Beacon Hill (Hindhead, Surrey)
| Beacon Hill, Hindhead | |
|---|---|
 The village centre |
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 Beacon Hill, Hindhead
|
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| Beacon Hill, Hindhead shown within Surrey | |
| OS grid reference | SU883366 |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Hindhead |
| Postcode district | GU26 |
| Dialling code | 01428 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Beacon Hill, while ecumenically and administratively part of Hindhead, Surrey, is a discrete settlement with its own history, amenities and character. Demographically and geographically it is larger than the settlement at Hindhead crossroads.
There are three churches, a primary school, a shopping area and a range of sporting facilities and activities in Beacon Hill.
Beacon Hill lies principally between two main roads to the north-west of Hindhead: the A287 Haslemere to Farnham road and the Tilford Road, an alternative and more rural route from Hindhead to Farnham via the village of Tilford. The nearest village to the north-west is Churt.
Beacon Hill is so-named because it was originally one of many beacon sites across England. The area began to be settled in the 19th century when people who could afford it built houses there to take advantage of the clean environment. John Tyndall declared the air to be as pure as that in the Swiss alps.
The Woodcock Inn served as Beacon Hill's only public house from the early 20th century until it closed in about 2008 and was subsequently demolished for housing.
Beacon Hill Community Primary School is a secular school occupying two sites in the village with 208 pupils aged 4 to 11 in 2013.
Hindhead Scouts and Guides have for many years met in a hut in Cricket Close built in about 1923. In 2013 efforts were begun to raise funds for a new building with an estimated cost of £50,000.
Hindhead Royal British Legion Club has stood in Beacon Hill Road since the early 20th century, hosts numerous events throughout the year and has sport and leisure facilities including two floodlit tennis courts, bowls, darts and snooker.
Marchants Hill camp, built in 1939 by the National Camps Corporation, was used in World War 2 to accommodate child evacuees from East Ham in London. The camp continued as a holiday and adventure venue for city children after the war and in 2015 is run by the activity holiday company PGL Ltd, on the 45 acres (18 ha) site.
The playing fields at Marchants Hill are home to Hindhead Athletic Football Club, Beacon Hill Junior Football Club and Hindhead Cricket Club. The cricket ground hosted two international women's cricket matches in the 1950s: Molly Hide's XI against Australia Women in 1951 and South Women Second XI against New Zealand Women in 1954.
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Wikipedia