Seale, Surrey

Seale is a village in

The name, Seale, may derive from the Old English word for "hall" or, alternatively, for "willow" (see for example Salfords). ^[2]. Also possibly, a Viking word meaning, "to the pig", (in references to the Hog's_Back).

The Sands is not a relatively old name for any part of Seale, first recorded in Tudor period records, and derives from the quantities of Bargate sandstone and sand present in the far north-west of the Greensand Ridge especially in its high uplands, crowned here by the highest point in the parish, Crooksbury Hill.

Former settlement or farmstead

Binton Farm takes its name from a Saxon settlement of Binton, which bears the prefix of an Old English personal name and standard suffix for any settlement.^[2]

Topography

At the top of a short dry valley, at the foot of the steep Hog's Back, is the parish church of St Laurence, Seale. 800m down the valley is a spring, whose stream leads to Cutt Mill and hence to the Wey. The land undulates, between 165m in the southwest, down to 55m in the east. The north border is the 100 to 140m crest of a long range of hills with the popular name, the Hog's Back.^[3]

History

Seale in the

Seale's medieval parish church and rector served equally Tongham to the north until 1866, however much of the land was owned by the Bishop of Winchester who owned much of far-west Surrey since the early holder of that position Henry (of Blois) or Winchester, who used his power and status to build Farnham Castle.

The manor farm, evidencing this, were tenants of the Bishops of Winchester "for three lives" from 1839 (although they sold this interest in 1856).^[4]

From the

Wood Lane, which runs from the nucleus of Seale up to the top of the Hog's Back, shares its name with that of the family who leased Seale Manor Farm.^[citation needed]

Amenities

Village hall

The village hall, near the old school, is a venue for regular events and hosts parish council meetings.

Church

The church was established in the 12th century as an outpost of Waverley Abbey. The bell tower houses a peal of six bells, the oldest and largest cast in the 16th century. The church was extensively restored and enlarged in about 1860. It is served by a rector, who now also has care of the adjacent parishes of Puttenham and Wanborough. These three parishes were formally merged in 2004, although they retain their separate places of worship. Tongham was originally part of the parish of Seale, but it became an independent parish in 1866.^[5]

Golf course

In the west of the parish, associated with The Sands which is immediately south-east of it, is Farnham Golf Club. The first five holes start in parkland after which there is a sudden change in scenery as the pine trees close in and the heather replaces the grass.^[6]

Landmarks

Oldest house

The oldest building, apart from the church, is The Lyttons, a Grade II listed house which stands next to the churchyard but away from the road. This was originally an open hall house as shown by blackened rafters and the oldest parts of the fabric have been dated to the early 1500s.^[7] A brick chimney was inserted and the open hall was divided into an upper and lower storey by the insertion of an upper floor in the 1600s.^[7]

The next oldest building is nearby East End Farm,^[8] another Grade II listed building^[9] which dates from the later part of the 1500s: about 1560-1580 compared with the Lyttons' dating of circa 1520-1550.^[10]

Houses associated with Manor Farm

Adjacent to the church are 17th and 18th century joined buildings, known as Manor Farm, converted into craft shops and a tea room.^[11]

Manor Farm Cottages,^[12] and Seale Lodge Cottages^[13] stand opposite the church, clustered around the craft shop/tea room. These date to the early 18th century. Beside them is Stable Cottage of later that century.^[14]

Hampton Estate

Most of the non-forested, agricultural land in Seale is

The 1873, rubblestone built, stone dressed, Grade II listed building in its listed park in the far south known as Heathersett, Littleworth has been attributed to R. Norman, architect.^[16] The listed park is due to its later designer, Gertrude Jekyll. James Mangles, who lived at Valewood, Haslemere, was one of the earliest rhododendron collectors and hybridisers. When James died in 1884, most of his plant collection was brought to Littleworth Cross and Harry continued hybridising and exhibiting rhododendrons, with the help of his sister Clara. Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932), who lived nearby at Munstead, knew the Mangles family and was visiting one afternoon in May 1889 when she was introduced to a young architect, Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944) who was designing a gardener's cottage and some garden buildings for Harry Mangles. The meeting was important for both Lutyens and Jekyll: she discovered someone with a similar love of the vernacular architecture of south-west Surrey, who would design her new home, Munstead Wood (qv), and through her, he was introduced to many potential clients. Lutyens and Jekyll began a collaboration of building and garden design that would last until her death in 1932.

Former landmarks

Seale Lodge, built in ornate style with surrounding landholdings fell into dilapidation and was demolished c. 1970.

The village school has closed and been converted into a private house.

Transport

The village is well connected by roads but not rail and had approximately 50% of its working population recorded in 2011 as commuting 20–40 km, living in the rural outer Metropolitan Green Belt yet commuting to major employment areas such as London, Farnborough, Fleet and Aldershot.^[1]

Specific long-distance roads are the

See also

• Seale Chalk Pit

Notes and references

Notes

References

Further reading

• Anonymous The Church of St. Laurence Seale: A Short Guide and History [Published by the church]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seale, Surrey.

• village website Run by Seale and Sands Parish Council
• Hampton Estate website
• Photograph of Seale church and churchyard
• Stained Glass Windows at Stained Glass Records: St. Laurence Seale, Surrey