The Christmas Party At Harbourne Hall

A Memory of High Halden.

My name is Linda Bannister and I was born at Lodge Farm, High Halden.  Does anyone remember Harbourne Hall before it was demolished?  My fond memory is of a Christmas Party at the Hall when I was five years old.  My memory is as follows:-

The milk churn stand stood on the side of the lane by the big old oak tree and as you rounded the corner our house stood on the left.  It was once the lodge to the big hall, otherwise known as Harbourne Hall, which was approached by a long roughly made up road which in spring was adorned with masses of daffodils.  The Hall was built of bright red bricks with a flat roof. At one end it had a belfry and on windy nights the bell would tinkle in the wind.  Huge fir trees surrounded the Hall with its long dark windows and somewhat stark appearance.  There was a court yard behind the main Hall where there was a door which led to the main cellars beneath the Hall. The owners of the Hall were Freddie and Marjorie Parsons. Freddie was a robust man with a bright red rosy face and liked a tipple or two. The cellars of the Hall were full of boxes of apples in the autumn and this would be where Freddie would make his cider and store it in large wooden barrels ready for the winter.

On this particular December evening just before Christmas my mother and I had been invited to a Christmas Party at the Hall. It had been snowing all day and our feet crunched in the crispy snow as we walked up the unmade road. The Hall looked amazing, so much different from its usual stark appearance.  The lights from the windows danced across the large front lawn and flickered in the huge fir trees. The bell tower and roof were capped with a white layer of snow which sparkled in the light and an owl hooted in the bell tower as we approached the Hall. As we knocked on the large front doors Freddie welcomed us and showed us in to the main entrance hall which had a black and white mosaic tiled floor, there was a roaring fire in the fireplace and a magnificent Christmas tree stood in the corner clad in Christmas baubles and lighted candles. There was the smell of apples and wam cider and a huge table full of festive treats. Bundles of holly and Christmas garlands hung from the wall and a young man played carols on a baby grand piano. We wore Christmas hats, played games, pulled crackers and ate the festive treats and had so much fun .

At midnight we left the Hall and all the fun and trudged back home in the snow by torchlight. Our house was gloomy and cold but at least we had a wondeful evening with memories to behold.

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