An extension to this Grade II listed building (3rd May 1973) was Sir Edwin Lutyen's first commission (see weblink below). He lived in Street House, opposite the Corner, with his parents and joined two cottages to create this substantial house. Douglas and Kathlee Watson, 1997 Surnames of prior owners: E. Gray; C D Heatley (1895); Delaforce; Duncan Scott; Thomas; Hamilton; Watson; Wilkinson https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/house-whose-owner-took-risk-budding-young-architect-called-edwin-lutyens-166482 Front and rear of Knight, Frank & Rutley particulars: https://media.onthemarket.com/properties/3858523/doc_0_0.pdf

This history of Bears Barn, probably one of the three oldest houses in the village, was written for Caroline and James Mendelssohn by Hazel E Morris DipBldgCons MRICS. The contents page lists the plates and appendices in the book: Some examples: The whole of the book can be found in these two pdfs: Previous owners of Bears Barn include: Gladwyn

This article written by Jackie Rickenberg was published in the Parish Magazine in April 2021 Following on from the piece last month on children’s author Monica Edwards, there is a very pleasing connection with this month’s subject, Margaret Woods. She was - in her latter years - a long term Thursley resident, and was a renowned author and poet, but in a strange quirk of fate, she lived all her days in Thursley, in Vine Cottage, also the home today, of Monica’s son, Sean. Margaret lived here for twenty-five years, and Vine Cottage was her last home. Her Times obituary called her “one of the most distinguished women writers of her day” and she moved in the most eminent intellectual circles of the Late Victorian epoch. Her presence in the village, would certainly have lent it an air of distinction. Margaret came from a highly academic family. She was born Margaret Louisa Bradley, although called Daisy by those close to her, and she was the third of seven children of the Reverend George Granville Bradley and his wife Marian. At the time of her birth in 1855, he was a master at Rugby; when she was three, he became Headmaster of Marlborough College; when she was fifteen, Master of University College, Oxford; and when she was twenty-six, Dean of Westminster. One of her two brothers, Arthur G Bradley, wrote numerous works of history and travel, and all four of her sisters published fiction and poetry. A high achieving family, if ever there was one! After being home educated, Daisy’s early work owed much to her admiration of two family friends, Lord Alfred Tennyson, who could reduce her to tears of emotion whilst reading his works aloud in her presence and Matthew Arnold, who had been a pupil of her father’s at Rugby. In April 1928 she was to record a BBC radio interview entitled “A girl’s memories of Tennyson”. Although best known as a poet, her novels also earned the respect of critics. Her marriage at age twenty-four to Henry G Woods, Fellow and Bursar of Trinity College, Oxford, was happy and she was devoted to their three sons born in the 1880’s. However, happiness in her family life could not offset Daisy’s dislike of Oxford society, although there were exceptions when the artist William Rothenstein and poet Laurence Binyon became devoted friends. But she denigrated Oxford life on the whole as “that circle of Purgatory”! No surprise then that in the summer of 1897 her husband announced his sudden resignation as President of Trinity College, and he moved eventually on to an appointment in 1904 as Master of the Temple which took them to the imposing Master’s House, built by Wren, just off Fleet St, London. This enabled Daisy to flourish and become a central figure in the literary scene of that time. However, the death of her husband in 1915 ended this productive and gratifying period of her life. In reduced circumstances, due to the financial irresponsibility of a much-indulged son, she stayed with relatives and friends for some years before settling in Thursley. Vine Cottage, was then owned by Mr Allen from Elstead and let to Mr and Mrs Harbutt, and it was from them that Daisy rented rooms. With her charm and the beauty of her delicate features still apparent, she had no trouble in making friends with her neighbours. She fully participated in village life, attending church, sharing in the work of the Women’s Institute and during the war, helped in the village run canteen. She was well looked after by Mrs Harbutt and Daisy left her an annuity of £26, which must have been well earned, as a grandson was to report that he doubted Daisy could have even boiled an egg! Her strengths lay elsewhere and he remembers her in her seventies flawlessly reciting poetry in the most beautifully resonant voice. During Daisy’s early days at Vine Cottage, she would walk the three quarters of a mile to catch the bus to Godalming – less if good weather permitted a short cut across the fields – and from there she could take a train to London and sometimes onward to Oxford. This meant she could keep up with her literary connections and maintain lifelong friendships. However, a crippling injury in 1934 greatly curtailed her mobility. After alighting from the bus in Thursley at the Red Lion pub (now Bridle Cottage), she was knocked down by a motorcyclist and suffered a broken leg. This meant she had to forego the London meetings of the Royal Society of Literature, on which she served on the Academic Committee, and many other professional engagements. As her physical energy waned, and her eyesight began to fail, research became almost impossible and Daisy published no poetry or fiction. Her final essay, on the Oxford of her girlhood, appeared in 1941, and she passed away at the age of ninety in 1945. In the 1930’s whilst living at Vine Cottage, the artist Thomas B Yates RBA lived almost next door in The Lodge. He painted a most beautiful portrait of her (below)and it was accepted for, and hung in, the 1936 exhibition of The Royal Academy of Arts. A fitting testimony of an admirable woman and yet another famous “Thursleyite”. Note the church in the background. To the Forgotten Dead By Margaret L. Woods To the forgotten dead, Come, let us drink in silence ere we part. To every fervent yet resolvèd heart That brought its tameless passion and its tears, Renunciation and laborious years, To lay the deep foundations of our race, To rear its mighty ramparts overhead And light its pinnacles with golden grace. To the unhonoured dead. To the forgotten dead, Whose dauntless hands were stretched to grasp the rein Of Fate and hurl into the void again Her thunder-hoofèd horses, rushing blind Earthward along the courses of the wind. Among the stars, along the wind in vain Their souls were scattered and their blood was shed, And nothing, nothing of them doth remain. To the thrice-perished dead.

