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This article, written by Jane Haviland in 1994, was first published in the ring-bound book,"Lives of the People of Thursley". Eddie Gale, 1939-48 Queen's Royal Regiment The first two pages are reproduced below and the rest of the article can either be found in the pdf below or in the entry for the book that is on this website.

A Grade II listed building, 28th October 1986 Upper Ridgeway is a medieval timber-framed hall house. The earliest mention of the place is in a tax assessment of 1331 and the first specific reference to the farm itself can be found in the records of the Bishop of Winchester in 1522. The property was held from the Manor of Farnham, which was one of the bishop’s many manors, and the ownership of the farm can be traced from the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries. More detailed information survives about of some of the owners and occupiers that give an insight into the way they lived at the farm. The will and the inventory drawn up after Henry Boxfold's death in 1573 lists his belongings, details his farming interests and reveals that he had been living in what was, by then, his son’s house. During the nineteenth century, Upper Ridgeway was the home of John Keen who came to the farm in 1828. He worked the farm all his adult life and died there in 1893 aged 95 years. His account book survives that shows how he was running his business during his early years at the farm. From https://www.house-history-research.co.uk/past-commissions.html These two articles on Upper Ridgeway Farm were written by Jackie Rickenberg and appeared in the Parish Magazine in March and April 2023 A Farmhouse in Surrey (Upper Ridgeway Farm) There are a couple of building projects currently underway or about to start in the village, so this piece struck a chord with me. It appeared in The Farmers Weekly Magazine on April 13th, 1951 and was written by Irene Gorringe.   “I sometimes think I must be one of the most fortunate of women in that I have a house which is everything I could wish a house to be. Though it was first built nearly six centuries ago, it combines the character and dignity of age with an interior that is light and spacious, large enough to put up a few guests in comfort, yet small enough to manage easily without extra help. It was not always like this and it is Jess, my husband, who made it such a comfortable place to live in. Never shall I forget the first time I saw it – a cold, dull day in December, 1938, some months before we were married. Jess and I had been looking for a suitable place for a long time at a price we could afford, and so it was with high hopes that he took me to see this farm, which he thought would be just the place for pig breeding and not too large – just 35 acres. The windows were few and small and nearly all had several broken panes of glass, stuffed up with old sacking and bits of cardboard. The steps leading up to the back door were rough and broken, and tangled blackberry bushes were actually sprouting from the walls. Above it, the tiled roof sagged in many places and there were a lot of missing tiles. Gigantic Task We went inside the house and my heart sank. Just by the kitchen door, beneath the only window, stood a shallow, cracked, stone sink, and in the black gaping cavern which was the fireplace was a small, rusty kitchen stove (my only cooking experience was with a Regulo!). There was a large built-in bread oven at the side of this. The floor was part stone, part brick, all broken and uneven, and the big beams stretching across the ceiling were greyish looking and dripping with moisture. Adjoining the kitchen was a large well-house containing two old coppers and a huge wooden wheel above the well. This well is dug through 110ft. of Bargate stone, and it would appear that this is the stone used for very many of the older buildings in this district. We went through into two other rooms, each about 20ft by 9ft. Again, they were dark and had heavily beamed ceilings. In one was a huge inglenook fireplace, a great sooty hole, with oak seats on both sides and a small recess at the back in which many a tankard of ale had probably stood. The rickety staircase led directly out of this room up onto a dark landing. There were three bedrooms, all on different levels, each about 20ft by 10ft, and between two of them rose the massive chimney stack. All the ceilings sagged right