Hascombe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hascombe | |
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| Population | 241 (2001 Census) |
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| OS grid reference | |
| District | Waverley |
| Shire county | Surrey |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Godalming |
| Postcode district | GU8 |
| Dial code | 01483 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | South West Surrey |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| List of places: UK • England • Surrey | |
The village of Hascombe contains a cluster of cottages and country estates, St Peter's church, the village green and The White Horse pub, all nestling between wooded hillsides in Surrey. The village is situated approximately midway between Godalming and Cranleigh.
The village pub, The White Horse, is a 16th/17th century building, with many later additions, constructed from the local Bargate stone.
Hascombe's natural fresh-water spring attracts many visitors: the fountain itself was commissioned in 1887 by local landowner Edward Lee Rowcliffe as as memorial to his late brother. It was during a stay at Hoe Farm in 1915 that statesman and future Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill learned to paint.
St Peter's church was rebuilt during the mid-19th century, but retains its medieval screen, made from Jerusalem olive trees and featuring elaborate carvings, and a font dating back to 1690. Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman described the church as "a Tractarian work of art". The damming of a stream in the 1600s created the Church Pond.
Even by the standards of the surrounding area, Hascombe is remarkably affluent: Russian multi-billionaire Boris Berezovsky and broadcaster/producer Chris Evans both own homes in the village. Hascombe is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Winkworth Arboretum, with its collection of rare trees and shrubs, is nearby and there are walks through the surrounding hills and along the greensand way.
[edit] Hascombe Hill
At 644 feet (197 metres), Hascombe Hill is the sixth highest point in Surrey. In the 1st century BC is was the site of an Iron Age fort. In the early 19th century it became an important naval telegraph station, using a mechanical form of semaphore to communicate with Netley Heath in Surrey on one side and Blackdown in Sussex on the other. A chain of such stations linked London with Portsmouth.
