriate housing developments, and is considered completely full by many residents.
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The village has a large recreation ground including soccer, cricket, tennis courts, local bowls club and BMX ramps. The village Centre has been recently refurbished, including a restful area surrounded by flowerbeds to sit, under the village clock. Local amenities with good parking. The Primary School (Four Marks Primary School), is a Church of England school. The village has a historic railway station forming part of the Watercress Line.
Steam Locomotives, restored and operated by The Watercress Line, run regular services between Alton and Alresford, stopping at Medstead and Four Marks railway station.
Four Marks is host to a small brewery whose beer can be found in several pubs in the region.
Kestrel FM local Radio on 101.6FM (Formerly Delta Radio, originally Wey Valley Radio) Kestrel FM is located in Basingstoke even though it's referred to as a local station.
BBC South is the local BBC service and ITV Meridian is the local ITV service. The BBC Local Radio service for the area is BBC Solent