Including an article written by Jackie Rickenberg for the Parish Magazine in December 2021
The name Thursley is probably Norse. In the 14th century it was known as "Thoresley" which is thought to be the Danish name meaning "Thor's field". Thor was the Norse god of thunder and a block of sandstone on Thursley common is called Thor's Stone; it was believed to have been a thunderbolt thrown by the god. Alternatively, the name may be a personal one associated with a former owner or holder of land - there was an Abbot Thor in 975AD or an Archdeacon Thor in 1100. Not much is known about the very early history of Thursley; a few neolithic implements have been found, mainly axe heads and arrow heads.
Many years ago, the parish boundaries of Thursley extended as far as Haslemere, but now they are greatly curtailed. They run round Thursley common, including Warren Mere, and cut across to Bowlhead Green almost to Brook, then back past Boundless Farm to the Devil's Punch Bowl. They then continue round the bowl to Pitch Place, down to Truxford and back on to the common again.
The first metalled road was constructed in Thursley in 1749 and the Portsmouth road became a turnpike road in 1767 when travel by stage coach became popular. Naturally the Portsmouth road has always had its influence upon Thursley's life. Baring-Gould's book "The Broomsquire" is based on the notorious murder of a sailor on Hindhead by three ruffians in September 1786. The sailor set out from the Red Lion Inn accompanied by three men who murdered and robbed him, throwing his body into the Devil's Punch Bowl. The men were caught near Petersfield trying to sell the stolen clothes. They were hung on Gibbet Hill on 7th April 1787 in chains made by the Thursley village blacksmith at Forge Cottage. The Gibbet remained as a warning to passing travellers until it was blown down in a thunderstorm in December 1790. The murdered sailor was buried in Thursley churchyard where a memorial stone was erected. His coffin was made at Wheelwrights, then the carpenter's workshop, and cost 7s. 6d.
Other villains frequented the Portsmouth road which was a great source of revenue to highwaymen. It has even been hinted that the local clergy held up coaches themselves in order to improve depleted church funds.
St.Michael & All Angels Church is largely Saxon although it was enlarged and restored in 1860 and 1884. Two small windows in the chancel are Saxon, and still have the original oak grooved for bedding the horn windows which were customary before the manufacture of glass. There is an old Saxon oven which was used for baking the Communion wafers, and also for heating charcoal for incense. The font is almost certainly Saxon. About 1500 a massive oak timber frame was added to support the bell cage and spire. There is an interesting 16th century oak chest, fitted with three locks. Each warden was provided with a key for one lock and by this method their honesty was never allowed to be in doubt.. The group of 18th century table tombs by the church porch erected in memory of the Stillwell's of Cosford are particularly fine.
The building that now serves as the Village Hall was formerly the school which replaced the Dame school in the churchyard. It was built of local Bargate stone in 1843 and enlarged in 1854. After the school closed in 1959 it was decided to utilise the building as a community hall and money was raised by selling The Institute (now Prospect Cottage) and the site next to the Three Horseshoes pub on which stood the old wooden village hall (now Tilhurst). The Institute was designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, whose father leased The Cottage (now Street House). Lutyens also designed extensions to The Corner, opposite Street House. In Thursley churchyard, not far from the grave of the poet John Freeman, is a cross designed by Edwin Lutyens, bearing the names of his parents and his sister Aileen. Nearby is Edwin’s memorial stone to his nephew, Derek Lutyens, who was killed in 1918 whilst serving in the Royal Air Force. On the outskirts of the parish Lutyens designed two lakeside boathouses for Whitaker Wright in Witley Park.
During the 15th and 16th centuries the woollen cloth industries flourished at Godalming. Although it was illegal to weave outside the cloth towns, two Surrey families, the Hookes and the Chittys, carried on the industry at Thursley.
In the 17th century Thursley became a centre for iron smelting when the industry was flourishing with contracts from the Navy for cannon and shot. The iron mills were built near a brook on Thursley common, which was widened in places to make the ponds, known as the Hammer Ponds. Gradually the iron industry with its attendant occupation of charcoal burning died out, and by the end of the 18th century very little iron was worked. Thursley ironworks were the last to operate in Surrey. It is generally accepted that the first four cottages in The Lane were used as workshops connected with the industry, while the cottages above them were the dwelling houses of the workmen.
