Rowledge

Coordinates: 51°10′56″N 0°49′27″W / 51.1822°N 0.8241°W / 51.1822; -0.8241

Rowledge
The Square, including village sign
Rowledge  Rowledge shown within Surrey
Population	1,578 [1]
OS grid reference	SU822432
District	Waverley
Shire county	Surrey
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Farnham
Postcode district	GU10
Dialling code	01252
Police	Surrey
Fire	Surrey
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	South West Surrey
List of places: UK • England • Surrey

Rowledge is a village in England, situated on the Surrey–Hampshire border. It lies south of the A31 at Farnham. Neighbouring villages include Wrecclesham, Spreakley and Frensham. To the south west of the village is the Alice Holt Forest; to the west is Birdworld.

Geography

Rowledge lies in the southwest corner of Surrey, some three miles south west of the town of Farnham.

The Ecclesiastical Parish of Rowledge is probably unique in that it straddles the Hampshire Border, with St James’ Church and the School being located in Hampshire. It was formed in 1869 from parts of Farnham, Frensham and Binsted (Hampshire) parishes and includes the hamlets of Holt Pound and Bucks Horn Oak in Hampshire.

The former Civil Parish, covering the area within Surrey, now forms part of the Farnham Ward of Wrecclesham and Rowledge.

The Village is bounded to the north by the Bourne Valley (an “Area of Strategic Visual Importance” or ASVI) and Wrecclesham and Boundstone/Upper Bourne; to the west by the Alice Holt Forest; to the east by open countryside and to the south by further open countryside designated as an “Area of Great Landscape Value” or AGLV.

History

The area was originally agricultural or common land and comprised several large farms and scattered cottages, several of which still exist. In the 1841 Census, there were only about 50 dwellings and 250 inhabitants within the boundaries of what is now known as Rowledge. No listed building is in the parish on the National Heritage list. Fir Grove House, later rebuilt as Frensham Heights by Charles Charrington, the brewer, and now a private school is situated in the southern part of the parish. A rather haphazard pattern of trackways and footpaths traversed the area which still exist today and formed the basis for the present-day road network.

The coming of the railways to Farnham in 1848 and the development of Aldershot as the home of the British Army in 1854, resulted in an influx of wealthy businessmen and Army officers, and saw the construction of many large houses in the late Victorian era. Tradesmen and service providers established themselves. The area was important for hop growing, supporting the brewing industry in Farnham.

The Parish Church of St James’ was built in 1869 and the School in 1872. The Methodist Church was established in 1875 and a new building erected in 1886. By 1871, a recognisable centre to the Village was established, with a post office, shops, public house and transport links to Farnham. A Rowledge cricket team did particularly well at the original Oval at Holt Pound so as to reach the village final at Lord's Cricket Ground and so the village sign depicts cricketers.

Further development, particularly in the early 1900’s, followed the established road network and gradually filled in the open fields, creating the present-day village of Rowledge.

In 1914 the Village Hall was built and the Recreation Ground became the centre for local cricket. Tennis and Bowls Clubs were established in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Another surge in development took place in the 1960’s and 1970’s, including Rowledge’s first and only, housing estate in 1972.

It is estimated^{[by whom?]} that the current population comprises some 1600 people, with around 600 properties (based on the 2001 Census).

There is much debate about the origins of the name of Rowledge. According to "The Way We Were - a Social History of the Village of Rowledge" by Flora Westlake, the village was once called "Rowditch", renowned for fights between local youths across the ditch that formed the Surrey/Hampshire border. She states that in Victorian times, the name changed to "Roughditch" and had the reputation of a generally lawless place. The nearby Vicar of Wrecclesham, in an effort to bring more "supervision" to the area convinced the Bishop of Winchester, whose diocese covered the whole of the area, to establish an ecclesiastical parish. She writes that the Government agreed to help and donated two acres of land from the Alice Holt Forest for a church, churchyard and vicarage and that from this point on, the village of Rowledge, as it became known, began to take on its own identity.

More recently however it has emerged that the village was probably formed by the connection of two smaller communities, Rowditch and Rowlridge. These names can be seen on historical maps. The only historical record of “Roughditch” appears to be in a speech by the first Vicar, and this was probably due to his desire to be seen to bring some control to the area.^{[citation needed]}

Amenities and Recreation

Rowledge's community includes its own shopping area with a butcher independently reviewed as excellent^{[citation needed]}, post office and convenience store, newsagent, hairdresser and garage, and two public houses: The Hare & Hounds and The Cherry Tree.

Local societies, sports and social activities include the school's activities, Village Hall, St. James' Church, Methodist Church Hall, Rowledge Club and the Recreation Ground.

The village holds Rowledge Village Fayre held annually on Spring Bank Holiday Monday at the Recreation Ground. Rowledge Village Fayre has a large number of attractions and raises a significant sum of money for charities.

Demography

Many residents are commuters and a significant number of residents are retired (some 23%). The local school is popular.

Community events and awards

The Village Hall is very well utilised on weekdays with a morning playgroup every day, beavers, cubs and scouts, ballet, drama, art, playball and toddler groups for children. Adults are catered for with Pilates, yoga, salsa dancing, badminton, art and amateur dramatics. Typically, approximately 700 people pass through in a week. At weekends the Hall is regularly hired for children’s parties and adult celebrations regular gatherings at the "Coffee Spot". Meetings with neighbourhood police, Councillors and the MP take place here.

Rowledge won the Community category in the Fullers Surrey Village of the Year Competition in 2010 and narrowly missed (by 1 point) the award. ^[2]

References

1. ^ Surrey County Council Census data
2. ^ [www.surreyca.org.uk/pdfs/magazine_new%20year_2011.pdf Surrey Community Action magazine article

External links

Media related to Rowledge at Wikimedia Commons

Nearest Settlements

	Crondall	Wrecclesham	Lower Bourne
	Bentley		Tilford
		Rowledge
	Blacknest	Dockenfield	Spreakley

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