Coldharbour
Coldharbour photos (22 available)
Coldharbour maps (2 available)
Map of Surrey
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Coldharbour books (24 available)
- 5 photos on Coldharbour appear in 3 Frith books - View photos of Coldharbour
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Coldharbour and Surrey
Coldharbour memories
Read and share memories of Coldharbour and Surrey inspired by Frith photos
My childhood in Coldharbour
In July 1959, I was born at home, to Eric and Ann Shields in Coldharbour village. My father was the village policeman; we lived in what was then the police house, which was situated next to the village shop opposite the schoolhouse. All of these properties have now been turned into private homes, but in the scheme of things, the wonder of Coldharbour is how little has changed in almost 50 years.
I have two older sisters Julia and Lynette. I think a third girl may have been something of a disappointment to my Dad who was secretly hoping for a boy to follow in his footsteps. In the fullness of time he was not disappointed; ...read more here
Contributed by First name Last name
Surrey memories
My childhood in Coldharbour
In July 1959, I was born at home, to Eric and Ann Shields in Coldharbour village. My father was the village policeman; we lived in what was then the police house, which was situated next to the village shop opposite the schoolhouse. All of these properties have now been turned into private homes, but in the scheme of things, the wonder of Coldharbour is how little has changed in almost 50 years.
I have two older sisters Julia and Lynette. I think a third girl may have been something of a disappointment to my Dad who was secretly hoping for a boy to follow in his footsteps. In the fullness of time he was not disappointed; ...read more here
A memory of Coldharbour contributed by First name Last name
Wounded World War One soldiers?
I'm pretty sure my great grandfather Hubert John Cavell, was brought here after becoming wounded in Ypres, in Belgium. He died on 22/04/1917. Does anybody have any information? I know that the Queen Alexandra nurses trained there.
A memory of Holmwood contributed by Hubert Bristow
My birthplace
I was born in the master bedroom on the main floor to the existing owners of Anstie.
During our 3 years there we converted it to suites and modernised it considerably.
On the day that I was born there were construction workers in the house and one of them cried when he heard the sound of a newborn baby, I was told many times.
My parents split in 1956 and my mother sold it and moved to Canada. She regretted the move all her life as it was a special place for her.
She trimmed the yew hedge diligently and was delighted to see how it had been maintained 30 years later when she visited it.
I have a ...read more here
A memory of Holmwood contributed by Rosemary Watkins
Extracts From Coldharbour & Surrey books
Clinging to the steep escarpment below Leith Hill, this village centre is, at 750ft, the highest in Surrey. Facing out across the Weald, 400ft below, this small group of sandstone cottages is close to an Iron Age fort. The village stands on the old King's High Way running from London to Arundel, which was nonetheless also a major smuggling route in the early 19th century.
An extract from from"Surrey Revisited Photographic Memories".
Landslips have been
known to occur here
when rainfall has been
exceptionally high.
In December 2000, it was
estimated that 400,000
cubic metres of earth was
slowly moving down the
side of Leith Hill. A section
of road near here buckled,
and it remained closed
for six months. Finally,
the ground was stabilised
and the road was repaired.
There were previous
landslips at Coldharbour
in 1673 and 1866.
An extract from from"Villages of Surrey Photographic Memories".
The village is the
highest in Surrey at
750ft above sea level; it
is situated on the east
side of Leith Hill. In
the distance beyond
the trees is the site
of Anstiebury Camp,
an Iron Age hill fort.
Excavations have
revealed that it had
two ramparts. This
view of the Plough
Inn and the handful
of cottages has hardly
changed over the last
100 years.
An extract from from"Villages of Surrey Photographic Memories".
This splendid interior captures the
atmosphere of a 1950s pub
beautifully. The shirt-sleeved
landlord, his hair slicked with
Brylcreem, has his sleeves rolled
up and a tie at his neck. The G-
Plan style floral fabric-cushioned
chairs, the odd stools, the horse
brasses and the vertical timber
boarded bar front are a wonderful
evocation. Note the advertisement
for ‘Hot Bangers’ above the bar:
remember that fifty years ago, pub
and food were words that did not
go together, so this was an
enterprising landlord.
An extract from from"Surrey Living Memories".
A little further on is the
Plough, which we can see
on the right behind the
telephone kiosk (which is
still there). The lane behind
Frith’s photographer
becomes the track up to
Leith Hill. Behind the pub
and the house rears the
wooded slopes of
Anstiebury Camp, one of
Surrey’s finest Iron Age
hillforts, dating from the
second century BC; its
ramparts enclose over 11 acres.
An extract from from"Surrey Living Memories".