Headley, East Hampshire

Headley is the oldest of three villages in the south of England of that name and has gone through a number of name spellings, but was first noted (no households were recorded) in the Domesday Book of 1086 in the ancient hundred of Neatham, at which time Eustace II, Count of Boulogne was tenant-in-chief and Lord. In 1066, Earl Godwin held it.[2] In the 1908 History of the County of Hampshire, Headley is described in detail. There were two manors associated with Headley: Broxhead and Wishanger; the former was broken up by around 1900; the latter's manorial rights had lapsed by about 1700 and part of the former manor now lies within the separate settlement of Headley Down, and passed into the hands of the Whitaker family.[3]

In the late 1800s, the Anglican parish of Headley, in the hundred of Alton, covered some 7,000 acres (2,800 ha), of which about half was waste land, but which was in the process of being reclaimed. There was a Poor Law Union workhouse in the parish.[4]

Headley Cricket Club is to the west of the village centre, their grounds also accommodating bowls and soccer clubs. Headley CC play in the I'Anson league (2015) and have 3 senior men's teams, as well as ladies' and youth teams.[6]

The Holly Bush is a public house in the centre of the village. The current building dates from the 19th century. Its predecessor of the same name is believed to have been on the other side of the road when William Cobbett visited Headley in 1822 as part of his Rural Rides.[7]

Headley Theatre Club was founded in 1952, building on the success of a pageant held to celebrate the Festival of Britain the previous year. It was felt that an organisation should be formed in the Village to encourage such enthusiasm and talent on a more permanent basis. The Club puts on a pantomime, a 3-act play and a musical event each year.[8]

• Lord King-Hall of Headley - journalist, playwright and politician[9]
• Sir Robert Samuel Wright - British judge and author[10]
• Jessica Hawkins, racing driver

All Saints Church

All Saints Anglican Church is in the centre of the village, and is in the Diocese of Guildford. The church predates 1836 when the wooden-shingled spire burnt down. The church was subsequently rebuilt (without the spire) in 1859.[11] Features in the rebuilt church date its existence back at least to the 13th century.[12] Nikolaus Pevsner noted that the oblong piece of 13th century stained glass of a female saint being decapitated was ”exquisite”.[13]

There are several other places of worship in the parish, including Baptist and Methodist churches.[4]

• Headley Grange was used as a recording studio by several famous pop groups in the 1970s including: Genesis, Bad Company, Pretty Things, Ian Dury (1976) and Clover (1977) – notably in 1971 Led Zeppelin recorded their fourth album there, Led Zeppelin IV, containing Stairway to Heaven.[14]
• Benifold, in Headley Hill Road, was bought by the group Fleetwood Mac in 1970 and used to record their Penguin and Mystery to Me albums with the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, having recorded Future Games at Advision Studios in London and Bare Trees at De Lane Lea Studios in the London district of Wembley. They sold the property around 1974 after permanently relocating to Los Angeles, California.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Headley.

• Headley Village web site
• Further historical information on GENUKI
• Headley history
• Headley Village Hall
• Headley Society
• Canadians in Headley during WW2
• Historical links and publications about Headley