A beautiful village in Hampshire has been labelled the « witchiest village in the UK » by visitors. Burley, located within the boundaries of the New Forest – home to ancient woodlands – has a past stretching back centuries, and even in the past 100 years, Burley was home to a self-proclaimed « white witch ».
One resident of Burley in the 1950s was Sybil Leek, considered by many to be the UK’s « most famous witch ». She was often spotted strolling the town’s streets with her pet jackdaw on her shoulder before moving to America. While it’s been around 70 years since Sybil resided in Burley, her touch can still be seen with plenty of witch-themed gift shops now filling the village.
And the village’s link to the supernatural doesn’t end there, with folklore claiming there was a dragon’s lair at Burley Beacon. The stories claim that every morning the dragon would fly to Bisterne, a small hamlet just three miles west, where it would drink milk before flying home.
The story ends with the dragon being slain by Sir Maurice Berkeley, the lord of the manor of Bisterne in the 15th century. While there was no actual dragon, some researchers suggest that parts of this story may be true, with a wild boar, or other large animal, taking the place of the dragon.
Burley was once a favourite haunt for smugglers, with renovation work in the Queens Head pub uncovering pistols, coins, and other items just a few years ago.
It’s also believed that the Queens Head was where Lovey Warne, known as the Smuggler Queen of the 18th century, conducted her illicit business.
A recent visitor to Burley wrote on TripAdvisor: « If the weather is nice and you have some young people with you then I couldn’t think of a better place to stroll around than Burley. It [has a] fudge shop, tea rooms and an ice cream parlour (you must try the ice cream! A double scoop into a waffle cornet for £3.70 – my wife thought it should be £5 or more). »
And another added: « I have been to Burley many times over the years with family who live in Dorset, and love checking out all the shops for a gift. Love to see the horses and donkeys roaming freely, and stopping when they see a picnic appearing in the field. »
There’s plenty to do for those visiting the town, from eating at the infamous Queen’s Head to looking for gifts at the many magic-themed shops, including Coven of Witches, Cobwebs and Crystal’s and Away With The Fairies.
Guests can also make the most of the surrounding forest with deer safaris or cycling rides available. Alternatively, you can take a wagon tour around the village, pulled by two horses.
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