Hook, Hart

Until the 18th century, only a few scattered farms could be found in the area; small hamlets did not begin to appear until inns sprung up to serve travellers. Hook was located on the main London to Exeter stagecoach route. In the late eighteenth century, a turnpike road was constructed to aid the navigation of the steep Scures Hill, to the west of the village. In 1883, Hook railway station was constructed, and the village began to grow with railway workers and commuters settling in Hook.[3]

Hook has one of the few national TaxiBus services.

There is the main line rail station mentioned above and direct access to the M3 motorway, as well as the A30 connecting local towns such as Basingstoke and Yateley. Southampton Airport is 35 mi (56 km) to the south and London Heathrow Airport is 33 mi (53 km) away to the northeast. The far smaller Blackbushe Airport municipal air facility is 6.5 mi (10.5 km) to the east, near Yateley. Many residents commute to the larger local towns of Basingstoke, Winchester, Reading, Camberley, Fleet and Farnborough, with some travelling further afield to Southampton, Bracknell and London.

In Hook, there are a number of local schools. They are:

• Hook Infant School[7]
• Hook Junior School[8]
• Robert May's School[9] (in neighbouring Odiham)
• Nearest further/higher education college – Basingstoke College of Technology[10] Queen Mary's College[11] Farnborough Sixth Form College[12]
• Nearest university – University of Winchester / Farnborough College of Technology[13] which offers courses at a university level through University Centre Farnborough.

The Hook Schools are supported by the Hook Schools Community Association (HSCA) and local donors[14]

There are several annual and monthly community events held in the village:

• The Hook Fun Run & Road Race attracts over 1,200 runners on the third Sunday in May every year. It is run by a group of volunteers and raises funds for local good causes, having distributed over £100,000 since its inception in 1992.[15]
• Hook Flower and Produce Show - September each year - free to enter and free for visitors
• Hook Books at The Elizabeth Hall monthly community pop-up Library
• Hook Summer Fair - July each year
• HSCA Fireworks Display Hook Junior School[8]
• HSCA Christmas Fair Hook Junior School[8]
• Hook Cracker on the first Saturday in December, hosted by St John the Evangelist Church
• Hook Beer Festival - May each year
• Off The Hook Fest

Hook Focus is Hook's authoritative magazine and, since 1973, it has carried news of future Community Events and reports on all that has been happening in Hook. Focus is managed by Hook volunteers and is independent of all other bodies.[16]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hook, Hart.

• Hook Fun Run & Road Race
• Hook Parish Council
• Life Church
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church
• St John's Church