Join us on Saturday 10 January 2026
Official Unveiling of Heritage Information Signs at St Mary Magdalene Churchyard
New Milton Town Council and Milton Heritage Society are pleased to announce the official unveiling of new Heritage Information signs in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene, New Milton, on Saturday 10 January 2026 at 11:00am.
New Milton Mayor, Councillor Alvin Reid, will unveil the large heritage sign at the front of the churchyard at 11:00am. Following the ceremony, visitors are invited to join one of two guided walks around the graveyard, led by Nick Saunders of the Milton Heritage Society, beginning at 11:15am and 12:30pm.
The church hall will be open from 10:30am for refreshments.
This long-awaited project marks the culmination of work that began in 2019, when the initiative was first proposed by the Town Council’s Listed Buildings Working Party. As part of the project’s broader heritage and biodiversity efforts, a local beekeeper relocated a hive to the orchard area and continues to carry out regular wellbeing and maintenance inspections. In addition, New Milton Men’s Shed crafted bespoke bird and bat boxes, which were installed in the churchyard trees.
Chairman of Milton Heritage Society, Nick Saunders, said:
“It is often found in towns and villages that the oldest building and the oldest source of local history information is the church and churchyard. This is the case in Milton Parish. It was a great pleasure to have been part of the project that created a heritage trail through the churchyard enabling visitors to discover information about some of the people who are buried there and who, in their lifetime, played an important part in our community. With the bug hotel, the nesting boxes and the bee hives, the churchyard is also a sanctuary for wildlife.”
The new signage highlights six notable graves included in the Milton Heritage Society’s established walk around the churchyard. Remembering the lives of Alexander Paris (1852-1925), Anna Bateson (1863-1928), Lieutenant Colonel Wheeler VC (1880-1938), The Morin Family, Archibald Bursey (1925-1940) and Elizabeth de Beauchamp Goudge (1900-1984).
Sponsors of the project include New Milton Residents Association, Barker Mills Foundation, All Churches Trust, NFDC Councillor John Adams and HCC Councillor Fran Carpenter.
All are invited to attend the unveiling and enjoy the guided tour, which celebrate both the historical significance, and the natural heritage of St Mary Magdalene’s churchyard.