This article written by Jackie Rickenberg was published in the Parish Magazine in July 2020 As we know, the recent fire on Thursley Common was devastating for the wildlife, environment and all that knew and used it. The grim scene that faced us afterwards, could have been so much worse, had it not been for swift and efficient help from the Goble family. Along with Roger Pride from Elstead and Mike Clear from Tilford, they were quickly on the scene, assisting and aiding the Surrey Fire and Rescue Services. They were able to use their tractors and tanks to stop the fire from spreading and stayed at the scene, working tirelessly through the night. No effort was spared and it was a whole family affair. All of us in the village were overwhelmed with their commitment and tireless exertions. As a small token of our appreciation, we have featured the current family’s history in Thursley and next month, we will be publishing an item on Robert Goble & Son, Instrument Makers. Huge thanks to Peter Goble for giving us this fascinating insight into the family archives. John Goble and his wife (Harriet Munday) moved to Wheelwrights in Thursley in 1902 to become the village blacksmith and wheelwright. They had three children; Ivy was the eldest, then came Robert and then my father, Arthur. Ivy became the cook for the village school and in later years looked after her elderly parents; Ivy never married. Robert married Betty Brown in 1930, they had 2 sons: Andrea and Paul. Robert handmade recorders, Harpsicords and furniture. John Goble Harriet Munday John Goble, wheelwright, blacksmith and undertaker. Van built by John Goble. Photograph taken in 1905 outside Wheelwrights J ohn Goble outside Wheelwrights with his son, Robert. NB: This shows two front doors, today there is one. Mr and Mrs Goble on their Golden wedding day. Robert Goble at work. Newspaper coverage following the death of Robert Goble in 1991 Arthur was born in 1911 and attended Thursley village school. After school he gained a position as a trainee game keeper in Great Windsor Park (he was at the gate when Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, he saw him drive out). After several years at Windsor he returned to Thursley, where he continued as a gamekeeper and farmer on the local farms and estates (Warren Mere, Cosford etc). During WW2, Arthur signed up and worked within the catering core. After the war he again returned to Thursley and was able to rent part of Hill Farm and started farming for himself. He also rented part of Hedge farm. During this time Arthur’s parents and sister remained in Thursley, moving from Wheelwrights to Prospect Cottage in 1914. Arthur was always keeping himself busy. Playing cricket was his favourite pastime and he could be found playing for Thursley cricket team each season. Dancing was another of his passions and this was where he met his wife Edna Boxall; they married in 1953. On the 1st January 1956 they bought a plot of land in Thursley, now called Little Cowdray Farm. Arthur started a small Jersey herd, got permission to build the house, and on the 1st May 1956 they moved in. Arthur continued to milk cows until he retired at the end of the 1970’s. From a 1995 edition of the Parish Magazine I was the only child to Arthur and Edna, born in the mid-fifties. My childhood years were spent helping on the farm, but I preferred working with machinery rather than the dairy cows. After school I attended agricultural college, then returned to Little Cowdray Farm and started up as an agricultural contractor, working on my own for many years. My father, Arthur passed away in 1987 and my mother Edna passed away in 2004. I met my wife Teresa Boxall who was the cousin of my best friend. As well as the contracting we built up a small beef herd, flock of sheep and pigs. We married in 1981 and had 3 children, all of whom still work on the farm during their days off. Lucy is the eldest who has 2 children, Bethan and Oakley. She is a nurse at the local hospital, but helps on the farm and keeps on top of the farm paperwork. Lucy lives in the house my father built. James is married and has 2 children; Jeffery and Eleanor, they also live in the village near the church. James is now a partner in the Agricultural and Groundwork business which employs 6 local people. Emily is the youngest, she is married and lives with her husband in a nearby village. Emily is a firefighter in London Fire Brigade, but also helps out with the farm and contracting work. Little Cowdray Farm now runs a herd of around 100 beef cattle and a suckler Dexter herd. We are part of the red tractor food assurance scheme, supplying Marks and Spencer and a number of local butchers with excellent quality beef. The farm has recently diversified into glamping with just 2 high spec units for a family and a couple. It has been extremely popular since its launch with many people returning each year to visit the farm, the village and the beautiful surrounding countryside. This is four generations of the extended Goble family, taken at Little Cowdray Farm in January 1997. The family have lived here since the house was built in 1956. Grandad Goble came to Thursley in 1903 and was the village wheelwright and lived at Wheelwrights for some years.

