Rowlands Castle Village Guide: Green, Station, History
Rowlands Castle for residents and visitors: the village green, parish council, railway station, nearby Stansted Park, the reservoir project, walks and history.
Rowlands Castle is a village built around a large green, with a South Western Railway station at Bowes Hill, its own parish council at 11 The Green, and Havant Thicket Reservoir being built nearby. Its parish council says the green is allegedly the largest in Hampshire.
What is Rowlands Castle?
Rowlands Castle is a village and parish in East Hampshire. Rowlands Castle Parish Council describes the parish as partly within the South Downs National Park, with around 2,300 registered electors. It says the main village has a primary school, a surgery with an adjoining pharmacy, a cafe, a variety of shops and pubs, and a railway station on the London to Portsmouth line. The parish also includes the hamlets of Finchdean and Old and New Idsworth. The village is in the East Hampshire district, so EHDC and Hampshire County Council provide the main services, and the parish council covers local matters such as open spaces.
What is the village green?
The village is centred on its green, which the parish council says is allegedly the largest in Hampshire, with pubs and cafes overlooking it. The parish council's page on land and assets says it is responsible for the Village Green including Deerleap Verge, the War Memorial Grounds and amenity land in King's Meadow. It is also sole trustee for the Parish Hall and Recreation Ground charities. Its history page notes that the green was once in separate segments, before being consolidated into the wide, uninterrupted expanse seen today.
How do I contact Rowlands Castle Parish Council?
The contact page gives the address as 11 The Green, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire PO9 6BW, telephone 02392 413044. The Parish Office is open to the public from 10am to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at other times by appointment. It is on the first floor above the Home Hardware shop, reached by a door in the side wall. The council's councillors page says it has nine members, eight for Rowlands Castle Ward and one for Finchdean Ward, with Chris Stanley shown as Chair. There is an online form for reporting issues the council has the power to resolve.
Can I get a train from Rowlands Castle?
Yes. National Rail lists Rowlands Castle station at Bowes Hill, PO9 6BP, and says it is managed by South Western Railway. It lists the ticket office as open Monday to Friday, 06:35 to 09:15, with ticket machines available. It lists 26 car parking spaces, none of them accessible, cycle storage, and some step-free access to platforms that may be in one direction only, with no lifts. Check National Rail for live times and facilities before you travel. See our guide to the nearest train stations.
What about Stansted Park?
Rowlands Castle Parish Council points visitors to Stansted House and its estate nearby. Check the estate's own website, stanstedpark.co.uk, for opening times and prices before you go.
What is the reservoir project near Rowlands Castle?
Havant Borough Council describes Havant Thicket Reservoir as an 8.7 billion litre storage reservoir spanning 160 hectares between Leigh Park, Havant and Rowlands Castle, a collaboration between Portsmouth Water and Southern Water. It says planning applications for it and its pipeline were granted by Havant Borough Council and East Hampshire District Council in 2021. Our Havant Thicket Reservoir guide covers the project in detail. Separately, the parish council's news post of 18 August 2026 says it registered as an interested party on Southern Water's proposed Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project, a different scheme, and describes how residents can make representations to the Planning Inspectorate.
Where can I walk?
The parish council's village page says there are a variety of walking and cycle routes using the many rights of way, including the long-distance routes of the Shipwright's, Staunton and Monarch Ways. See our walking routes from Horndean for more ideas.
What is the history of Rowlands Castle?
The parish council's history page says the castle that gave the village its name once stood east of the present centre, was in good repair in the twelfth century when Henry II spent several days there, and is thought to have lasted until the mid-fourteenth century. It says the Parish of Rowlands Castle was formed in 1932 from Blendworth Parish, Idsworth Parish and parts of five others, and that the Church of St John was built in 1837. It records that the Castle Inn was said to be the headquarters of a notorious gang of smugglers. During the Second World War the station's proximity meant the village was involved in the build-up of troops before D-Day, and the King's Stone on Manor Lodge Road marks where King George VI stood on 22 May 1944 as troops paraded past. The Rowlands Castle Heritage Centre runs an online museum with village history, heritage trails and a D-Day model railway.
Which school serves Rowlands Castle?
Rowlands Castle St John's Church of England Controlled Primary School is on Whichers Gate Road, PO9 6BB. Ofsted lists an inspection on 27 January 2026 with the report published on 17 March 2026, so read that report for the outcome.
Quick answers
Is there a railway station in Rowlands Castle? Yes, at Bowes Hill, PO9 6BP, managed by South Western Railway according to National Rail.
Where is the parish office? 11 The Green, PO9 6BW, open 10am to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays and by appointment.
Is the village green big? The parish council describes it as allegedly the largest in Hampshire.
Is Havant Thicket Reservoir in Rowlands Castle? Havant Borough Council places it between Leigh Park, Havant and Rowlands Castle.
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