down in the middle and lumps of plaster were hanging from them. Large pieces had fallen from the walls, too, revealing the old wattle and daub of which all the upstairs, interior walls were constructed. We came downstairs again feeling pretty depressed. Truly it looked too big a task for human hands to make anything liveable out of that derelict place, but the land, though terribly neglected , was just right for our pigs – high and dry, with light, sandy soil – and as all good farmers’ wives know, the farmhouse has to take second place to the land. There was just one other good feature – the views in every direction are superb. The south side bounded by Hindhead and the Devil’s Punch Bowl, a well-known beauty spot; to the west a copse of larch and pine trees, and to the north and east stretch miles and miles of undulating heather-clad hills and valleys. The “Shed” We made our plans. The farmhouse would obviously take some months to put right, but Jess was anxious to get going with his pigs, so he decided to put up a shed which he could use for meals and to sleep in occasionally, whilst he travelled to and fro daily from his home, which was about eight miles away. It didn’t take him long to discover that a farmer’s wife has a place on even the smallest of farms, and the following August I came – a new bride, with no farming experience whatsoever – to live at Upper Ridgeway Farm. The ”Shed”, 20ft by 12ft wide, was given a lining of plasterboard and divided into a living room and a bedroom. A tiny kitchenette, about 6ft by 4ft, led onto the living room even entertaining a food cupboard, sink and draining board, and an airing cupboard with hot water tank installed inside. The hot water was supplied by a very efficient stove on which we cooked. Two weeks after we moved in war was declared. All private building stopped and our plans for restoring the old farmhouse receded into a doubtful future. The little shed modestly took over duty as farmhouse for the next eight and a half years. From here I learned to salt my first pig, make butter, milk cows, feed and clean out pigs and chickens, harrow and roll a field behind Peggy, our old mare, and help as best I could with the hundred-and-one jobs that were new to both of us then. Here also arrived, in 1942, our son Paul, and nearly two years later, his sister, Diana. The little shed housed, at different times, land girls, land boys, evacuees, a Belgian refugee, Canadian soldiers, who gave us some valuable help (some of them had to sleep out) – in short, there were Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all! Kindly and tactful relations usually referred to the shed as “The Bungalow”, other kindly, but less tactful, callers as “the chicken house” and I myself, in moments of near despair in those struggling, early days, was tempted to nail up “Beggars Roost” above the door”.   Upper Ridgeway Farm- Part 2 Continuing Irene Gorringe’s article “A Farmhouse in Surrey” first published in The Farmers Weekly, April 13, 1951, almost exactly 72 years ago! It seems planners and tradesmen have not changed much! A Start When at last the war ended, my husband got busy on his plans for restoring the old farmhouse. His earlier building experience proved a godsend, although he had never tackled an old place before. At last the local council passed the plans, a bricklayer was, after much effort, pressed into service, and the work commenced. In all it took nearly two and a half years. From time to time it had to be left for weeks, and even months, when the needs of the farm were more urgent. Help was spasmodic, and Jess had to do a great deal of the work himself. We did, however, towards the end, enlist the help of a plasterer, a plumber and an electrician, as all these jobs really need a specialist. The first thing was to provide good drainage and new footings with a damp course all round; then the huge chimney stack was dismantled, brick by brick, as it was in an unsafe condition. Here we made an interesting discovery. As each brick was carefully cleaned, we found the date 1370 scratched deeply into one of them, and although we have no proof that this was the date the house was first built, we have good reason to believe that this is so. The chimney stack was rebuilt, making room upstairs for a bathroom 8ft. by 6ft., and a w.c. where the bacon loft had been before. The next big job was to strip the roof, replace the battens with new ones (the rafters were sound) and re-tile. Then we made another discovery. When the tiles were being cleaned of the moss which had given the roof such a green appearance on our first visit, we found one which was deeply scratched with the words “J Brown mad this tile Thursley Surry 180_” the last figure being broken off. This points to the fact that the roof was last re-tiled nearly 150 years ago and the tiles were made locally. It is our regret that we have so far not been able to find out more about the history of our house, though there is another farmer in Thursley village whose mother was born here exactly 100 years ago.   