At the beginning of the 19th Century silk weaving took the place of iron smelting, and the “crape” mills were also built near the Hammer Ponds. Crape is a gauze-like fabric with a wrinkled surface and the black silk was often used for mourning dress. Much raw silk was reputedly smuggled from France to the mills at Warren Mere, then on to Dye House where it was dyed before disposal. The smuggling activities were no doubt very profitably managed and at a later date even whiskey was supposed to have been hidden away in cellars under Highfield Farm and its outbuildings. It is said that the horses used for transport of the whiskey were taken to The Forge where their shoes were turned back to front in order to fool the customs officers. The silk weaving industry was closed by 1851. Thursley common was left to sheep, quite large flocks being raised on the excellent grass which at that time covered the heath.
Although there were only minor skirmishes in the area during the Civil War, the local ironmaster, William Yalden, was a friend of Oliver Cromwell. Towards the end of the war it was suspected that Thursley had Royalist sympathies so Cromwell stationed Livesey’s Kentish Men in the village. They remained for nine months and were reputed to have behaved badly. The piscina in the church was probably damaged at this time. The inhabitants petitioned Sir Thomas Fairfax to remove them in 1649.
King Edward VII reviewed the troops on Thursley common early in the twentieth century, a road being specially built for this occasion. In December 1941 the Canadian Lorne Scots regiment occupied Tweedsmuir Camp which was used as a repatriation centre for Canadian soldiers returning from the war. There were also large scale movements of troops through the camp until 31st May 1944, 5 days before D-Day. A bronze tablet was donated to Thursley Church by the Lorne Scots on 10th January 1943. On the departure of the Canadians in 1947 Tweedsmuir became a Displaced Persons Camp for Polish families many of whom still live in the area. There is an interesting web-site at www.tweedsmuirmilitarycamp.co.uk which gives more information about the camp, its history, geography and occupants both during, and after, the last war. It is the brainchild of the Rogalski brothers who spent their childhood there.
In 1941 Winston Churchill, General de Gaulle and General Sikorski came to Hankley Common to review a tank demonstration. Throughout World War II Hankley Common was used for training by British and Canadian armoured units and was also used for many top secret trials including flame-throwers, anti-mine flail tanks and rocket launchers. Hankley Common (near the Lion’s Mouth) is also the site of the Atlantic Walls constructed in preparation for the D-Day landings. The Hankley Common Atlantic Wall Trust has carried out a detailed investigation into the construction and usage of the walls. In October 1942 a
19 year old English girl, Joan Pearl Wolfe, was murdered on Hankley Common and the following April a Canadian soldier, August Sangret, who was based at Witley Camp, was hanged at Wandsworth Gaol for her murder. This became known as “The Wigwam Murder” as Sangret had built wigwams for her to shelter in. The trial was famous for being the first time a human skull had been produced as evidence in a British court.
Because of its scenic location and proximity to London, Thursley has always attracted tourists and visitors some of whom subsequently decided to take up residence either by renting or owning property. The composer, Sir Malcolm Arnold lived in the village in the nineteen-sixties. He owned “Sawyers”, next to the recreation ground, from 1962 to 1965. In that short time he married his second wife, Isobel, and also extended the house which was then known as Canbury Cottage. In addition to his classical music and dance compositions, Sir Malcolm also composed 132 film scores including those for “Hobson’s Choice, “Inn of the Sixth Happiness”, “Whistle down the Wind” and five St.Trinians movies. He was awarded an Oscar for his musical score to “The Bridge on the River Kwai”.
The poet, John Freeman, did not reside in Thursley but wished to be buried in the churchyard in sight of Crooksbury Hill. Motoring cartoonist Russell Brockbank lived in The Lane between 1951 and 1978. He worked long hours from a studio in his garden and during this time he was appointed art editor of “Punch” magazine. The author, Monica Edwards, famous for her stories of life in and around Punch Bowl Farm, was a renowned expert on badgers which she studied in detail in the local area. Margaret L. Woods, a popular novelist and poet at the beginning of the twentieth century, spent some time at Vine Cottage in The Street.
Sir Roger Stevens, an eminent diplomat and a University Vice-Chancellor, enjoyed his many years in the village. Another diplomat, the RT.Hon. Herbert Fisher O.M. had a country house in Thursley. He was a member of parliament and a minister in the government until 1923. The owner of the Cosford Estate, Colonel Rushbrooke and other major landowners have, in their times, had considerable influence over the development of the village, its people and its architecture.
