Nomansland (Wiltshire)

For other uses see No Man's LandNomansland is a village situated at the North of the New Forest in Southern England. It is unique in that it can trace the origin of its name to a specific date, October 23 1802. This was the day on which an encroachment case was settled. A John Shregold had built a cottage which was deemed by the Crown to fall in the area of the New Forest and not in the "Bishop of Winchester land". The court found in favour of John Shergold and detemined that his cottage was not on Crown land. People in the Court deduced that the land therefore sat neither in Crown land nor in the Bishops land.

Claimants started to arrive that day, having walked, run or rode to the land in question to claim land without penalty. The village became known as Nomansland.

Today the village is a tranquil settlement with a combined village green and cricket pitch, public house and a restaurant. A village fete is held on the green each year, normally on August bank holiday.