Walls and Floors The walls were attended to next, the weak places in the stonework strengthened or reconstructed. Next the floors were levelled and re-laid. We were able to get some lovely little red tiles for the kitchen and hall floors. The two sitting rooms were turned into one big lounge, nearly 20ft. square, and some good oak boards from the bedroom floors were turned and laid over a hollow floor. Several good big windows were added, with leaded lights, as we do like a place light and airy. The beams in this room were carefully cleaned, and now they are truly magnificent. Indeed, the mass of lovely, old oak beams we uncovered, both upstairs and down, some under peeling green paint, are in a wonderful state of preservation, hard as iron, as Jess found to his cost when he had to saw through some. Every beam, after cleaning, was treated with button polish, which does not give a shiny-looking surface, but prevents the dust from clinging. The inglenook fireplace, too, with its bricks cleaned and glowing red and its huge oak beam exposed above, is quite lovely to look at. With a View The kitchen is now roughly 18 ft. square and L-shaped. It has one large and two small windows, one of the latter set above the new stainless-steel sink and draining boards, so that I can see the beautiful view across miles of heather-clad hills. Beside the sink is the washing machine - my pride and joy – and to the left a roomy pantry, facing north. The old well-house, with the well part bricked off, and a French window put in for light on the garden side, has made a very nice hall. The staircase had to be renewed and upstairs we now have four good bedrooms. With their oak beams, cream walls, and lovely large diamond -paned dormer windows, they are most attractive. They all lead off a good landing on which there is also a large airing cupboard. Next to this comes the bathroom, which is distempered primrose to go with the pretty apple-green bath and basin. All I should like now is enough money for some nice period furniture. Ours is a mixture of the modern stuff we brought down from the “Shed” and a few old, second-hand pieces we have added from time to time, but some of the modern pieces were wedding presents and I would not part with them for anything. Anyway, I think I have what matters more to a house than any furniture – a good husband and two happy children to bring the place to life and make the house into a home.   If you have any history of your house that you would like to share, please do get in touch at jackierickenberg@gmail.com . Pat and Patricia Coles Painting by Salli Tomlinson Upper Ridgeway Farm in 1997 and ?

Three village calendars were produced in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and were sponsored by The Guildford Flames and The Three Horseshoes. Then there was a hiatus until 2023 when they were produced by the village hall committee and sponsored by Mathwall, The Three Horseshoes and Butterflies Nursery School. Photographs for 2010, 2001 and 2012 were contributed by: David Beechey, David Brickwood, Pat Clake, Bryony Chapman, Sarah Dashwood, Sean Edwards, Liz Ethrington, Nadine Froggatt, Alastair Graham Stewart, Jerry Horwood, Peter Hunter, Simon Hall, David Johnston, Arthur Lindley, Nicky Perkins, Sally Scheffers, Georgina Skinner, Lynn Skinner, Philip Traill and Tim Walsh. Photographs for 2023, 2024 and 2025 were contributed by: Lucy Brooks, Oakley Brooks, Anthea Croft, Manda Dinsmore, Gillian Duke, Sean Edwards, Cameron Ferris, Valérie Ferris, James Giles, Doug Gordon, Jenny Gordon, Amanda Hall, Carrie Hesmondhalgh Jerry Horwood, Andrii Kaplanovskyi, Caroline Mardon, Chris McClements, Neil McIntyre, Sarah O’Brien,  Josh Owen, Rich Owen, Michelle Presley, Miriam Sharland, Richard Symonds, Tamsin Taylor Mathews, Tim Wakeley, Stephen Walsh.

