Bursting with fine arts, gifts and silk flowers
St Martin’s Gallery, owned by Pam Denton, is a hidden gem tucked away on the road between Fordingbridge and Ringwood.
This rustic country church on the corner of Mockbeggar Lane next to the Old Beams restaurant offers a host of fine art and gift inspirations.
The building dates back to 1654 and was restored after a fire in 1832, and again in 1990 by Pam, transforming the space into a wondrous art and craft gallery.
Flowers make up a cornerstone of Pam’s work, having been with her since the start of her transformation of the church, when she opened with a carload of silk flowers and prints.
“It was minimalist because we didn’t know what was going to work and what wasn’t,” she said Spectacular bouquets of the silk flowers are now a major aspect of the business, with a selection ranging from exotic lilies to delicate pots of cyclamen.
Touching can sometimes be the only way to distinguish the silk-latex designs from the real thing, because some are even perfumed for greater authenticity.
Pam also runs a mail order business alongside the gallery, where complete floral arrangements and bouquets can be purchased. The centre is open Thursday-Saturday 11am – 5pm, and can be found at the Old Church, Mockbeggar Lane, Ibsley, Hampshire BH24 3PP.
Call 01425 489090 for more information or email stmartins@ibsleyhants.freeserve.co.uk
