Resting Places, New Alresford, Napoleonic French Prisoner of War Graves, Hampshire.

Visited January 2025.

St John the Baptist Church in New Alresford is home to the final resting places of five Napoleonic prisoners of war. The gravestones commemorate Lieutenant Pierre Garnier, Marine Joseph Hypolite, Officer C Lavau, Lieutenant Jean de Thiulle and Marie Louise V Fournier, the wife of a captain in Napoleon's army, who passed away in Arlesford between 1810 and 1812.

During the Napoleonic Wars, Arlesford was a designated parole town, and high ranking French prisoners were billeted and expected to abide by certain regulations, including dusk till dawn curfews and travel limitations.

I only nipped in to walk through the churchyard so this was a really lovely find.

Go HERE to see the graves being cleaned and HERE to learn a bit more the town and church.