As usual, Thursley does nothing by half and produced an extensive programme of events for everyone to enjoy: VICTORY EUPHORIA First up was 'Victory Euphoria', Thursley History Society's exhibition held in the village hall. To mark and celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Thursley residents researched and retold the wartime experiences of their relatives during the nearly six years of conflict. Setting up! In the foreground, Simon Treadwell, Sukey Langdale and Peter Rickendberg L to R: Sukey Langdale; Bryan Stevens; Sally Scheffers, Chairman; Sue Ranson The show was opened formally by Bryan Stevens, son of Sir Roger Stevens formerly of High Hill Farm. There were well over 100 exhibits (see separate entry for 'Victory Euphoria') and the event was well attended throughout the two days. The ceramic plaques that surrounded the flagpole were all made by Sally Scheffers. Tim Wakeley with his 1930 Austin 7 THURSLEY IN BLOOM For two consecutive Saturdays, some gardens were opened: first in Thursley on Saturday, 3rd May; and then Bowlhead Green on Thursday, 8th May. Those who had registered to see the gardens were aided by beautiful maps and illustrations prepared by John Swift. The Church looked wonderful for the occasion Badgers; Bear's Barn; Sunset Cottage; Little Green; Wheelwrights; Hill Farm Barns; Halcyon Fields - following the sequence of the walk The Order of Service can be found in full in this pdf: These two events are covered in the article below. This article by Sally Scheffers was published in the Parish Magazine in June 2025: THANK YOU Our VE & VJ Day Celebrations are over.  Our combined efforts brought a lot of people out to enjoy the various activities and it was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. Saturday the 2 nd  May was busy. The “Victory Euphoria” Exhibition presented by the Thursley History Society opened in the Village Hall with numerous stories of the relatives of village residents. The high point seemed to be the wartime toys made out of whatever came to hand. Marion O'Brien kindly loaned her beautiful, crocheted dolls with their chicken wishbone frames. They are so special and were a huge hit for the visitors. On a larger scale was Sukey Langdale's model farm which is about eight square feet and is made from the thin strips of wood from old orange boxes. It was made by Sukey's mother-in-law, Daphne, for her sons and is a replica of their family farm in Midhurst. It has the buildings, the cows, the pigs, the sheep, the horses, the people and even the bloodhounds they bred. It is wonderful and has obviously been cherished to have lasted so long. There were also log books, medals, a nazi dagger and prisoner of war documents to fill the display cases. Dr Dennis Smith brought his father's photo albums – Colonel Douglas Smith had been an equine vet with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and had worked with the mules and horses in the Middle East and Yugoslavia. Outside we had a perfect Austin 7 gleaming in the sunshine and on the Sunday a wartime Jeep too. Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to make the exhibition the success it was. For months before I had called it, rather tongue in cheek, “The Great Exhibition”, but thanks to the wonderful response from the contributors it was! So thank you and to the History Society Committee for all your help.        The exhibition can be found on Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to make the exhibition the success it was. For months before I had called it, rather tongue in cheek, “The Great Exhibition”, but thanks to the wonderful response from the contributors it was! So thank you and to the History Society Committee for all your help. The exhibition can be found on https://www.thursleyhistorysociety.org/post/victory-euphoria-thursley-history-society-s-exhibition-to-celebrate-the-80th-anniversary-of-ve-da Outside the Hall Pat Clake and Lisa Woods, on behalf of the Horticultural Society, had organised “Gardens Open” in the middle of the village. On a glorious day the spring gardens looked their best and were very much enjoyed. Maps were available from the Church which had also been beautifully decorated with floral arrangements by Lisa and Debbie Spencer along with a group of talented flower arrangers. Thank you! Saturday evening was our wartime themed concert / sing-a-long in the Church. Claire Dailly, Wendy Edwards, Sabrina Dragoni-Long and myself produced a fun evening of patriotism and bucket loads of nostalgia. Grateful thanks go to our guest musicians who stepped in and joined in. Richard Fermer on Double Bass and his wife Gwen on Saxophone have recently moved to Witley and answered Claire's request on facebook for musicians. They love to play and I hope they will play for us again. Rob Lewis on keyboards and vocals is a professional musician and he too answered the call to play and our concert was very different from those he usually conducts but Rob had a blast. And to Wendy and her choir thank you for all coming along to lead us and I hope you enjoyed it as much as we all did. Thank you to Sabry for your incredible and powerful voice and personality. Sunday morning Delia Orme led a special Church Service to remember and