Headley, East Hampshire


Headley is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 1.8 miles east of Bordon on the B3002 road.
The nearest railway station is 3.6 miles south of the village at Liphook.
The civil parish of Headley has a population of over 5,500. The parish comprises a number of settlements as well as the village of Headley itself: Standford, Arford, Headley Down, Barford, Wishanger, Sleaford, Trottsford, and part of Hollywater. Current area is 4,862 acres. The original parish also included Grayshott, Lindford, and a considerable portion of Bordon. The ecclesiastical parish of All Saints, Headley served Lindford and Bordon, although not Grayshott, until March 2002 — since then Bordon has become a separate ecclesiastical parish.

History

Headley is the oldest of three villages in the south of England of that name and has gone through a number of name spellings, but was first noted in the Domesday Book of 1086, at which time Eustace II, Count of Boulogne was tenant-in-chief and Lord. In 1066, Earl Godwin held it.

Amenities

All Saints Anglican Church is in the centre of the village, and is in the Diocese of Guildford. The church predates 1836 when the wooden-shingled spire burnt down. The church was subsequently rebuilt in 1859. Features in the rebuilt church date its existence back at least to the 13th century. Nikolaus Pevsner noted that the oblong piece of 13th century stained glass of a female saint being decapitated was ”exquisite”.
Headley Cricket Club is to the west of the village centre, their grounds also accommodating bowls and soccer clubs. Headley C.C play in the I Anson league and have 3 senior teams, as well as youth teams.
The Holly Bush is a public house in the centre of the village. It dates from the 19th century. Its predecessor of the same name is believed to have been on the other side of the road when William Cobbett visited Headley in 1822.
Headley Theatre Club was founded in 1952, building on the success of a pageant held to celebrate the Festival of Britain the previous year. It was felt that an organisation should be formed in the Village to encourage such enthusiasm and talent on a more permanent basis. The Club puts on a pantomime, a 3-act play and a musical event each year.

Notable inhabitants