This article written by Jackie Rickenberg was published in the Parish Magazine in January 2021 Malcolm Henry Arnold, composer, 1921 – 2006 We continue on the theme of past Thursley residents who have made their mark in the field of the Arts. In late October, our attention was brought to bear to a very illustrious composer who lived here, albeit briefly, between 1962 and 1965. Sir Malcolm Arnold’s biographer is in the throes of a follow up to his original biography of this widely acclaimed composer of symphonies, ballet’s and film scores, to name but three musical genres he excelled in. As I made some enquiries into this great man, I was struck, not only by his obvious brilliance at his trade, but also by the streak of fun and sense of mischief he brought to life in a quiet Surrey village! The composer Sir Malcolm Arnold, who died at the age of 84, held a remarkable position in British musical life. The longevity of his reputation for more than half a century and the enduring affection of his extensive audience were both achieved without compromise. As a figure in wider national life he never attained the great eminence he undoubtedly deserved, perhaps down to his unconventional approach. However, from his first published works in 1943 to his retirement from composition in 1990, his independence of mind and individual voice won him respect from all sides of the musical world and he was awarded the CBE in 1970 and was knighted in 1993. Arnold began his musical career as a trumpet player and after incomplete studies at the Royal College of Music, London, he joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1940. He remained an orchestral trumpeter until 1948, apart from a period in the army, which he loathed. The bullet wound in his foot which led to his discharge was apparently not from enemy action, nor seemingly from a third party of any sort! His music was full of tunes, technically brilliant, extravert, unselfconscious and fun. His output was huge: nine symphonies, concertos, ballets, chamber music, orchestral suites, choral music, solo songs, and works for wind and brass bands - as well as more than 100 film scores. Some of the more memorable were the David Lean film, Bridge on the River Kwai (for which, in 1958, he was one of the first British composers ever to win an Oscar), Whistle Down the Wind and the St Trinian’s series. Arnold was also known as an enterprising conductor of Jon Lord's Concerto for Group and Orchestra, in which he directed the rock band Deep Purple and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969. His obituary in 2006 read: With Arnold's death, we lose another of the great individualists who helped make 20th-century British music so gloriously untidy. His time in Thursley is remembered by a few current villagers and it appears he made quite an impression in his short time here. He could be described as a “bit of a character” and we all know one of those! Around this time, he married his second wife, Isabel, and they had a son, Edward, born in Thursley in 1964. He also had a son and daughter from his first marriage to Sheila, Robert and Katherine. He bought the house now called Sawyers, next to the recreation ground. At this time, it was called Canbury Cottage and he extended it to build a studio on the back. Like a lot of brilliant minds, he would lock himself away for weeks at a time whilst he penned his compositions (this room had a bed and washing facilities) and his food would be handed in by a Mrs Winter, who lived in Highfield, and presumably was his cook/housekeeper. After completing a piece or score he would appear, sometimes at two or three in the morning, put on some trick spectacles and climb the nearby lamppost, playing fanfares on his trumpet, to summon everyone to join in the revelry! Notoriously, he once had a summer party at the time when paper clothes were a thing (really?) and he bought all the ladies paper swimsuits, before turning on a sprinkler and waiting for the ensuing panic when the paper started to disintegrate. He was not wholly popular with the neighbours, it would appear! He was a regular at The Three Horseshoes and was often seen theatrically dressed in a flamboyant blazer, whilst marching up and down playing his trumpet. What joys! Sadly, he moved to Cornwall shortly afterwards, in 1965 and eventually passed away in 2006 in Norfolk. An outstanding British composer of our times. If anyone has any subject they would like to hear more about or any particular interest explored in this column, please do contact me at jackierickenberg@gmail.com.