commemorate Victory in Europe. Delia's sermon was sensitive and thoughtful and a good balance to the weekend where we all took time to reflect. Mike Spencer led the first softball match at the Cricket Club and Camilla Daubeny made a special cake for the players and spectators. It was super that everyone could be a part of the game and I'm sure will be repeated. Throughout the weekend the Village Hall Committee ran a pop up cafe for all the visitors and passing cyclists! I'm sure everyone was very grateful for the tea and home made cake – thank you. On Thursday 8 th  May the gardens of Bowlhead Green opened and were much admired by all the visitors. Weeks of work went into getting them ready and they all looked glorious. Thank you. Later, the official celebration began with the early evening bell ringing. All three of the Church's bells rang for half an hour with Tim Wakeley, Steve Cruickshank, Anne Treadwell, Peter Hunter, Simon Treadwell taking it in turns. Outside in the Churchyard, in the evening sunshine, listening to the bells was very poignant. Thank you. On Thursday 8 th  May the gardens of Bowlhead Green opened and were much admired by all the visitors. Weeks of work went into getting them ready and they all looked glorious. Thank you. Later, the official celebration began with the early evening bell ringing. All three of the Church's bells rang for half an hour with Tim Wakeley, Steve Cruickshank, Anne Treadwell, Peter Hunter, Simon Treadwell taking it in turns. Outside in the Churchyard, in the evening sunshine, listening to the bells was very poignant. Thank you. On Thursday 8 th  May the gardens of Bowlhead Green opened and were much admired by all the visitors. Weeks of work went into getting them ready and they all looked glorious. Thank you. Later, the official celebration began with the early evening bell ringing. All three of the Church's bells rang for half an hour with Tim Wakeley, Steve Cruickshank, Anne Treadwell, Peter Hunter, Simon Treadwell taking it in turns. Outside in the Churchyard, in the evening sunshine, listening to the bells was very poignant. Thank you. Michelle de Vries and Claire Dailly had organised the Parish Council's celebration at the pub. The copious lengths of bunting fluttered all around thanks to Peter and Teresa Goble and Peter's platform cage on his telehandler. Michelle had created wonderful tins with old wartime labels and the pub was full of props and even a UXB cordoned off area complete with replica bomb! Sally and Dave Catchpole brought their beautifully restored tear drop caravan and 1940's caravan which were much admired and brought a vintage feel to the evening. The stage for our performers was the wooden cabin and it was perfect for “The Cadettes” who sang to everyone gathered outside the pub. We should have all followed Ella and Stanley's lead and danced and thank you to the children for hopping and swaying and thoroughly revelling in the forties songs. Michelle and Daniel fed us all with portions of fish and chips, salt, vinegar, tomato sauce and a big bowl of delicious homemade tartar sauce. It was so good and how they managed to feed around 120 people so efficiently was very impressive. Well done and thank you. There was also a generous array of salads made by Michelle de Vries and her mother Dee, Sandi Hanauer and Moose Thorne (apologies if I've left a name or two out). The salads were a great idea and a very popular accompaniment. Thank you. For pudding there was the WI Orange and Ginger Cakes made by several of us and very tasty. (It was relatively easy to make though the cooking time needed adjusting!) Lucy Goble, without being asked, brought meringues and crème brulees and filled the pudding table. Thank you to everyone who gave us a sweet treat at the end. At 9pm we began the formal proceedings. We listened to a recording of Winston Churchill accepting the German surrender and we all sang I Vow to Thee My Country and God Save the King. James Mendelssohn as Chairman of the Parish Council thanked everyone involved, eighty years ago it was William Featherby as Chairman of the Parish Council who spoke to the village, no doubt thanking them all for their fortitude and service. The O'Brien family were then handed the reins: Michael and Marion read the official VE Day 80 proclamation and then Marion and Sarah lit the beacon which looked amazing standing in front of the pub. It was a perfect end to all the activities. Thank you to everyone in setting it all up, doing it and then taking it all down. It may all be cleared away now but the memories of a unique evening will stay. James Mendelssohn flew the specially purchased VE Day 80 flag from Arthur's flagpole and I had made little porcelain plaques recording the names of those in the exhibition to go around the base. The flag flew for over a week and looked fantastic. And with all the bunting on and around the pub it was very obvious that Thursley remembered, commemorated and celebrated the end of the Second World War with enthusiasm and heartfelt gratitude.   Sally Scheffers, May 2025

