AGM and Spring Meeting - Our AGM/Spring meeting will take place on Wednesday, 8 May 2024 in the Victoria Hall at 7.30pm. Our guest speaker, Colonel Paul Bennett, will be giving a talk on
“Alanbrooke and Hartley Wintney - his haven in Hampshire”
Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke (1883-1963) is perhaps the most distinguished person to have lived in Hartley Wintney. He was the Chief of the Imperial General Staff - CIGS - (professional head of the British Army) from December 1941 to June 1946, succeeded by Field Marshal Montgomery. As such he was Churchill’s most senior military adviser for most of the Second World War and is still widely regarded as the greatest CIGS in British history.
Following on from the success of two books announced in early 2023 which presented some of the rich history of the civil parish of Hartley Wintney in a format of Then and Now using narrative and pictures covering buildings and landscapes we are very pleased to announce two new books describing the history of Hartley Wintney – also written by local historians Nick Maslin and Andy Morris. They are both 150 pages in length and fully illustrated in colour.
The first book covers the early history of the village and its Priory - the period from the very earliest settlers up to the end of the Elizabethan period after Wintney Priory had been dissolved. It was the Saxons that first established a small settlement around the current site of St Mary’s church. Wintney Priory was created in the late twelfth century and dominated the local village life for over three hundred years.
The second book covers the Revolutions and village life - the 250 years between Elizabeth I’s visit to Elvetham in 1591 and the first national census in 1841. During this time there were periods of warfare and strife. Industrial and agrarian revolutions impacted farming practice whilst the transport changes resulting in the creation of turnpike roads provided economic opportunities from the coaching trade - then the railway arrived. This is the fascinating story of the local people at that time and the effect of those turbulent years on Hartley Wintney village life.
Both books can be ordered via the Society’s website and cost £10 each.
If you care about the village you live in and would like to know more about its rich history and heritage, please join the Society to show your support.
