BOAT: Jack Mills Lane

Location: Court Drove, Overton, Hampshire RG25, UK
  • Overall Rating: 0
  • Location: Quidhampton, Hampshire.
  • OS Explorer Map 144, 'Basingstoke, Alton and Whitchurch'.
  • Starting OS Grid Reference: SU490515
  • Starting GPS Co-ordinates: N51 26' 00" W001 30' 00"
  • Finishing OS Grid Reference: SU498508  
  • Finishing GPS Co-ordinates:  N51 25' 50" W001 28' 80"
  • To see: not much.
  • ALWAYS follow the Greenlane Code!
The wide part, but...
This lane is a little misleading on the Ordinance Survey Explorer map. On the sheet it looks as though you can turn a corner and drive down a country road as far as the village of Southington, but this is unfortunately not the case. What looks like the country road (the north-south section) does not appear to carry any vehicular rights and besides is so narrow at the point it meets Harrow Way that there is no room for anything other than a pedestrian to fit through the gaps in the hedge. In fact there was talk in 2010 of imposing a possible TRO on this byway but nothing seems to have yet come of it.

This isn't too much of a loss, for the sole driveable section available to us (that part marked as a BOAT on the map) is very easy going. Leaving another byway (a UCR) called Whitnal Lane at it's western end, Jack Mills Lane proceeds almost due west and downhill on a surface of shingle and earth, and foliage is kept clear at all times due to regular use by farm machinery. Just south of New Barn is where it meets the non-existent country road, and is hence a pointless drive. Go and drive the awesome Harrow Way from end to end instead.

PC 64 Oliver 'Jack' Mills, the local bobby, policed the nearby village of Overton in the 1950's, and it is after him that this lane (Hampshire Country Council Byway 501) is byway is named.

...you'll not get through here!

View Jack Mills Lane in a larger map

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jack Mills was a local policeman who patrolled the area on his motorbike. See Overton village website and overton pictures for more info

Dempo said...

Thanks a ton! I did a little research at your suggestion and updated the entry with what I found out. Much obliged.

Anonymous said...

No worries, glad to have helped you. The New Barn has now been converted to a smart house.

HH said...

Forgot to mention that this section of the Harroway is closed to motor vehicles from November to May. Usual road signs mark the relevant sections.

Post a Comment

Please keep it clean!

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.