The Old Parsonage is a Grade II listed building, dating back to the early 15th century. It is a hall house with a timber frame, under-built in brick, with red brick infill above, and weatherboard cladding to the first floor left and red and grey tiles. The building was designated Grade II on March 9, 1960. This comprehensive report was commissioned by the current owners to provide dendrochronological evidence to date the primary construction phase of this building. by Edward Wilkins Waite (1854-1924) History changes: the coloured print was sold as an original woodcut c1901 and the black and white as an original print c1950! This photograph, almost certainly taken during WW2, shows the garden turned over to growing vegetables for the 'Dig for Victory' campaign This is the opening paragraph of an undated description of the house: In 1952 the Cosford Estate was broken up and Old Parsonage Cottages were Lots 16 and 17. The annotation on the relevant pages of the sale catalogue notes that they were 'Sold to tenant' and the tenants were listed as Mr C Hoare and Mr V C Rapley respectively: The house has attracted painters for decades past Note the huge Chestnut tree that was in the Churchyard and now no longer with us Mike and Amanda Roberts and family, 1997 A History of the Old Parsonage by Philip and Sally Gorton This history was commissioned by the present owners, Mike and Amanda Roberts and the brief extracts shown below, along with a pdf of a scanned version of the book, are reproduced by the kind permission of the owners and authors A 600 year-old house In 2011, to celebrate the house's 600th year, Mike and Amanda hosted a birthday party and a quiz - most questions are still relevant, how many can you answer? Edmund and Jane Haviland won the Limerick competition!: There's a fine Surrey village known as Thursley, Whose buildings we number as, firstly, St Michael's to pray in, Good houses to stay in, And, thirdly, the Shoes when we're thirsty.

Keeper's Cottage is an isolated settlement within the Devil's Punch Bowl that is characteristic of woodland encroachment in the C16. It is served by a spring. Originally a two-cell building, it was altered and extended, probably in the mid-to-later C17 and C18. It is a Grade II listed building (27th November, 2015). This reproduction was photographed from a notelet. The original painting was by A R Quinton who first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1879. He was born in 1853 and until his death in 1934, produced many paintings for reproduction by art publishers. Keeper's Cottage from an undated newspaper photograph Keeper's Cottage probably in the late 1980's; surnames of previous owners include: Hayter; Watkins Seat in memory of the Watkins brothers overlooking Keeper's Cottage, c late 1980s Photograph by Sean Edwards Approach to Keeper's Cottage in the Punch Bowl

From John Betjeman's Guide to English Parish Churches: "Pre-Conquest windows were discovered during aggressive restoration by Ferry in 1860; a triangular recess in the chancel has been interpreted as a Saxon oven for baking wafers. The nave is dominated by the timber cage supporting an impressive 15th-century wooden bell-turret" St Michael & All Angels: A Brief Guide From a leaflet originally compiled by the Revd A W Mills, Vicar 1959 - 1968 and revised in 1980 The interior of the Church before the installation of the organ and still with oil lamps The front of the Church before it was extended. The interior photograph of the Church shows the Gallery The West side of the Church Thursley Church, 1938 The illustration of the Church above comes from pages of a book held by Surrey Archealogical Collections and reproduced in the pdf below 18th Century Table Tombs: "One of Thursley'slandmarks, the large well-known old horse chestnut tree, at the Parish Chruch, fell victim to the gale on Monday evening (14th November 1977). Canon John Stevens, the vicar, said it was a miracle the tree did not fall the other way as it could have hit the church or it could have crashed on one of the cottages by the church. As it was, "it laid itself nicely across the road, blocking it." The church gate and a section of boundary wall have been damaged. The tree, thought to have been one of the largest horse chestnuts in Surrey, is referred to in tourist guide books and also has a brief mention in the Thursley Church Guide Book published in the 1960s which suggests it was 250 years old. Many years ago it was subject to tree surgery with iron rods holding the trunk together. These rods were made at the Elstead Forge by the late Guy Bovington, his daughter Mrs G Hewitt recollects. Many old Thursley residents and others, were sad to learn about the end of the tree under which, said one resident, "generations of Thursley have passed to worship in the church and for weddings, christenings and funerals". Picture shows Mr Otto Jaenicke who is over six foot tall and Miss A Ayres beside the roots of the fallen giant chestnut. Extract taken from The Herald of Friday, November 18th 1977 This is a link to the Church's website: https://parishesofetsph.org.uk/about-us/st-michael-and-all-angels-church/

This sale led to the breakup of the Cosford Estate and included: Cosford House; Cosford Mill; Cosford Park; Mill Farm; Wheelers Farm; Hill Farm; and Lower Highfield Farm. The full sale catalogue is in the two pdfs below and includes someone's notations on the day of the sale.

