Hambledon, Surrey
Encyclopedia
Hambledon is a small and scattered village
in Surrey
, south of Guildford. It is tucked away amongst fields and woodland between Witley
and Chiddingfold
.
Hambledon appears in Domesday Book
of 1086 as Hameledune. It was held by Rannulf from Edward de Sarisber (Salisbury
). Its domesday assets were: 3 hide
s; 7 plough
s, 1 mill
worth 2s 6d, 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) of meadow
, woodland
worth 30 hogs. It rendered £5.
In the 16th century, its land was mined for iron ore . In recent times this was replaced by another local industry - brick
making.
The church of St Peter lies some distance from most of the houses, at the top of a hill. The churchyard contains two gigantic yew
trees - one with a 30 feet (9.1 m) circumference and hollow, with space for 4 people inside. Legend has it that if you walk around the interior three times you will see a witch. The trees outdate the present church by many centuries.
Today’s building was constructed in the 19th century, although it does contain traces of its 14th century predecessor .
St Dominic's School is situated atop Mount Oliviet.
Beside the village green stands Oakhurst Cottage
- a traditional 16th century labourer’s home, which has been restored and is now owned by the National Trust
.
A short distance up the hill, close to the A283 Petworth
Road, is a building which was originally built as the local workhouse
. It was managed by the Hambledon Poor Law
Union, formed in 1836. An infirmary
block and a mortuary were built to the north of the site in the 1870s, and these buildings later became Hambledon Hospital, which closed in 1948.
The pub is the "Merry Harriers" and boasts a campsite.
Hambledon workhouse
was used by King Edward's School, Witley
in nearby Wormley from 1940 to 1949 while the school buildings were taken over by the Royal Navy
.
The Buildings were used by Surrey County Council as an Old Peoples home up to the early 1970s.
The buildings were then used by the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences until the 1990s when the site was acquired by property developers Berkeley Homes
and redeveloped for residential use. Only the workhouse survives - now converted into apartments.
To the north at Hydestile
, within Hambledon's boundary is the site of the former hospitals King George V Hospital and St. Thomas' Hospital. This 50 acres (202,343 m²) site has now been redeveloped.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, south of Guildford. It is tucked away amongst fields and woodland between Witley
Witley
Witley, in Surrey, England is a village south west of Godalming. The village lies just east of the A3 that runs from Guildford to Petersfield. Witley together with the neighbouring area of Hambledon have a population of about 4,000. Neighbouring villages include Milford, Chiddingfold and...
and Chiddingfold
Chiddingfold
Chiddingfold is a village and civil parish in the heart of The Weald in the Waverley district of Surrey, England. It lies on the A283 between Milford and Petworth...
.
Hambledon appears in Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as Hameledune. It was held by Rannulf from Edward de Sarisber (Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
). Its domesday assets were: 3 hide
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
s; 7 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s, 1 mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
worth 2s 6d, 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
, woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
worth 30 hogs. It rendered £5.
In the 16th century, its land was mined for iron ore . In recent times this was replaced by another local industry - brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
making.
The church of St Peter lies some distance from most of the houses, at the top of a hill. The churchyard contains two gigantic yew
Taxaceae
The family Taxaceae, commonly called the yew family, includes three genera and about 7 to 12 species of coniferous plants, or in other interpretations , six genera and about 30 species....
trees - one with a 30 feet (9.1 m) circumference and hollow, with space for 4 people inside. Legend has it that if you walk around the interior three times you will see a witch. The trees outdate the present church by many centuries.
Today’s building was constructed in the 19th century, although it does contain traces of its 14th century predecessor .
St Dominic's School is situated atop Mount Oliviet.
Beside the village green stands Oakhurst Cottage
Oakhurst Cottage
Oakhurst Cottage is a tiny 16th-century cottage in Hambledon, Surrey, in the United Kingdom. It is now owned by the National Trust, which has restored the timber-framed building as an excellent example of a Surrey labourer's cottage...
- a traditional 16th century labourer’s home, which has been restored and is now owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
A short distance up the hill, close to the A283 Petworth
Petworth
Petworth is a small town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road...
Road, is a building which was originally built as the local workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
. It was managed by the Hambledon Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
Union, formed in 1836. An infirmary
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
block and a mortuary were built to the north of the site in the 1870s, and these buildings later became Hambledon Hospital, which closed in 1948.
The pub is the "Merry Harriers" and boasts a campsite.
Hambledon workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
was used by King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI and Nicholas Ridley. The School is located in the village of Wormley , Surrey, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952...
in nearby Wormley from 1940 to 1949 while the school buildings were taken over by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
The Buildings were used by Surrey County Council as an Old Peoples home up to the early 1970s.
The buildings were then used by the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences until the 1990s when the site was acquired by property developers Berkeley Homes
Berkeley Group Holdings
The Berkeley Group Holdings plc is a British housebuilding company based in Cobham, Surrey. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
and redeveloped for residential use. Only the workhouse survives - now converted into apartments.
To the north at Hydestile
Hydestile
Hydestile is a hamlet between the villages of Busbridge and Hambledon, a few miles south of Godalming in south west Surrey. Hydestile is a very densely wooded area and is notable for Hydon's Ball , and a Cheshire Home. From 1921, Hydestile was the site for two hospitals: King George V Hospital ...
, within Hambledon's boundary is the site of the former hospitals King George V Hospital and St. Thomas' Hospital. This 50 acres (202,343 m²) site has now been redeveloped.