These interesting documents show who lived where in 2002, at the outbreak of WW2 and 1936. If you are relatively new to the Parish, you might like to know who once lived in your house... The 1939 Register was a snapshot of the civilian population of England and Wales taken on September 29, 1939, at the outbreak of World War II, recording details like names, addresses, dates of birth, and occupations for about 40 million people to help with war planning, identity cards, rationing, and later the NHS . It serves as a vital census substitute because the 1931 Census was destroyed and the 1941 Census wasn't taken, bridging a significant gap in UK historical records for genealogists.  We do not know why the redactions were made. The 1936 Register of Electors is sorted by surname, so searching for your house will be more challenging and it may have had its name change! This undistinguished piece of paper comes from our archives without any context. It is included because of the dates and some familiar names: Unfortunately, the Thursley Household List, 1821, shows only the names of the villagers but at least it provides a great deal of demographic information:

More information required on 1 & 2 Church Cottages: 1 & 2 Church Cottages and St Michael & All Angels Church taken from the National Trust owned field in July 2025 2 Church Cottages before the extension, date unknown Newspaper cutting (undated) of 1 Church Cottage before the extension was added Sam and Marjorie Warner (they worked at the Dye House) Dorothy Warner outside Church Cottages on her wedding day, 21st August 1936 Cecily Ida (Sammy) (nee Warner) was born in Thursley, Surrey, England on August 9, 1922 to George and Edith Warner. Sammy and Bill (William Avery Tiner) met in Britain during WWII - Bill a member of the Royal Canadian Navy and Sammy a member of the Royal Air Force. Their original wedding day of June 3, 1944 found Sammy waiting at the church when Bill was denied leave in preparation for the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. Bill and Sammy were married a month later on July 2, 1944 at St. Michael's and All Angels parish church in Thursley. No 1 Church Cottages, from the 1936 Register of Electors 1 Church Cottages showing the porch on the left side before the extension was added. The roof of a garage can be seen in the lane below. The photographs were given to Amanda Flint in August 2024, by a woman who had lived at 1 Church Cottages many years ago. Elizabeth Norman at the Silver Jubilee in 1977 Newspaper report dated 11th December 1981 View of The Street, the Church and Church Cottages Property details for 1, Church Cottages c2010: Surnames of previous owners of 1&2 Church Cottages include: Collins, Warner, Pye, Norman, Leet-Cook, Orrick In 1996, Drusilla Pye wrote, "I came to live here (2 Church Cottages) in December 1956 when it was the tied cottage for the District Nurse. I was able to buy it from the Diocese in 1984. I retired in 1986. My work covered the Hindhead (Grayshott) Practice and I have covered most of the surrounding villages as a relief nurse/midwife on occasions." No 2 Church Cottages, from the 1936 Register of electors 2 Church Cottages, the first taken (obviously!) from the churchyard and the second from the front gate. The cottage had always been smaller than No1 but the new extension (2020) has given it a similar sized footprint. Photographs taken in July 2025.