Located in The Devil's Punch Bowl, but demolished in 1942 From worldwidewords.org Broom-squire A house recently advertised for sale near the Devil’s Punch Bowl in Surrey mentioned that it had once been used by broom-squires . These weren’t the minor aristocracy of rural places that the second half of their title suggests but poor rural artisans. They were famously evoked by Sabine Baring-Gould — Anglican priest, antiquarian and novelist — in his 1896 novel The Broom-Squire , set near the house. At some unknown date squatters settled in the Punch Bowl, at a period when it was in as wild and solitary a region as any in England. They enclosed portions of the slopes. They built themselves hovels; they pastured their sheep, goats, cattle on the sides of the Punch-Bowl, and they added to their earnings the profits of a trade they monopolized — that of making and selling brooms. On the lower slopes of the range grew coppices of Spanish chestnut, and rods of this wood served admirably for broom-handles. The heather when long and wiry and strong, covered with its harsh leafage and myriad hard knobs, that were to burst into flower, answered for the brush. On account of this manufacture, the squatters in the Punch-Bowl went by the designation of Broom-Squires. They provided with brooms every farm and gentleman’s house, nay, every cottage for miles around. A wagon-load of these besoms was often purchased, and the supply lasted some years. George Mayes outside Broomsquires Cottage in the Punch Bowl, early 1900s A hand-coloured postcard of about 1900. The broom-squire’s cottage is presumably the brick-and-tile one in the background, a great step up from the hovels of earlier descriptions. Broom-squires were necessarily restricted to the heathlands of England, such as the Surrey Heaths of the story and the New Forest further south, though at times the brush of the broom wasn’t heather but birch twigs, strictly speaking turning their makers into besom-squires , a term that appears only rarely. Squire is not a term of respect here. Alongside its sense of a country gentleman was a contemptuous one that evolved from its oldest meaning of an attendant on a knight, hence later merely a servant, and a lowly one at that. A close relative is the long obsolete apple-squire , which may be politely defined as a male companion of a woman of ill-repute, more accurately a pimp (we may guess the apple was a sly reference to the biblical Eve, though the Oxford English Dictionary suggests a woman’s breasts were meant). Broom-squires, often itinerant and always poor, had an unsavoury reputation not so far removed from the then conventional view of gypsies. A footnote in The Sporting Review in December 1840 to an article about hunting over yet another heath, in Somerset, described broom-squires negatively as “A variety of the genus homo found on Quantock, living on whortleberries, dwarf-birch, &c, &c. Towards winter they frequent the lower grounds, and prey on game of all sorts, preferring that of their own killing.” Other reports mention the rude huts they inhabited. The thatched sixteenth-century former gamekeeper’s cottage mentioned in the property advert was unlikely ever to have been the home of broom-squires. However, it makes a good story for the sales brochures. Site of the cottage in the late 1980s: the foundations could still be seen.

