Many in Hambledon will wish to pay their last respects to John Tidmarsh but will be unable to attend his funeral because of the current Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Instead, villagers may choose to wave him off as his funeral cortege travels from St Mary’s Church, Chiddingfold, passing the turn off to Lane End, Hambledon, close to his family home at Meadow Cottage. This will take place on Tuesday March 30th.

Rosie and Jo, John’s daughters, have shared their memories of their father, a respected and popular character who contributed so much to community life in Hambledon, particularly at the village shop.

John spent much of his childhood in Chiddingfold. He played cricket there for many years and worshiped at St Mary’s, the parish church. 

The hearse will leave the church at 12.45pm and travel along Petworth Road, passing Chiddingfold cricket ground, and on towards Hambledon where, at the junction with Lane End, it will turn left into New Road at approximately 12.50pm. It will then take the country lanes to Grayshott, for a service at the Heatherley Wood memorial ground.

Rosie said: “If you would like to pay your respects and wave John off, we invite you to safely position yourself somewhere on the side of the road, along the route of the hearse.”

She pointed out that the hearse will not be entering Hambledon, but can be seen as it reaches the Lane End junction with the A283. As for John’s send off, she said that those paying their respects can do so with “flag, daffodil, cricket bat or football scarf”, and that “waving and cheering is encouraged”.

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The Easter holidays are drawing close, and St Peter’s is marking this special time in the Church year with an egg hunt around the village.

Timed to coincide with the school break, families are invited to take part in The Great Hambledon Easter Egg Hunt, which will run from Saturday April 3^rd through to Sunday April 25^th. Continue reading →

The Lane End gas road works have now progressed and the road is now open. Friday 19th.

The parish council has been advised that three-way traffic lights will be in operation at the junction of Lane End, Malthouse Lane and Vann Lane to allow engineers to complete installing new gas mains to the entrance of St Dominic’s School. It is hoped that this work will be concluded by Wednesday March 31st and the temporary lights will remain in use until then. Engineers will return at a later date to complete the connection up to the school buildings.

UPDATE Friday March 19th : Lane End has reopened. This was to have happened tomorrow  (see story below) but has been brought forward as work has progressed well.

The parish council has been advised that three-way traffic lights will be in operation at the junction of Lane End, Malthouse Lane and Vann Lane to allow engineers to complete installing new gas mains to the entrance of St Dominic’s School.

It is hoped that this work will be concluded by Wednesday March 31st and the temporary lights will remain in use until then. Engineers will return at a later date to complete the connection up to the school buildings.

Hambledon Parish Council has received the following notice from English Rural, a specialist provider of community-led affordable homes.

• Although English Rural has specified an initial deadline for applications of March 30th, it is likely that this may be extended if no suitable purchaser is found by that time. Priority is given to applicants with Hambledon connections. For more about English Rural please open this link: https://englishrural.org.uk/ or https://englishrural.org.uk/property/1-duncombs-cottages-hambledon-shared-ownership/

Hambledon Cricket Club has reported a repeated act of vandalism to the police after the rope that protects the square and batting crease was cut yet again.

This senseless criminal damage has occurred at least four times in the last 12 months and first occurred more than four years ago.  The blue polypropylene rope does not prevent access to the cricket green outfield but simply protects the playing surface of the square in the middle.

This surface requires careful preparation and maintenance and all cricket clubs take similar measures to protect this surface from people walking or cycling across it. Ground staff, as well as players, pay great attention to the condition and characteristics of the square, which have a fundamental impact on a match and its outcome.

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A new parish noticeboard has been installed close to the Hydestile Crossroads, clearly visible to people entering the village and replacing the old one on the bus shelter wall.

The board is made of oak and has a lockable cabinet. It was manufactured by the Norbury Park Sawmill, which is operated by the Surrey Wildlife Trust within the Norbury Park conservation area on the North Downs, which the Trust manages on behalf of Surrey County Council*.

A Hambledon resident has contacted the village web site to alert villagers to thefts after a break-in at his property.

Alfie Hammond, who owns Hammond’s Yard on the Cricket Green, had a large and valuable quantity of copper stolen. He estimates that it amounted to about 200 cwt (approximately 10,000 kilos)  with a value of about £4.50 a kilo.

The theft occurred earlier this week. Alf is neighbourhood watch coordinator for the Cricket Green and urged people to be on the look-out for suspicious activity.

Police have also issued warnings that thieves do not respect lockdown restrictions and remain active, with garden sheds and outhouses particularly at risk.

Contact details for neighbourhood watch coordinators can be found on the Home menu under Essential  Information on this website and in the monthly parish magazine.

John Tidmarsh, a much-loved and respected Hambledon resident who has given years of volunteer service across the village, died on Saturday morning (Feb 27th).

A familiar figure behind the Post Office counter since the shop became a community venture, John and his wife Annie were among the most liked and valued residents, and a huge debt of gratitude is owed to them both.

John’s death from cancer after a short illness came almost a year after that of his beloved wife Annie. She also died from cancer, on March 5th, 2020.

Two examples of thoughtless and destructive behaviour in and around Hambledon have been brought to the attention of the parish council and the village website team.

Hambledon’s local, the Merry Harriers, is hoping to reopen in mid-April to serve food and drink outdoors, following the Government’s announcement of a phased lifting of lockdown restrictions.

The announcement this week stated that restaurants and pubs with gardens will be allowed to serve customers sitting outside, including alcoholic drinks, from April 12^th.  There will no longer be a requirement to eat a “substantial meal”.

In a posting on social media the Harriers said that it plans to reopen on Thursday April 15th. The earliest it will be able to receive customers indoors is May 17th.

It is likely that Hambledon Village Hall will be able to reopen at the same time, following the lifting of restrictions that required the closure of community building.

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Hambledon Parish Council has maintained its contact with SGN concerning the road closure at Lane End where new gas mains are being installed.

It has continued to request that the road be opened, under traffic light control or at weekends and evenings. SGN and its contractors agreed to review the situation. However, SGN has now stated unequivocally that the complete closure will remain in place for the duration of the undertaking. It cites health and safety and Covid-19 requirements as its reason for the decision.

The road was closed for an anticipated 12-weeks in early January and SGN has confirmed to the parish council that work is on target. The closure means no access in or out of the village from the A283 Petworth Road and a three-mile diversion through Milford.

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The Hall Hunter Partnership, which owns and operates Tuesley Farm, is seeking planning permission to extend its use of polytunnels under which it grows soft fruit.

The farm occupies land that stretches between the Hambledon parish boundary at Hydestile, to Tuesley Lane and the railway line at Milford. Its main crops are strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.