Upper Itchen Benefice
The Village of Kilmeston
Kilmeston is a small village due south of Cheriton and the A272. It has a total population of about 200 spread between New Cheriton (half of which falls within the parish of Kilmeston) and Kilmeston itself. It has a balanced demographic between parents with young children, those with teenage children and retired people.
The village is small enough to be quite intimate, but without being intrusive. It welcomes newcomers. In addition to the church, there is a village hall and together these provide the two social focuses of the village.
Once a year the village hall and the church, pool resources to put on the Kilmeston Village Fete in the gardens of Dean House - a particularly beautiful Queen Anne house to the east of the village. With a few houses given over to weekenders, everyone in the village needs to work together to put the fete on and this event really brings us together - quite apart from providing much needed income for church and hall. We also hold, annually, cricket and tennis matches and a quiz against Longwood (a neighbouring village).