This article by Jackie Rickenberg was published in the Parish Magazine, May 2023. See also: https://www.thursleyhistorysociety.org/post/a-walk-by-the-hammer-ponds Many of us will be aware of the construction traffic around the outskirt of the village, relating to the work currently being done at Hammer Pond. If you have ventured close to the site (but still safely behind the surrounding barriers!), you, like me, may be surprised at the sheer scale of the project. But what are they actually doing? And what is the Hammer Pond? And why is this work necessary? All questions I ask myself regularly – and so, my attempt to make things a little bit clearer. Firstly, what is a “Hammer Pond”. There are innumerable references to hammer ponds and hammer woods all over the south-east of England. Most of these lakes are at least partially accessible, and blessed with an abundance of waterfowl and other wildlife. However, the historical origins of these waters were grimily practical rather than scenic or tranquil. ‘Hammer’ ponds are not natural lakes but dammed streams and rivers, crucial to the Tudor and Stuart iron industry that was established within the High Weald of Kent and Sussex, and adjacent parts of Surrey and Hampshire. The Weald was a major iron-producing region long before the Romans arrived, due to its abundant clay ironstone deposits. Smelting sites were determined by the quality of local ore, and the convenient location of other raw materials. These included naturally heat-resistant clay, or later sandstone, to construct furnace hearths, and ample supplies of wood to make charcoal for fuel. Water was essential for cooling the iron and the High Weald enjoys many swift streams in deep, densely wooded valleys, known locally as ‘ghylls’, which eventually played a pivotal role. From the end of the 15th century new developments in the industry required many of these to be damned, and the heads of water that built up used to turn waterwheels. The wheels powered furnace bellows more effectively, and also drove huge forge hammers which pounded pig iron into refined bars. Hence Furnace and Hammer/Forge Ponds. Thursley’s Hammer Pond There are three forge ponds in the Thursley National Nature Reserve. The Upper Hammer Pond has a bridge and a small spillway and is fed by a stream running northwards through a chain of ponds from Hindhead Common, via Cosford House, under the A3, and in turn feeds the (restored) Lower Hammer Pond and Forge Pond. Nearby Coldharbour Hammer Pond runs on a different stream east of the other hammer ponds, and lies partly in Thursley and partly in Witley. Warren Mere Lake, just north of here, was not connected to the iron works although there was a Witley Park Furnace further south, circa 1673, but the pond is long gone. A postcard from the 1920s The ironworks. The ironworks were situated near a brook on Thursley Common, which was widened in places to make the ponds, known as the Hammer Ponds. These were used for producing power for the hammer and for cooling the iron as it was smelted. The first reference to ironworks here was dated 1574. Thursley Common and the Devil’s Punchbowl possessed both iron ore for smelting and peat and wood for fuel. Peat was used to overcome the shortage of timber which beset the industry in the 16th century (no doubt as a result of the shipbuilding industry – the Mary Rose, Henry V111’s grand flagship, was built between 1509-1511 in nearby Portsmouth). Maverick ironmasters were punished by the King in an attempt to stop the destruction of timber. William Yalden, a Thursley ironmaster received a Royal Pardon in 1640 for offences committed before 1636 in destroying woods for smelting iron. During this time the industry was flourishing with contracts with the Navy for canon and shot. A lease survives, dated 1610 that refers to the Thursley works as “lately erected” and in 1617 the ironworks were leased for a yearly rental of £95. By 1666, they were let to William Yalden for £10 per annum, an indication that the demand for Wealdon iron was decreasing. Gradually, the iron industry with its attendant occupation of charcoal burning, died out - although the Thursley ironworks were the last to work in Surrey - and by the end of the 18th century, very little iron was worked. At the beginning of the 19th century, 1805 in fact, crape weaving took the place of iron smelting, and the mills were also built near the Hammer Ponds. Crape was a gauze like fabric with a wrinkled surface, or imitation silk, much used for mourning dress. Much raw silk was reputedly smuggled from France, then onto Dye House, where it was dyed before disposal. Today in the vicinity of the Hammer Pond one can find Silk Mill House and Cottages and, in the village, of course, Dye House. 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, on Dye House Rd, were the dwelling houses of the workmen. These industries brought prosperity and employment to the area. The ironmasters belonged to the local gentry and lived in large houses e.g. Rake and Heath Hall. Present day. Following heavy rains in December 2013 that washed away a section of the Upper Hammer Pond dam and emptied the pond, a section through the earthwork of the dam was exposed that revealed the major elements of its construction. Evidence was recorded that suggested the dam may have been rebuilt on a number of occasions. This latest project to rebuild has been a long time in the planning due to ecological restraint’s – work was only possible outside of the ground nesting bird season – and environmental requirements. Both Natural England and the Environment Agency, working alongside Waverley Borough Council and, of course, our own Parish Council, have finally come together to restore the historically significant ponds. Work has been ongoing since the 1st September 2022 and although it should have finished by 31st March, it has overrun by two months due to unforeseen problems. However, come 31st May, it is hoped our common can be reclaimed from the diggers and trucks and once more peace and tranquillity will be restored. And more importantly, Hammer Ponds and the surrounding properties will be safeguarded and restored to their formal glories for years to come. The following photographs were taken by Sean Edwards: From The Parish Magazine, April 1981:

