Geograph - photograph every grid square

Petersfield's history dates back at least 4,000 years to the burial mounds on The Heath. The town was founded during the 12th century by WilliamFitzRobert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester; and confirmed by charter in 1198. The town grew in prosperity due to its position on frequently travelled routes. There has been a weekly market in The Square since mediaeval times where there is an 18th-century statue of William III. Since the building of the by-pass in the early nineties, it has become less hectic and more tourist orientated.