| Fernhurst | |
The Green |
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Fernhurst
Fernhurst shown within West Sussex |
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| Area | 23.37 km2 (9.02 sq mi) [1] |
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| Population | 2,765 [1] 2001 Census |
| - Density | 118 /km2 (310 /sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU896284 |
| - London | 41 miles (66 km) NE |
| Parish | Fernhurst |
| District | Chichester |
| Shire county | West Sussex |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HASLEMERE |
| Postcode district | GU27 |
| Dialling code | 01428 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | West Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Chichester |
| List of places: UK • England • West Sussex | |
Fernhurst is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located on the A286 Guildford to Chichester road, three miles (5 km) south of Haslemere. The parish includes the settlements of Henley Common, Kingsley Green and Bell Vale and is sited within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park.
The area of the parish is 2337 hectares (5772 acres). In the 2001 census there were 1,158 households with a total population of 2,765 of whom 1,244 were economically active.[1]
The village is surrounded by hills, including Telegraph Hill 676 feet (206 m), Marley Heights 700 feet (210 m), Bexley Hill 600 feet (180 m), Fridays Hill 675 feet (206 m) and the highest hill in Sussex, Blackdown 919 feet (280 m) to the northeast. It is surrounded by miles of footpaths, the path to the summit of Blackdown commencing at the Red Lion.
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The village, on the Weald, originally developed around crossroads (The Cross) and the village green, and ancient remains (Stone Age and Roman) have been found here. Iron working took place in the 17th/18th centuries; and a turnpike ran through the village. The church, dedicated to St Margaret, (c.1100) and Red Lion pub are located here and several old houses still remain. With the coming of the railway to Haslemere the village developed around and beyond The Cross, and since the 1960s the village has expanded further westwards. The village houses a commuter population, attracted by the proximity of Haslemere railway station.
In November 2006 the Fernhurst Society published a book, "Voices of Fernhurst", comprising edited extracts of oral history interviews with local villagers.
The Verdley estate, about a mile south east of the village was the home of ICI's Plant Protection Division in the 80s and subsequently a Zeneca research and development centre.
The Anglican parish church, dedicated to St Margaret, was rebuilt in the nineteenth century, the south aisle in 1859 and the tower and spire as part of a general restoration by Anthony Salvin in 1881. The interior is plain.[2]
Every May the traditional "Revels" fete is held on the green, raising funds for village societies and some local charities. The event includes various local May-time celebrations, such as maypole dancing, and the May queen is elected from the local school. In May 2006 a film of the village for the Meridian ITV programme "Village voices" was filmed involving the revels and local craftsmen. It was screened on 15 August 2006.