From British Listed Buildings: Late C16 with C18 alterations and C2O restoration. Timber framed, exposed to ground floor left on brick and stone plinth with sandstone infill and brick cladding to ground floor centre and right. Tile hung above on first floor with red and brown brick extensions to right and plain tiled, half-hipped roof. Two storeys with end stack to right, ridge stack to left of centre and further stack to rear. First floor jettied on brackets across old range. Irregular fenestration with eight windows across the first floor including three small casements. Seven windows across the ground floor, larger window to right. Door to right of centre in pentice roof porch. Extensions at right angles to rear right.Photographs only of this Grade II listed building (9th March, 1960) From Judy Hewins's "Village Study Notes: Thursley" Previous owners of Wild Goose include: Worsford; Brownrigg; Barr

Photographs only

Grade II listed building (9 March 1960), located on The Street From Historic England: House. C16 with C19 range to rear. Timber framed with whitewashed brick and rubble infill, plain tiled roof, hipped to left. Sandstone rubble with brick dressings to rear. Two storeys with end stack to right and ridge stack to left. End stacks on rear range. Four framed bays with three braces on first floor. Three leaded casement windows to first floor and two windows below. Central door in gabled porch on wood supports and sandstone plinth walls. From Judy Hewins's "Village Study Notes: Thursley" Wheeler's Farm hand pump Wheeler's Farm 1953, Miss M Baker and an (unsuccessful) suitor. Wheelers Farm House in 1989 View looking North from Churchyard in Thursley 11/94 Wheelers Farm & Old Vicarage Wheelers Farm Yard and Old Barn, 1990 Wheelers Farm and outbuildings, 1996 Yard at Wheelers Farm, with Damsel the horse. John Worsford, the carter lived at Wild Goose 1905 wedding of Edward Baker (Ted) of Upper Highfield Farm and Maria Levy of Smallbrook Farm. Edward (Ted) Baker and wife, Maria (née Levy) with daughter Betty (who later became Weeden) Wheelers Farm during the restoration of The Granary

5th June 2022, Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Taken by Philip Traill, passing Wheelers Farm.