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. Sir Robert Peel introduced the Police Force during his period of Prime Minister from 1841 to 1846. The 1851 census shows there was a lodger living in Thursley Street with Mrs Mary Keen, the Grocer's widow. He was Edmund Woodcock, Police Constable, from Chelmsford. It appears that he was the first village policeman for Thursley. 140 years later, Thursley lost its village 'Bobby', Norman Ratcliffe. 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.

Transcribed by Norman Ratcliffe of Happy Families Ancestral Research, GU12 6EA. It can been downloaded below. Sir Robert Peel introduced the Police Force during his period of Prime Minister from 1841 to 1846. This census shows there was a lodger living in Thursley Street with Mrs Mary Keen, the Grocer's widow. He was Edmund Woodcock, Police Constable, from Chelmsford. It appears that he was the first village policeman for Thursley. 140 years later, Thursley lost its village 'Bobby', Norman Ratcliffe (see above).

As usual the village turned out in force (all photographs courtesy Valérie Ferris):

Peter Hunter tells the story of years of debate, planning and construction of the tunnel from Thursley's point of view. (See also 'Old A3 by the village' and 'A Walk Through the A3 Tunnel, May 2011'). All photos and Hindhead Project diagram are from Wikipedia.   The saga of the Hindhead tunnel dates back as far as 1948 when even then it was realised that the crossroad of the A3 arterial highway and the East-West A287 would cause trouble as traffic volumes increased. The matter became of increasing importance to the Ministry of Transport as by the early 70s the accident rate had risen by approximately 40%. A full study of the possible diversionary routes was undertaken between 1970 and 1976. However, it was not until 1983 serious proposals began to emerge as to what the solution might be, with options of nine different routes. They became known as; The Red Route, the Yellow Route, etc.  The Red Route was the one favoured by the Ministry of Transport as this was the one that was most financially viable and was declared as the ‘Preferred Route in 1988.   It was, however, the Red Route that posed the most serious threat to the Parish of Thursley as it included a major four lane viaduct crossing over the Smallbrook Valley and the ‘Devils Punch Bowl’. Within the borough of Waverley various groups began to emerge either in support or against a particular route and ones that had the greatest impact on respective local communities. Within Thursley a group was setup in 1988 in order to object to the Red Route that would decimate the tranquillity of The Devils Punch Bowl ‘An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (AONB) as well as being a ‘SSSI’ (Site of Special Scientific Interest).  The group was led by the farmer Pat Coles and monthly meetings were convened at Quirrell House in Pitch Place with the sole objective of campaigning against the Red Route.  The Proposed Red Route, with thanks to Sean Edwards   Much coverage was given to the objector groups by the local and national press as well as the BBC’s nightly South Today programme. During this period in the 80s Virginia Bottomley was the MP for South West Surrey, (now Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone) and her husband, Peter Bottomley MP was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Transport. It was at a meeting convened at Milford Village hall that in his address to the panel, chaired by Virginia Bottomley, that Peter Hunter announced that: The crossroads at Hindhead was the only set of traffic lights between Marselles and Dundee!   Though this statement rested somewhat on poetic licence it certainly caught the attention of all those concerned and greased the wheels of parliamentary progress.   After much debate and two public enquiries, it was generally agreed that a tunnel under the Hindhead hill was the best option.  Pat Coles was at that time a vocal member of the National Trust and managed to convince the Board of NT to give up the land that they owned to the North and South of the proposed tunnel. There was general agreement except that the National Trust insisted that their agreement was conditional on the land currently occupied by the existing A3 Trunk Road be reinstated to nature thus allowing the Hindhead Common and the Devil's Punch Bowl to be integrated again as it was pre-1826 when the main London to Portsmouth road was built around the Punch Bowl. Taking into consideration the reported adverse environmental impacts of the overhead routes the Government adopted the tunnel option of 2001 as being the preferred option.   Aerial view of the Devils Punch Bowl, before the closure of the old A3.  This proposed tunnel would be the most expensive of its type in the United Kingdom with the possible exception of the Limehouse Link tunnel. The final budget for the tunnel was some £371 million equating to £155,000 per metre. Further Public Enquiries were held throughout 2004 to hear local objections and to consider a late alternative proposal from a Mr Bernard North of Shropshire that was a variation of the Red Route and came even closer to the village of Thursley. Thursley Parish Council was represented by Peter Hunter at this enquiry held at the Olivetti Centre in Hindhead and the day was finally won, with the tunnel option coming out the winner.   The project was then delayed many times due to budgetary constraints under John Prescott’s Ministry of Finance but when London was awarded the 2012 Olympics political pressure was exerted when it became known that the sailing events would take place off the South Coast and the A3 would provide the main artery between London and Portsmouth and the teams would be subject to serious delays at Hindhead. The threat of a national embarrassment finally unleashed the necessary funds, and the project began in earnest in 2007 with the tunnelling aspect of the north portal commencing on 1st February 2008 with the south portal commencing some three months later on 14th May 2008.  Whereas the noisy excavation works on the south portal worked 24/7 the south portal was restricted to a five-day week and limited operating hours due to the proximity of residential properties.   From the outset a tunnel was built rather than a cutting being dug to avoid spoiling an area of outstanding natural beauty and a  Site of Special Scientific Interest , much of which is owned by the  National Trust . Before digging started an environmental survey was carried out. Common lizards, adders and slow-worms found at Boundless Valley were relocated.   