The Thursley History Society is open to all those with an interest in the village. An archive is maintained of documents and artefacts relevant to Thursley’s history, both ancient and modern, and there are periodic exhibitions of these archive materials. Additions to the archives are always welcome as are new sources of information on the history of the village. More details of Thursley and its Church can be found on the British History web-site at http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42929
Parish Magazine article written by Jackie Rickenberg for December 2021
It’s hard to believe, as I write this in early November, that this is the last article of this year. I know it’s supposedly a sign of old age – but just where has this year gone? I’ve just got time to slip in excerpts from a little brochure written exactly seventy years ago, sadly, author unknown, but published “in aid of Thursley Festival Funds” at price 6d (old pennies for those who don’t remember!)
Thursley 1951
A Brief History of the Parish and Village
“When writing a brief history of Thursley, it is difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction: between actual events and romantic yarns, which everyone has heard from their ancestors. The generations of Thursley’s inhabitants appear to include honest hard-working labourers, hard-working smugglers and hard-working highwaymen amongst those who have created its history. A variety to please all!
Many years ago, the parish boundaries of Thursley extended as far as Haslemere, but now they are greatly curtailed. They run round Thursley Common, including Warren Mere and cut across to Bowlhead Green, almost to Brook, then back past Boundless Farm to the Devil’s Punch Bowl. They then continue round the bowl to Pitch Place, down to Truxford and back on to the common again.
Naturally the Portsmouth Road has always had its influence upon Thursley’s life and villains often frequented it as it was a great source of revenue to the highwaymen. There is believed to be a secret underground passage running from the back of Foldsdown to the sandy bank at the foot of the hill below Millhanger (remember this was 1951, before the A3 extension - ed), through which they made good their escape after holding up the coaches, as they toiled up the hill. It has even been hinted that the local clergy had held up coaches themselves in order to improve depleted church funds.
The church is largely Saxon, although it has been enlarged and restored. There is an old Saxon oven which was used for baking the Communion wafers and for heating charcoal for incense. The font is almost certainly Saxon and the massive oak timbers supporting the steeple make a structure which is probably unique. Inside, there is an interesting 16th century oak chest, fitted with three locks. Each warden was provided with a key for one lock and by this method, their honesty was never allowed to be in doubt.
Not much is known about the very early history of Thursley; a few Neolithic implements have been found, mainly axe heads and arrow heads. However, during the 15th and 16th centuries, the woollen cloth industries flourished at Godalming, and although it was illegal to weave cloth outside the cloth towns, two Surrey families, the Hooke’s and the Chitty’s carried on the industry at Thursley.
In the 17th century, Thursley became a centre of the iron smelting industry. The iron mills were built near a brook on Thursley Common, which was widened in places to make the ponds, known as the Hammer Ponds. These were used for cooling the iron as it was smelted. Gradually, the iron industry with its attendant occupation of charcoal burning, died out, and by the end of the 18th century, very little iron was worked. It is generally accepted that the first four cottages in The Lane were used as workshops, connected with the industry, while the cottages above them were the dwelling houses of the workmen.
Silk weaving, at the beginning of the 19th century took the place of iron smelting, and the mills were also built near the Hammer Ponds. Much raw silk was reputedly smuggled from France to the mills at Warren Mere, then onto Dye House, where it was dyed before disposal. The smuggling activities were no doubt very profitably managed, and at a later date even whiskey was supposed to have been hidden away in cellars under Upper Highfield Farm and its outbuildings. It is said that the horses used to transport the whiskey, were taken to The Forge where the shoes were turned back to front in order to fool the customs officers.
After the decline of the silk weaving industry, the common was left to sheep; quite large flocks being raised on the excellent grass, which at that time, covered Thursley heath.
Thursley has now almost healed the scars of the last war and is peaceful once more. How will the future compare with the past? The facts show us Thursley is as lovely and industrious as ever, its countryside unrestricted to us in almost every direction, but no doubt the imagination can still visualise a smuggler behind every door”.
This little gem, which throws up some lovely connotations and visual images of Thursley past, is kept in our archives. Apologies to the Rev. Hannah and the inhabitants of some of Thursley’s most historic houses mentioned in the article; there is absolutely no suspicion that we have smugglers or highwaymen amongst us today! The archives are lovingly and safely stored and protected by Tim Walsh and Alie Hanbury from Thursley History Society, and contain a vast array of irreplaceable reports, photographs, records, deeds, etc, etc. If you have anything relating to the village or surrounding area, your house or descendants that you would like protected and stored for future generations, please feel free to contact us at thursleyhistorysociety@gmail.com. We’ve recently been contacted by someone whose grandparents lived in Thursley before the beginning of WW1, who has donated a beautifully embroidered fire screen, done by his grandfather, whilst in hospital in 1917 recovering from gas poisoning. Irreplaceable! And very gratefully received into our archives and where hopefully, we will find a suitable spot to publicly display it.
