The pretty village of Sway is found on the Southern edge of the New Forest national park. Our location in the national park means new builds are restricted, which has helped the village keep its historic character and rural charm. You will find a variety of individual homes here, ranging from attractive cottages to large country houses. The village also offers homes with stables for horses and even homes with commoners' rights that mean you can graze animals on the forest. Sway, which is Anglo Saxon for 'noisy stream' boasts a friendly, vibrant community, against a beautiful back drop, full of rich, diverse wildlife. Plus, should you ever tire of the stunning New Forest, lovely award-winning beaches are only a stone's throw away. The village is conveniently located for Brockenhurst, Bournemouth, Basingstoke, Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester, as well as Southampton and Bournemouth Airports. London is 3 hours by train, making commuting to the capital a possibility too. Good broadband is available throughout the village, with free wifi in lots of public places. We are also scheduled to receive fibre-optic broadband very soon. Being so close to nature, with a welcoming community Sway is a great place to bring up a family. It's also popular with retirees and those moving to the countryside from London.
A little bit of history
Sway was originally an Anglo Saxon settlement, but Stone Age and Bronze Age implements have been found here too. The village is mentioned in the Doomsday book four times. In more recent history, much of the chrilden's book The Children of the New Forest was set here.
Need to know
Ponies, donkeys and cattle roam on roads between the cattle grids located on the B3055 between Brockenhurst, Pitmore Lane and Shirley Homes. Accidents can happen, so it's a good idea to drive especially carefully here.
Shopping
Sway offers an array of popular village shops, including grocery shop Central Store, award-winning butcher David West who also sells organic produce, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Sway Newsagent and Post Office and florist Janet Kirk. There's also our local mobile fish monger, The Fish Stall. When it comes to kitting out your new home, you might want to check out the New Forest Wood Burning Centre, art gallery Art Sway, kitchen designers and fitters Kitchen Makers and gifts and furnishings shop The Shed Shabby Chic. For a spot of pampering, pop to Hairsway where they offer hairdressing, beauty treatments and a barbers. Of course the shopping destinations of Bournemouth, Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth are also close by. Plus you will find weekly markets at nearby Lymington and New Milton.