About Haslemere, England (courtesy of Wikipedia)
Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately fifteen kilometres south west of Guildford.
Haslemere is surrounded by hills, with Blackdown (920ft) to the south and Gibbet Hill to the north (895ft). This was the site of executions in past centuries. Many of those hanged there were highwaymen, because the roads around Haslemere, particularly alongside the nearby Devil's Punch Bowl, were notoriously dangerous. Today, much of the heathland and woodland is owned and protected by the National Trust, and has become a popular attraction for walkers.
The town also marks the western end of the Greensand Way footpath which extends for 110 miles to Hamstreet in Kent.
The earliest recorded mention of Haslemere was in 1221 (when it was spelt Haselmere). The name describes hazel trees standing beside a lake. The lake does not exist today, but there is a natural spring in West Street which is likely to have provided its source.
Haslemere became an important market town in the Middle Ages, having been granted a charter by Richard II in 1394. This right was confirmed by a new charter issued by Elizabeth I in 1596. Today, this special status is celebrated with the Charter Fair, held once every two years in the High Street. There is a bust of Elizabeth I in the newly developed Charter Walk, linking West street with the car park of Somerfield.
The town was one of the rotten boroughs, but recovered with the arrival of the London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour railway station railway line, the Portsmouth Direct Line, and it became a fashionable place to live. Today, Haslemere continues to be a popular commuter town, and is served by Haslemere railway station.
St Bartholomew's Church was originally built in the 14th century, but rebuilt in 1871. It contains memorials to many of the most prominent local residents, including Alfred Lord Tennyson, who lived in nearby Lurgashall and is commemorated in one of the stained glass windows, featuring Sir Galahad and the Holy Grail.
Haslemere museum is at the northern end of the High Street. It was established by eminent surgeon Sir Jonathan Hutchinson in 1888 to provide educational opportunities to local people, and moved to its present location in 1926 — a house with a Georgian façade, but partly dating back to the 16th century. The museum has a permanent natural history collection as well as hosting talks from both local and national figures of interest.
The unusually wide High Street remains at the heart of Haslemere, with the Old Town Hall standing at its southern end. The High Street contains a mix of public houses, shops (both national chains and independents), restaurants and estate agents.
Wey Hill offers the shopper an alternative experience with some more specialist shops. The town library is also situated here alongside a range of restaurants and take-aways. At the Lion Green end of Wey Hill are two of the town's three supermarkets, Tesco and Co-Op. The other is Scummerfields, which is located on West Street.
The Heron's Leisure Centre is on the King's Road; it replaced the leisure centre at Lion Green at the end of the last century. The Heron's facilities include a 25m swimming pool and children's pool, a fitness suite, squash and tennis courts and a skate-park.
There is also a small theatre/cinema known as the Haslemere Hall on Bridge Road, just off West Street that holds performances by local theatre troups as well as screenings of films a number of weeks after their general release in larger cinemas.
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