Twyford lies in the South Downs National Park and combines the landscape along the River Itchen with a rich history of water engineering. Water meadows, a historic lock, and the surviving buildings and machinery of Twyford Waterworks offer different insights into the village’s development. There is also the Church of St Mary, whose present building dates from the late 19th century.
Water Meadows and the Itchen Navigation
The River Itchen and much of Twyford’s water meadows are of European and national importance. At Twyford Meads, water from the Itchen Navigation was channelled onto the meadows through gutters and distributors. Large parts of the Itchen Valley were once managed as water meadows. The dates refer to the valley; the water-meadow system at the Meads shows how the flow of water was managed in the landscape.
The Itchen Navigation is also part of the village’s history: it was created under an Act of Parliament in 1665. Compton Lock lies on the western side of Twyford Meads and was formerly also known as Twyford Lock. On the east bank of the Navigation beside the Meads, from Compton Lock to Pub Bridge, fishing rights are managed by the Itchen Navigation Preservation Trust.
Church and Local History
The Church of St Mary was built between 1875 and 1878 by R. A. Waterhouse, using some older materials. Evidence of the village’s history goes back further: it points to continuous settlement, possibly as early as the Bronze Age, around 2000 BC. In Twyford, different periods therefore stand side by side—from early settlement and the Navigation to later pumping technology.
Twyford Waterworks: Pumps and Machinery
Twyford Waterworks is an Edwardian pumping station set in a rural, hilly landscape in the heart of Hampshire. It opened in 1898 and retains all its original buildings. Its remarkable collection includes a unique range of buildings and machinery, as well as a complete series of systems powered by steam and diesel, separate DC motors, and modern submersible electric pumps. The machinery can be viewed by the public, and much of it can also be seen in operation.
A visit may include a tour of the site and a look at the unique triple-expansion steam engine. Twyford Waterworks opens on selected days throughout the year; group tours are available by prior arrangement. Check the opening days before travelling. This sets a visit apart from Twyford Meads, which is open to visitors at any time: for the pumping station, the relevant opening days and available tours are key.
Getting There and Access to the Meads
From Shawford Station, the towpath signed as The Itchen Way follows the Itchen Navigation about half a mile north to Twyford Meads. Shawford is also an arrival point for Twyford Waterworks: South Western Railway runs an hourly train service there on Sundays; from the station, the pumping station is about a 30-minute walk. Check the timetable before travelling, as train services and walking routes can change independently.
Twyford Meads can only be reached on foot via various footpaths. Visitors can park at the end of Church Lane beside the Parish Church and reach the Meads via a footpath that crosses a footbridge over the River Itchen. The directions therefore describe two different destinations from Shawford: the route of about half a mile along the Navigation ends at the Meads, while the walk from Shawford to the pumping station takes about 30 minutes.
Discover more destinations: Cheriton, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Littleton, Horndean, Hound, Cadnam, Exton, Rotherwick.
For the regional travel overview: Hampshire.