This article by Jackie Rickenberg was published in the Parish Magazine, May 2023 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:

This article was written in 2002 by Rosemary Stockdale and was based on ‘Memories of Wies and Zen Rogalski’ An account of life in the camp for the Polish community as remembered by Wies (born 1950 in St Luke’s Hospital Guildford) and Zen (born 1948 in Diddington Camp Polish Army Hospital, St Neots) Rogalski who were children at the time. They were motivated by Thursley History Society (Norman Ratcliffe) to put pen to paper so that this part of Thursley’s history was not forgotten by future generations. This article attempts to share with Thursley villagers how our Polish neighbours made this their home, their facilities in the Camp and their day to day activities with many settling locally after the camp closed in 1957. Their father in the camp in 1948 There were three types of buildings in the Camp: Wooden Barracks – homes for the Polish families – built on concrete foundations that can still be seen with pressure treated clad softwood walls and doors and Crittal windows. For insulation they were lined with 12mm fibreboard and the roof with thick felt tiles. The Rogalski’s lived at No 39. Three were three rooms to accommodate the family. There were no modern day facilities no running water, no power for a cooker, no sink, no gas. Cooking was done on a ‘Primus’ stove until in 1953 a a coal fire was acquired which was used for cooking and heating. The camp had a communal bath and shower complex which also housed large white enamelled sinks for washing clothes (washboards and mangles). On washdays this was a meeting place – with laughter, exchange of stories and friendly gossip. Lavatories were situated separately in latrines. Brick built outhouses – most permanent with  boilers and electric transformer. Nissen Huts – tunnel shaped structures of galvanised corrugated sheet steel – these were used as simple and secure workshops   Much creativity was used by Mrs Rogalski to provide basic necessities of life – clothes were handmade, vegetables were grown in their own garden, plus deliveries from the local grocer and hardware merchant, Mr Karn, from his store in Thursley inc fresh bread, butter, cheese. She also kept chickens and geese for fresh meat and eggs plus down for pillows and quilts. A favourite activity was picking wild mushrooms from the woods which ere then dried to season soups and other dishes   For other items there was the occasional adventure on the number 24 bus into Guildford. The Camp was a safe fun place for the children to play and with increasing numbers of children in the mid 50s there were many friends and playmates. There was a real sense of solidarity and social cohesion in the camp that made their childhood idyllic and trouble free. Earning a living  - having been demobilised from the forces the mot important issue was how to eke out a living and were to settle permanently. They could not go back to their home district as this was no longer in Poland but in USSR. The decision was England, but the two problems were language and lack of training as thy were too young before the war to have had any professional education. There were no doctors, solicitors or dentists in the camp as any such qualified professionals had settled in London and the Tweedsmuir community had to turn to them when specialist help was required. The Godalski’s did just that when buying a London home in 1957. For the inhabitants of Tweedsmuir finding employment was a tightly controlled process operated by British authorities – issued with a Certificate of Registration. The mother sought worked at Secretts Farm in June 1952. Many people in the camp were employed in engineering, building and agriculture. Most ‘engineers’ were employed by Dennis, Guildford. Mr Grodalski was employed by Nutbourne Brickworks Ltd, construction of houses in Godalming. 1948 to 1952 Mrs Grodalski stayed at home to bring up the two children and then as a land girl at Secretts Farm, crop picking. Secretts organised an annual works outing for its workers – one year it was a trip to London to the pantomime. In this way the family earned the monies to provide the family with the requirements of life. A Corpus Cristi procession and a celebration of Holy Communion Tweedsmuir inhabitants were isolated both physically and socially from the English community and the children were immersed solely into Polish culture and custom until they were of school age and were enrolled in ‘Elstead Junior Mixed and Infants School. Culture in the camp revolved around chapel, community centre and kindergarten – each of which was in converted barracks. The chapel had 3 sections – altar, vestry and nave with a small organ at the back. The Polish priest and spiritual leader was Father Bystry. Here is another write up of life in Tweedsmuir: https://www.polishresettlementcampsintheuk.co.uk/tweedsmuir.htm

Jill produced four calendars of her beautiful photographs taken in and around Thursley, with some featuring her husband Ray. 2011 This is one of Jill's favourite photographs 2012 Jill captioned this calendar: 1. The track to the village; 2. Fallow deer at Petworth; 3. Frensham Little Pond; 4. No planes; 5. Waggoners Wells; 6. 5:20am at Pudmore; 7. Summer storm coming to the Downs; 9. South-west from the Hogs Back; 10, Water droplet; 11. Fog lifting from Frensham Great Pond; 12. Sunset from Cuckoo Corner, Milford. 2013 2014