PARKER, Alfred Nigel, Major. 5th Battalion Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders Died 23rd October 1944 In the 1922 issue of “Small Country Houses of Today” magazine, Foldsdown House, Thursley, was described as “taking its place naturally and pleasantly in a part of Surrey so beautiful that an ill-considered building is more than usually an outrage” It was here that Nigel Parker grew up, having been born in the September of 1915, to his parents, Alwyn Parker, C.B, C.M.G, a respected diplomat and City banker, and Sophia, a society figure in her own right. He was baptised in the church of St Michael’s and All Saints on October 15th by the Reverend C.K. Watson. His early education took place at St Peter’s Court, a preparatory school in Burgess Hill, Sussex, followed by his moving to Harrow School. After his time at Harrow, he went up to read law at New College, Oxford, in anticipation of a career in the legal profession in the City. Whilst at Oxford, he successfully rowed for his college. After coming down from Oxford, he was articled to the long-established Solicitor’s firm of Linklaters & Paines, in London, where he worked until the outbreak of war in September 1939. As soon as that occurred, he made the decision to join the ranks of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. It was at this time, in the January of 1940, that he also married the American born twenty-year-old Jean Cecelia Constance Eliott in the Chelsea Register Office, a larger society wedding being impossible at the time, due to his military commitments. They were to have two children, a son, Colin, born in November 1940, and a daughter, Veronica, born two years later, in May 1942. In 1940, The Queen’s went to France as part of the 51st (Highland) Division with the British Expeditionary Force, in an attempt to stem the tide of the German armies which were sweeping down through the Low Countries and into Northern France. When it became apparent that the Allied troops needed to be evacuated, plans were put into force that resulted in the events that, these days, we know simply by one word – Dunkirk. In order to hamper the relentless progress of the Germans, the Queen’s saw action at the town of St. Valery-en-Calais, and it was during this fighting that Nigel Parker was wounded. In the middle of battle, he was shot in one leg by a sniper; falling to the ground, he rolled over, to be then shot in the other leg. It was ironic that it appears that his wearing a kilt (contrary to regulations) in fact saved his life – he was told by his doctor that the kilt had saved him, as a khaki battle dress would have poisoned the wounds. As a result, he was invalided home, where he recovered. He then spent the rest of the war, until 1944, training troops in Scotland, near Inverness. After the D Day landing of June 1944, he re-joined his unit, and once again landed in France. His superior officer, Colonel (later General Sir) Derek Laing sent him in command of D company, as the first British troops to re-enter the newly liberated St. Valery-en-Calais, after it had been forced to surrender back in 1940. This was regarded as a great honour. As the Division moved northwards towards Germany, in October the Queen’s found itself as part of Operation Pheasant, which was a major operation to clear German troops from the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. And it was here that Nigel Parker fell, in the middle of fierce fighting during the liberation of the town of Schijndel. The night of Sunday 22nd October 1944 was notably dark and cold. For the men of the Queen’s their attack area was an open meadow that they had to pass over, in order to reach the enemy lines. Their target was the elimination of a strong German detachment of Fallschrirmjager soldiers of the German 59th Division, located by a railway line in the De Berg area of Schijndel. At midnight, there was a heavy artillery bombardment in support of the troops, who then proceeded to advance towards the German position. They had to move forward through open meadows as well as marshy peatlands, totally without cover, and they were hit heavily by German machine guns with tracer ammunition as well as sustained mortar fire. It was said that “Hell broke loose”. Major Parker was hit three times in a row, twice he managed to get up, according to eyewitnesses, but the last hit was fatal. The battle continued all night, until at about 6am a group of Sherman tanks appeared, and the Germans withdrew. A total of 12 men were killed that night, plus a further 56 either injured or seriously wounded. The next morning, the 12 dead bodies lying in the field were collected by their own men under the supervision of a Padre Smith and buried in temporary graves nearby, at a local farm owned at the time by the Van Mensvelt family. They were later reburied, with full honours, in the nearby Uden War Cemetery. A fellow soldier on the day of the battle, Sgt George Sands, said of his commander “Major Parker had been a good commander and friend and a very brave man”. This is but one of the many tales relating to the names on our war memorial in the churchyard. There are many more, as each name is included. Please buy a copy of “Thursley Remembers” and keep for future generations to “Never Forget”.

Photographs taken 26th August 2019 by Philip Traill

This document was transcribed by Sean Edwards from photocopied pages in the Thursley History Society archives, 16 February 2012. Although described by the author as short, it provides a concise but comprehensive overview as can be seen from the contents below. Introduction Thursley Common in south-west Surrey, a National Nature Reserve since 1978, is a very special place. Highly regarded for its outstanding wildlife interest, deemed precious, and therefore something to be conserved for us and for future generations, it is today a mere fragment of a once extensive tract of heathland that was the very essence of this part of southern England. It may come as a surprise to many people that this ecological gem is not entirely natural and that it is an artificial habitat — a by-product of historic land-use. Thursley Common exists because man has created it, and that which is so highly valued today is largely the result of centuries of man’s use and abuse. Thursley Common is, therefore, something of a paradox. For centuries it has been dug up, burnt and grazed. In more recent times it has been partially afforested, severely burnt, blown up, driven over and stripped of its vegetation. Somewhat incredibly, in view of such a history of exploitation, it is now regarded as the outstanding area of lowland heath and valley bog in southern England - the home to 26 species of dragonfly, to somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 different types of insects, and to many rare plants as well as being the breeding ground of 69 bird species. To help you understand how Thursley Common has evolved, this short historical account will guide you back over its long history and explain how the past pattern of land-use is the key to the way in which the site is managed today. Contents include: How the Common Began The Saxon Period The Medieval Period Rights of Common The Peat Deposit The Iron Industry Heather and Gorse Will Reeds Wood The Parish Field Pudmore Pond The 19th century rural economy and management of the Common Grazing The Broomsquires Recognition of Thursley’s wildlife value Recreation Military Use The Whitbread era Nature Conservation Exchange of Rights Thursley Common today BIBLIOGRAPHY Read the full paper which consists of 14 pages including a comprehensive bibliography

Thursley Horticultural Society 2009, Sean Edwards talk. Everybody here will be familiar with Thursley Common.We shall look at what most of you see every time, – and then look a little closer, and see what maybe you never noticed. We shall also look at important aspects of the Common that maybe you have never seen at all. View the full presentation here... And Sean's lecture notes here...