| Fernhurst | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 The Green andRed Lion (centre) | |
  Fernhurst Location withinWest Sussex | |
| Area | 23.37 km2 (9.02 sq mi) [1] |
| Population | 2,959. 2021 Census[2] |
| • Density | 118/km2 (310/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU896284 |
| • London | 41 miles (66 km)NE |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HASLEMERE |
| Postcode district | GU27 |
| Dialling code | 01428 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | West Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Fernhurst is a village andcivil parish in theChichester District ofWest Sussex, England, on theA286Milford, Surrey, toChichester road, 3 miles (4.8 km) south ofHaslemere and 4 miles (6.4 km) north ofMidhurst. The parish includes the settlements of Henley Common, Kingsley Green and Bell Vale, lies within the boundaries of theSouth Downs National Park and is surrounded by hills.
The area of the parish is 5,772 acres (2,336 ha). In the 2001 census there were 1,158 households with a total population of 2,765 of whom 1,244 were economically active.[1] The population had increased to 2,942 at the 2011 Census.[2]
Fernhurst lies in the valley of theRiver Lod whose feeder streams, known as ghyls, rise in the surrounding hills, that include Telegraph Hill at 676 feet (206 m), Marley Heights at 700 feet (210 m), Bexley Hill at 600 feet (180 m), Fridays Hill at 675 feet (206 m) and the highest hill in Sussex,Blackdown at 919 feet (280 m), which rises to the northeast. The valley soil is predominantly clay with greensand outcrops on Blackdown summit. There are dense wooded areas punctuated by miles of footpaths, the path to the summit of Blackdown commencing at theRed Lion pub.[3]
The village, on theWeald, originally developed around crossroads (The Cross) and the village green, and ancient remains (Stone Age andRoman) have been found here.Iron working took place in the 17th/18th centuries;[4][5] and aturnpike ran through the village. The church, dedicated to St Margaret, (c. 1100) andRed Lion pub are on the green, where several old houses still remain. With the coming of the railway to Haslemere, the village developed around and beyond The Cross, and since the 1960s the village has expanded further westwards. The village houses a commuter population, attracted by the proximity ofHaslemere railway station.
In November 2006 the Fernhurst Society published a book, "Voices of Fernhurst", comprising edited extracts of oral history interviews with local villagers.
Anelectoral ward in the same name exists. This ward includesLinchmere and had at the 2011 census a total ward population of 5,334.[6]
TheAnglican parish church, dedicated toSt Margaret of Antioch, was rebuilt in the nineteenth century, the south aisle in 1859 and the tower and spire as part of ageneral restoration byAnthony Salvin in 1881. The interior is plain.[7]
Every May the traditional "Revels" fete is held on the green, raising funds for village societies and some local charities. The event includes various local May-time celebrations, such asmaypole dancing, and the May queen is elected from the local area. In May 2006 a film of the village for the Meridian ITV programme "Village voices" was filmed involving the revels and local craftsmen.[8] It was screened on 15 August 2006.
About a mile south east of the village lies the Verdley estate. Verdley Castle, probably a 14th-century fortified manor house, or hunting tower, now demolished, lay in present-day Henley Wood. Its concealed wooded location in a hollow afforded protection for smugglers bringing goods from the south coast.[9]
Closer to the village, Verdley Place was built by architect Anthony Salvin in 1873–5, as acountry house forCharles Savile Roundell.[10]Baron Davey was living here with his wife, three daughters and a son in the1891 census. ThisGrade II listed building and the surrounding estate was the home ofICI's Plant Protection Division and its predecessors from 1945 at theFernhurst Research Station and subsequently aZeneca research and development centre.[11] It has since been sold and converted to a residential development.[12]
Rickman, John (1998),The Land of Lod, Peggy Rickman, Midhurst, England[22]
