YESTERDAY'S ALDERSHOT.
ALDERSHOT
Aldershot a comparatively small town set in a recess of the Blackwater River against the Surrey border ranks high in the favour of those seeking a good standard of
occupation chiefly on account of its rural surroundings acreage has been untouched for many centuries common-land district of varied beauty and unspoilt natural
attractions.Its extreme length and breadth is but two miles by four. It lies
in the ancient hundred of Crondall extending over an area of nearly 29 Cathedral Church of Winchester as far back as Anglo-Saxon days
towards the support of the Bishop and monks.In earlier days Aldershot for more than seven hundred years years for the purpose of administration Aldershot was divided into
the parishes of the Holy Trinity the Church of the Ascension mother church of St Michael the Archangel ation named the Aldershot Division.The view from the high ground of Ceasar's Camp is one of great attractiveness - a beautiful panorama of the low flat Thames Valley
and immediately below lies part of the 2 now administered by the Army. Another favourite high spot is the
view from the top of Redan Hill overlooking the eastern meandering
Blackwater River and beyond the fine views of Surrey and round to the south the
dominent Crooksbury and the distant hills of Hindhead.Until 1854 business streets separating village from waste land - only a dozen
farms usually very old but to the artist's eye lifeline of 900 people who survived in this pleasant part of rural
England.All ordinary requirements could be met by farm and pottery traders anything otherwise meant a trip to the Surrey towns of Farnham or
Guildford Its visitors were mainly from Londonshoot the wildlife of course rabbit which then abounded on the common. Other visitors were the bargees Peat was plentiful laws of common the 'underwood'.Few roads traversed the village. To the lorth-west rnn the Londonto Winchester Turnpike Lane Road were all that could qualify as roads Sport was confined to the village green matches and the revelry and dancing which accompanied thenational festival days. Students of natural history did not enist knowing the country names of all the flowers wildlife.The mainstay of the village industry was agriculture. Blessed with a reasonably good soil and moderate moisture yielded its increase to support its few inhabitants. a substantialmeasure of sheep-farming has been recorded but by the late seventeenthcentury hop growing became popular. In the twentieth century because of the hurried quest for housing land plots recorded in the Tithe awards of a mere 135 years ago.In 1912 after spending some weeks in the company of two local amateur archaeologists noted Hampshire historian reported on the sites of Ceasar's Gamp Hungry Hill Hampshire Field Club. Subsequent field walking resulted in the
discovery of a great quantity of flint artifacts. Some of these flints proved to be
the work of leolithic man and were dated at 8 Bricksbury Hill was a fort of the Attrebates to the south was a similar entrenchment both dating from about 600
B.C. His conclusions on the Batts-Hog-Stye proved to be a mystery might be the small fortified abode of a 'northern chieftain' but to this day no other suggestion has been offered professionally excavated. Until this time few realised just how much
of the early history of Aldershot had been churned under the hooves of
thousands of horses and myiads of soldiers boots marched hidden below the unexplored common-land.Other interesting finds were a coin hoard of the Roman period and
another dating from about '750 A.D. but in these days of modern detection
many others finds are in the hands of individuals.Many people are apt to think of history in terms of two or threethousand years estimate. On the fringes of Bricksbury have been been found and there is an ever increasing interest in
these
The islanders were easy victims was the policy of Rome to post the locals to the far ends of the
Empire.For the next six hundred years southern lands of Britain During this period Aldershot began to emerge. Although perhaps only a handful of
people were clearing the high ground and the slopes of whatever name was given
to our little community name to the hundred. 2he great King Alfred owned the demesne
lands held by his family and in 885 A.D. we can read in his will the preamble of
the bounds of Crondall It is said himself actually rode round his domain checking and writing as he
surveyed for he was one of the very few men of Wessex who could read and
write.Part of his ride was so easy its course remains and encircles Aldershot boundary and can be likened to the first enclosure act. Aldershot
nestles within its V north to Cove.During the last century of Roman occupation creed of religion. This creed had vanished during the Dark ages and
the Celtic tribes again lapsed into their ancient paganism. Wessex
paved the way and were the first of the English to follow the teachings of St Augustine menaced from the land owner to the serf had to leave their homelands and
fight the new invaders. It is often said that no national event occured in Aldershot Alfred and his son and the Hampshire Militia who defeated theDanes in this part of England Army territory years.. What might our history and and manorial system agriculture people for twelve hundred years might have been had Alfred lost tothe pagans? To Alfred is due the credit that his realm remained unconquered forso long a time and as he owned the land in the Hundred of Crondall of the surrounding villages were called to the vantage point of Bricksburyto take part in that vital battle.A little remembered fact is that about 150 years later was under the domination of the invaders and Southern England was part of the Danish Kingdom under Canute and selected Saxons as well as Danes for administrative duties and at his death England was more united than ever.William of Normandy's conquest of England changed the whole pattern of living. lormans had been selected to replace every seat ofownership every manor conquest family indeed nearby Yateley Fortunately William of Normandy saw the value of the structure of common-lands and left them as they were under the Saxons.
THE LOHG PEACE
It had been 40 years since our great British soldier had contested
with la oleon's best generals and defeated the might of France dislike of the Duke of Wellington to any change in our military structure but after the Iron Duke's death it gave Lord Hardinge successor overnments were availing themselves to several improvements in
warfare of their armies in mimic fights and the exercisin remained as it was those many years earlier to the colours to help a small regular force in times of need.To remsdy such a state of affairs Chief a lied his valuable military experience to create a new and His first move was to establish a camp of modern British Army.instruction at a selected site on Chobham Common east of Aldershot.It was in 1851for the War Office of large tracts of waste or common lying in thislocality with the view to purchase without incurring a heavy expense area of land for the exercising of troops. Jul 1853 o erations were carried out on a scale then unrregedented in this c ountry when 25 marched on to the ground at Chobham lo Preparation had been made by the Quarter-Master-General'sDepartment and for the next six weeks all the vicissitudes and make-shifts ofcamp life in an enemy's country were patiently bourne by officers andmen-the practical knowledge gained of a soldiers profession in the short space of a few weeks in the height of summer proving of greatvalue to those who were so soon to realise its stern realities in the trenches before Sebastopol. The successful results of this experiment and the outbreak of thewar with Russia selection of the thousands of acres of waste land in and around the unknown village of Aldershot.the commanding height of Bricksbur Possessing a porous light soil canal su 1 at Bourley which proved inadequate just half-wa between London and the ports of Hampshire the most perfect for all military requirements for the manoeuvering and training of large bodies of troops.Soon the Surrey newspapers carried the following advertisements and the people of Aldershot were destined to be a part of the greatest upheaval ever recorded in their village history.At first many conflicting reports and rumours circulated the locality had no idea of what was happening if the government was to buy land The first purchase of land was made in 1854 and ultimately about15 acres of freehold and 2 the sum of 271
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