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Hale
Hale maps
Historic maps of Hale and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Hale maps
Hale photos
We have no photos of Hale, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Downton| Fordingbridge| Whiteparish| Bodenham| North Gorley| Linwood| Britford| Alderholt| Ibsley| Sherfield English| Coombe Bissett| Minstead
Hale area books
Displaying 1 of 22 books about Hale and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Hale
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Hampshire memories
More Memories of Blissford
My previous memories caused quite a bit of interest and several people who either knew me, or the area got in touch. I thought I would add a bit more to those memories. I mentioned how close we were to the bombing range which the RAF had fenced in. Some ten thousand acres were involved and after the war the RAF kept a small bomb disposal section to deal with unexploded bombs. They were based at Godshill and one one occasion Peter Skinner and Billy Sheen found an unexploded 28lb bomb on the edge of the forest. They were given a ride in a half track to show the bomb disposal squad where the bomb was. It made me so jealous at the time not to have been one of the ones who found that bomb. Sandyballs was owned by the Westlake family who were Quakers and for many years it operated as a campsite with a few permanent residents and as a holiday... Read more
Growing up in Blissford
I was born here in 1939, three weeks before the outbreak of war. We lived at Hilltop a bungalow built for my parents in 1937. There was no electricity until 1952 although we had mains water. The road outside was only partially sealed. I remember seeing shot up aircraft being taken down through the village and up on to the bombing range. I attended Godshill C of C school from 1944 - 1949 when I passed the 11+ and went to Bishop Wordsworths grammar school in Salisbury. This involved a forty minute bus journey, changing at Breamore. My father was a market gardener, we had about 9 acres of land. He bought one of the first Ferguson tractors in 1947 and paid cash as I recall seeing the money being counted out on the kitchen table.
We grew rhubard and made quite a lot of money out of it during the war years as fresh fruit was very scarce. We also kept chickens and one of my most hated jobs... Read more
Growing up in Fordingbridge
I grew up in Fordingbridge between 1949 when I was born and 1967 when I left for University. I have so many memories that I couldn't possibly put them all down here, so I am just selecting a few good or striking ones. Anyone who remembers the town will know that it once had two chemist shops, four pubs (or more) four grocers, three butchers, a shoe shop, a gents' tailors and of course a proper department store - where I used to buy seamed stockings! I remember well the fun we used to have in the 1950s, roaming the felds around my early childhood home, catching sticklebacks in jam jars and swimming in the streams and in the river by the rec'. I remember the winter of 1963 when it snowed on Boxing Day or thereabouts - it was a Saturday night any way - and we were then snowed in for about three days. The winter was so cold that the snow didn't melt fully until March.... Read more
Memorys
Came to Minstead for a weeks break to help my wife rest and recover from breast cancer.
Stayed in a very nice thatched cottage.
We live in a village in Saddleworth that is beautiful, but Minstead the village the people and most of all the church just made it so nice.
Just to sit in the garden of the Minstead cottage at night and look at the stars in the calm night was so nice.
Although it can't cure my beautiful wife's dreadful cancer, it did help just to walk down tree and flower covered lanes and be in such a peaceful place.
My wife has always had horses but had to let them go due to her illness so to see so many beautiful animals was great, I'm sure a ride through the forest would just take her back to happier and healthier times, maybe next year as we will be back.
I would highly recommend a walk back in time when people and feelings mattered.
A walk through... Read more
The Old Cottage
The cottage on the left of the photo was The Old Cottage and my grandparents (my father's parents) were living in it at the time the photo was taken.
After my grandfather's death my parents, my brother and sister and I together with my mother's mother moved down from Birmingham and living with my grandmother until we moved into our new house. My grandmother only died in 2006 and is now buried at Minstead churchyard.
It was a lovely house and I have wonderful memories of it.
The Local 'Copper'
The policeman seen standing on duty outside the public house has been indentified as PC 65 H R Hood. He was the village 'Copper', spending 15 years of his service in Cadnam. This was a favourite traffic duty spot in those days, as this was the main crossroads of the Southampton to Bournemouth and the Winchester to Lymington highways. Even though in those days there was less traffic, it was never the less a very busy road with many hazards.
Overnight Stay...
I stayed at Twin Oaks one night in October 2008. I arrived very late after escaping from some motorway works madness, but my hostess was very welcoming and supportive. She explained that the twin oak at the front of the building is much admired, especially by the Francis Frith company photographer when this photo was taken. I was visiting because my g g g grandfather was living in Cadnam in 1841. James Peckham, son of Moses, was born at Sherfield English nearby, and he and his family lived in the area for decades. His daughter, Sarah, married a Henry Humby and they lived in Bartley. I was told that there are still Humby's living in the area, but time did not allow me to follow up on that lead. The Sir John Barleycorn situated opposite Twin Oaks, is a fine building with attractive premises and fine fare on offer. It is well used by the locals. I visited The White Hart Inn whose original building is still distinguishable beneath the... Read more