Environmental considerations resulted in many common lizards, adders and slow-worms found at Boundless Valley were relocated to National Trust land at Highcombe Edge while grass snakes were taken to Hurthill Copse. Tree felling was scheduled to minimise disruption to nesting birds and to other wildlife and in certain instances, animals such as dormice were removed to similar habitats elsewhere. In all some 2,173 tonnes of trees were removed to allow the construction of the North and South portals. After the works were completed, 200,000 trees were planted along the route of the old road.  The restoration of the old road to nature removed a barrier that prevented the migration of ground-nesting birds, such as woodlarks and nightjars from one part of the nature reserve to the other.   Breakthrough was achieved on both tunnels on 26 February 2009, 250 m from the south portal with the resultant progress rate for the southern portion was 1.2 m/day and for the northern portion very much quicker at 3.9 m/day. The method chosen for the tunnel excavation was the New Austrian Tunnelling Method that used appropriately sized excavators rather than a boring machine that would have been too expensive considering the relatively short distance to be tunnelled compared to something like the Channel Tunnel. This method also saved some 20% of excavated spoil due to it having a flat bottom to the 11.6 metre diameter bore. In all some 737,000 cubic metres of soil was excavated from the two tunnel bores and was used to provide various embankments that were required throughout the project. The tunnel themselves represent 1.14 miles of the total project dual carriageway of 4 miles and is the longest road tunnel in the United Kingdom of which 2/3 is within the Parish of Thursley and can therefore claim to have hosted one of the country’s major civil engineering works.     Open Day, 14 May 2011      On Sunday, 14 May 2011, one and a half months before the tunnel was due to open, the contractors staged an open day when 7,000 pedestrians were able to walk the full length of the tunnel while local music groups performed at the north end of the tunnel. These included the Haslemere Town Band, who performed the "Devil's Punch Bowl March" as the first VIPs emerged from the tunnel. This had been composed especially for the occasion by 16-year-old Band member, Eric Foster. The formal opening ceremony itself was performed by the then Secretary of State for Transport, Phillip Hammond on 29 July 2011 an event to which the Chairman of Thursley Parish Council was invited to attend.      The old A3 returned to nature. This view is taken from close to  Gibbet Hill, almost directly above the tunnel. October 2012    With all the fanfare complete and clean-up operations nearly finished the Thursley joys soon turned to cries of woe. Whereas the building of the twin bore tunnel was a great civil engineering success the same cannot be said for the electrical installations. The planned opening date of the tunnel was delayed by some two weeks when it was discovered that a major cable running the length of the tunnel was missing. During the first year of operation there were a number of closures often due to failures with the fire alarm systems and software issues.  The net result of these closures meant that unprepared motorist travelling both north and south, sought to find their way around the closure and put their faith in their trusted sat-navs.  For those travelling south this meant them coming through the centre of the village and continuing through Pitch Place. For those heading north they were brought along the same route in reverse leaving the A287 at Hindhead and heading down the Tilford Road. The Dye House Road and Pitch Place were never meant to cope with such a volume of traffic especially not HGVs. Chaos ensued.  One dark and stormy night saw two Parish Councillors attempting to unlock a Spanish gas tanker heading north opposite a late night theatre coach heading south!   Thursley Parish Council argued extensively over a period of some eight years with the Highways Agency (later renamed Highways England) that better traffic management was needed and the black and yellow diversion symbols were totally inadequate at times of such crisis. Meeting after meeting took place between Highways England, Surrey County Council, Thursley Parish Council, Haslemere Town Council and Waverley Borough Council and Surrey Police Traffic Division. Many participants grew increasingly frustrated as the number of tunnel closures increased due to either vehicle accidents, false fire alerts, real vehicle fires and system software errors.     One of the main frustrations for those that had to endure the consequences of these frequent closures was the discovery that neither end of the tunnel was properly equipped with emergency contra flow arrangements that would allow a relatively free flow of traffic both north and south. It was not until 2022 that ‘Swift Gates’ were installed either end of the tunnel allowing a quick diversion of traffic from one bore to the other facilitating single lanes of contra-flow traffic.  However, whenever there was a fire alert then all traffic had to be halted as a matter of prime safety.   These annoyances and inconveniences being imposed on local residents naturally raised the question as to why the old A3 road had not been kept open in order to cope with such emergencies ? The answer to which is many folds.  Firstly, it was part of the agreement with the National Trust that the two commons would be joined by the abandonment of the old carriageway. Secondly, whereas it would have been relatively easy to manage north bound traffic it would have been very difficult without massive overhead viaducts to route the southbound traffic onto the western carriageway that was once the A3. And thirdly, it would have been very costly to maintain a major road for occasional use by cars and HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles). Safety and proper drainage being of the essence.       Report in the Farnham Herald on the inquiry coming to an end: https://www.farnhamherald.com/news/hindhead-tunnel-inquiry-comes-to-an-end-158228 How the tunnel was constructed courtesy Hampshire News: https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/hampshire-news/gallery/the-construction-of-hindhead-tunnel-4470892 YouTube film 'Under The Devil's Punch Bowl - The Hindhead Tunnel Story': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBFZhwoLEbQ And for those of you who would really like to get into the weeds, here is the Inspector's report (courtesy Peter Hunter): From time to time and for various reasons, the Hindhead Tunnel has to close causing disruption to drivers and annoyance to those living in areas affected by unexpected traffic. The article below gives some insights as to what happens when happens inside the tunnel:

