Haste Hill
Encyclopedia
Haste Hill is a hill near Haslemere
, Surrey
in England which was probably the original settlement of the town of Haslemere. It was used as the site of a semaphore station in the nineteenth century.
Haste Hill is south-east of the present town of Haslemere and consists of 24 acres (97,124.6 m²) of mixed woodland with a pond and has a viewpoint looking over the Weald to the northeast. In the 14th century, Haste Hill, also called East Hill, was the main settlement at Haslemere and there may have been a church as there were references on the site to "Churchliten field" and the "Old church-yard" of Haslemere.
An Admiralty Telegraph Station was built on Haste Hill in 1821 on part of some enclosures called Jackman's Fields. The building was of a bungalow style with the semaphore above the operating room and it was part of the semaphore line from London to Portsmouth from 1822 to 1847. The Admiralty sold the site in 1849 after the line closed,and the building underwent various additions and alterations. It is now the Whitwell Hatch Hotel.
The admiralty returned to the site during World War II
when by the end of May 1941, the Royal Naval Signals School set up its production department at Whitwell Hatch Hotel. The site was commissioned as part of HMS Mercury
on 25 August 1941.
Haslemere
Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately south-west of Guildford.Haslemere is surrounded by hills,...
, 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...
in England which was probably the original settlement of the town of Haslemere. It was used as the site of a semaphore station in the nineteenth century.
Haste Hill is south-east of the present town of Haslemere and consists of 24 acres (97,124.6 m²) of mixed woodland with a pond and has a viewpoint looking over the Weald to the northeast. In the 14th century, Haste Hill, also called East Hill, was the main settlement at Haslemere and there may have been a church as there were references on the site to "Churchliten field" and the "Old church-yard" of Haslemere.
An Admiralty Telegraph Station was built on Haste Hill in 1821 on part of some enclosures called Jackman's Fields. The building was of a bungalow style with the semaphore above the operating room and it was part of the semaphore line from London to Portsmouth from 1822 to 1847. The Admiralty sold the site in 1849 after the line closed,and the building underwent various additions and alterations. It is now the Whitwell Hatch Hotel.
The admiralty returned to the site during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when by the end of May 1941, the Royal Naval Signals School set up its production department at Whitwell Hatch Hotel. The site was commissioned as part of HMS Mercury
HMS Mercury (shore establishment)
HMS Mercury was a shore establishment of the Royal Navy, and the site of the Royal Navy Signals School and Combined Signals School. There was also a subsidiary branch, HMS Mercury II.-Establishment and history:...
on 25 August 1941.