Hankley Common is a large 560-hectare (1,400-acre) area of open heathland and woodland in west Surrey, lying between Thursley, Elstead and Tilford. Managed today by the National Trust, it is part of the wider Thames Basin Heaths landscape and is valued for its rare heathland habitats, wildlife, and panoramic views.

The talk includes: the Atlantic Wall; Farnham Castle; Dunsfold Aerodrome; Special Operations Executive (SOE); Winterfold; Wanborough Manor; Tyting House; Gorse Hill; and Longmoor Military Railway.

The complex included a main threshing barn, a three-bay cart shed, an old piggery and cow shed, and a small detached granary standing on traditional staddle stones near the north-east corner of the site.

This diary, written and illustrated by Jean Chopping (Caroline Mendelssohn's daughter) at the begininng of World War II

This is the title page of a remarkable set of pictorial propaganda maps produced by a British officer in a German prisoner of war camp

Most relevant to the Thursley History Society are the references to the Atlantic Wall and the structure on Hankley Common.

The RAF station next to Hindhead was envisaged as part of a short-range, blind-landing system to improve safety during night operations.

The key questions which the authors set out to answer were: • how big is it?; • what is it made of?; • where did it come from?; • how did it get there?

These interesting document show who lived where in 2002, 1939 and 1936.

These are just a few examples of exhibits both outside and inside the museum

The construction of a well is no easy task, for sinking a vertical shaft 20' or more below the surface presents many problems.

Evidence of a vault was discovered in 2005 when a section of the timber floor was lifted in order to check what appeared to be a brick sub-floor. The vault contained two coffins, that of Anne Woods and her husband, Edmund.

The last Surrey site seems to be that of Thursley which was working in 1767.

The Guardian article shows how writers have been drawn to The Sailor's Murder, one of two historic murders to have taken place in...

The Society was formed in 1991 (see separate entry) and newsletters were issued at regular intervals until January 2009. They have now been scanned and extracts for each one are below which are great record of our village life spanning roughly a decade either side of the Millenium. The first five newsletters, are from February 1993 to December 1994 (apologies for Issues 4 and 5 not being in the correct sequence in the pdf) and cover the following topics: Issue One , February

This powerpoint presentation, along with the script that was used, was presented by Michael O'Brien, then Chairman of the History of Thursley Society, and Tim Walsh, its archivist. It presented to Normandy Historians in 2009. Some examples from the Here is the narrative to support the slide presentation:

Reg Cottle was the proprietor of the Red Lion Garage on the Old Portsmouth Road from 1934 until his retirement in 1980. At the outbreak...

Having already found an Elizabethan sixpence, Olly Lynes has also discovered a pocket watch belonging to Lt. Leslie Richmond. He must...

Bowlhead Green Farm is a medieval three bay open hall house with the central bay open to the roof. Photograph taken from a report...

This history of Bears Barn, probably one of the three oldest houses in the village, was written for Caroline and James Mendelssohn by...