Beacon Hill (Hindhead, Surrey)

Beacon Hill, Hindhead

The village centre
Beacon Hill, Hindhead
 Beacon Hill, Hindhead shown within Surrey
OS grid referenceSU883366
Civil parishHaslemere
DistrictWaverley
Shire countySurrey
RegionSouth East
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town Hindhead
Postcode district GU26
Dialling code 01428
Police Surrey
Fire Surrey
Ambulance South East Coast
EU Parliament South East England
UK ParliamentSouth West Surrey
List of places
UK
England
Surrey

Coordinates: 51°07′20″N 0°45′10″W / 51.1222°N 0.7529°W / 51.1222; -0.7529

Beacon Hill, while ecumenically and administratively part of Hindhead, Surrey, is a discrete settlement with its own history, amenities and character. Demographically and geographically it is larger than the settlement at Hindhead crossroads.

There are three churches, a primary school, a shopping area and a range of sporting facilities and activities in Beacon Hill.

Geography

Beacon Hill lies principally between two main roads to the north-west of Hindhead: the A287 Haslemere to Farnham road and the Tilford Road, an alternative and more rural route from Hindhead to Farnham via the village of Tilford. The nearest village to the north-west is Churt.

History

Beacon Hill is so-named because it was originally one of many beacon sites across England. The area began to be settled in the 19th century when people who could afford it built houses there to take advantage of the clean environment. John Tyndall declared the air to be as pure as that in the Swiss alps.[1]

The Woodcock Inn served as Beacon Hill's only public house from the early 20th century[2] until it closed in about 2008 and was subsequently demolished for housing.

Amenities

Worship

St Alban's church and the village war memorial

Education

Beacon Hill School

Beacon Hill Community Primary School is a secular school occupying two sites in the village with 208 pupils aged 4 to 11 in 2013.[7][8]

Scouting

Hindhead Scouts and Guides have for many years met in a hut in Cricket Close built in about 1923. In 2013 efforts were begun to raise funds for a new building with an estimated cost of £50,000.[9]

Royal British Legion Club

Hindhead Royal British Legion Club has stood in Beacon Hill Road since the early 20th century, hosts numerous events throughout the year and has sport and leisure facilities including two floodlit tennis courts, bowls, darts and snooker.[10]

Marchants Hill

Marchants Hill camp, built in 1939 by the National Camps Corporation, was used in World War 2 to accommodate child evacuees from East Ham in London.[11][12] The camp continued as a holiday and adventure venue for city children after the war[13] and in 2015 is run by the activity holiday company PGL Ltd, on the 45 acres (18 ha) site.[14]

Sport

Hindhead Cricket Club 2014

The playing fields at Marchants Hill are home to Hindhead Athletic Football Club, Beacon Hill Junior Football Club and Hindhead Cricket Club.[15] The cricket ground hosted two international women's cricket matches in the 1950s: Molly Hide's XI against Australia Women in 1951[16] and South Women Second XI against New Zealand Women in 1954.[17]

Hindhead Golf Course and Club was established in 1904. One of its founders and first president was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who lived at Hindhead at the time. Numerous notable people have been members over the years, including Peter Alliss who lives nearby.

Hindhead Tennis Club's home is at the Royal British Legion Club; the courts have floodlighting.[18]

Shops and events

References

  1. "History of Hindhead and Beacon Hill (Haslemere Design Statement)" (PDF). Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  2. "Woodcock Inn, 1922 (Frith: photos and memories)". Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  3. "St Alban's, Hindhead". Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  4. "St Anselm's". Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  5. "St Anselm's History". Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  6. "Beacon Hill United Reformed Church". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  7. "Beacon Hill Community Primary: Ofsted report 2013". Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  8. "Ofsted: Beacon Hill Community Primary School". Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  9. "Fun day to help build a new Scout Hut". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  10. "Hindhead Royal British Legion". Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  11. "BBC WW2 People's War". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  12. "Imperial War Museum: School for evacuees...Marchants Hill". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  13. "Francis Frith: Marchants Hill Camp circa 1955". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  14. "PGL: Centres and locations". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  15. "Hindhead Cricket Club". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  16. "ME Hide's XI v Australia Women". Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  17. "South Women XI v New Zealand Women". Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  18. "Waverley Borough Council: Hindhead Tennis Club". Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  19. "Beacon Hill Beer Festival". Retrieved 7 February 2014.

External links

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