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. The site is part of the  Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons   Special Area of Conservation , Special Protection Area  and  Site of Special Scientific Interest , i t is part of the wider Thames Basin Heaths landscape and is valued for its rare heathland habitats, wildlife, and panoramic views. The site has woodland and lowland heath with  heather  and  gorse . Birds include  nightjars  and  Dartford warblers  and there are other fauna such as  adders  and  common lizards . It is used by the Ministry of Defence for training purposes which often requires the closure of certain areas. This recent FaceBook post (February 2026) from one of our Parish Councillors, Phoebe Sullivan, illustrates the MOD's involvement in the upkeep of Hankley Common: The Atlantic Wall as it is today. Detail from a Ministry of Defence brochure

The land on which The Vicarage was built in 1932 is thought to have been owned previously by the Lutyens family. The first Vicar to live in the house was Revd Gordon French (Frenchy) who stayed until 1959 when Revd Bill Mills came to the village. Bill Mills was succeeded by Revd Ken Mathews in 1968, followed by Revd John Stevens who with his wife, Rosemary, lived there until he retired in 1982 and when the Parish of Thursley became a plurality with Elstead. The house was sold by the Church Commissioners in 1983 to Eddie and Sheila Hawkins who stayed only for a year. Pat and Hilary Barr lived at The Old Vicarage from 1984 and altered and extended the property The Old Vicarage , 1990's Surnames of previous owners include: Hawkins, Broomrigg, Phipps, Barr