ANNE Watkins (née Roper), the devoted wife of the late Bramshott Manor owner, Bill Watkins, died on August 17, just two years after her husband and after a short battle with cancer.

Anne will be remembered by her family, friends and neighbours and all who knew her as a glamorous, gracious and vivacious hostess and friend.

"Elegance personified" was one of the descriptions mentioned at the memorial service at St Mary’s Church, Bramshott.

Anne and Bill moved to Bramshott Manor, the oldest house in the village, in October 1987, during the biggest storm the UK had seen in decades. Despite the lack of electricity and other home comforts, they settled into country life easily.

Bill was able to expand his passion for steam engines, laying a circuitous model railway track around part of the grounds.

They were both devoted to the restoration and maintenance of the historic house, whose private chapel in 1225 became the church of St Mary’s for the parish of Bramshott and which is also mentioned in the Doomsday Book.

It was serfs fleeing from the restrictions of being tied to The Manor who founded what was to become Liphook. Always happy to show The Manor to visiting historians, Anne was also fond of animals, in particular dogs, cats and horses.

With a reputation as an excellent PA, she was always much in demand. Anne also devoted 10 years to helping with the Liphook Lunch Club, and helped her elderly neighbours for many years.

As a proud chatelaine of The Manor, Anne used her artistic flair to create a welcoming family home, and her skills were evident in her hanging baskets, urns and the borders surrounding the house.

These were much admired not only during Bramshott open gardens weekends, but also when Anne and her son, John, hosted the Bramshott and Liphook Conservatives, whose 200th commemoration of the Battle of Waterloo was held in the grounds in June, with East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds among the guests.

It was to be her last public appearance.

Anne was born on April 17, 1942, in Hounslow and went to school at Old Sarum, in Weybridge, followed by Triangle Secretarial College.

She worked as a secretary at the Coram Children’s School and the Royal Veterinary College, in London, as well as acting as PA for Sir Louis Halle Gluckstein, of Lyons & Co coffee and catering, a lawyer and politician, and for butterfly expert Dr Higgins, in Chobham.

She married William, a solicitor, on May 15, 1965, at St Mary’s Church, Oatlands, Surrey, and they celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary before Bill passed away on July 30, 2013.

The couple had four children – David, 49, Emma, 47, and twins James and John, 44, and three grandchildren, Patrick, 18, Kirsty, 17, and 10 month old Agnes.