East Clandon - A Stroll through the Village

The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury is one of two Grade 1 listed buildings in the village. Dating back to the early 1100's its name celebrates its proximity to the Pilgrims' Way which runs along the North Downs, some mile and a half south of the village. The gate to the churchyard was donated by Mr and Mrs Mathews and erected in 1995 in memory of their son, Stamford.

Immediately opposite the church is the 17th Century Church Cottage. With an end chimney and creeper-clad walls, it used to be two cottages and was converted to a single dwelling and has been designated a building of historical interest.

The Village Hall on the corner of St Thomas Drive and the Street, is a focal point for meetings and functions in the village. The hall was built in 1920 by the Hatchlands Estate owner and architect Goodhart-Rendel and had various uses, including a Home Guard base during the war. In 1974 it was left in trust to the village and the building is managed and maintained on behalf of the villagers.

The Parish Council Notice Board on the side of the hall has been the only medium for the Council to communicate with the village for hundreds of years but in 2000 the Council decided to also post meeting agenda and minutes on this web site. The Board reveals the current issues and decisions being taken in the village.

Opposite the village hall is Old Manor Farm a 17th Century house of substantial proportions.

The village hall nestles between two new houses - Becketts and Apple Tree Cottage which were built in an orchard in 1965, allegedly to raise funds for the modernisation of the hall. Among the old and historic of buildings of the village, they do have a significant place in its history. Their construction caused such a furore that the village was declared a conservation area soon afterwards and this stroll covers the most significant buildings within the village's conservation area.

The Pub probably dates back to the mid 1500s and still features some original beams, an inglenook fireplace and a ghost which taps a coin on the bar whilst waiting to be served. The fires offer a warm welcome in winter. Lunches and Dinners, refreshments and bar snacks are available throughout the year except on Mondays.

Opposite The Old Forge, which has a 60 foot well in its grounds, turn into Back Lane past Clandon Manor Farm which has two 17th century cottages, Briar and Lavender and flintstone stables for the horses kept on it's 5 acre fields.

Continuing down Back Lane, at the sharp bend in the road, Cherry Cottage has the Clandon Pottery workshop which visitors are welcome to look round by appointment. Footpath 74 to West Clandon starts here providing a pleasant 20 minute walk along an ancient hedgerowed lane, between the 1st and 8th fairways of Clandon Regis Golf Club and through the beech copse to The Street in West Clandon.

Continuing along Back Lane the Village Pond provides a haven for birds as well as the weary walker to rest and absorb the pastoral scene.

Originally a depression in the ground containing a bicycle frame and associated cast iron, the pond was dug out in 1987 by Ian Haines and Jim Bacon using machinery kindly loaned by Charles and Rocco Forte at Rydes Farm on the Forte Estate. It is circular in shape with an island in the middle. Fauna includes resident moorhens and mallard duck, damsel and dragon fly, water boatmen and common newt tadpole to name but a few. Flora in and around the pond includes a large 100 year-old oak tree, poplars, margin plants, bullrush, water lily, rush and water iris. This peaceful setting in Back Lane can be appreciated by sitting in the shade of an ash tree, on Joan and Tom Hood's garden seat, who lived in Timber Cottage for many years.

Taking the left fork a further 200 yards on are Daphne Cottage and Holmhurst Cottage, both timber framed 16th Century houses. At the end of the lane is Boscawen Cottage, c.1550,also timber framed. Bearing right across the grass path of the Village Common, 16th Century The Old House with 18th Century additions comes into view.

A few yards down from the common on the Ripley Road is the grade 2 listed Home Farm - which Catweazle fans will recall as "Hexwood" as this is where the 70's TV show was filmed.

"After much scouting, a beautiful Surrey village called East Clandon was discovered and was perfect for the backdrop, surrounded as it was (and still is) by pastoral fields, leafy woods and classic English architecture...." read more

Retracing the way back along Back Lane to avoid the traffic along the Ripley Road, turn left at the village pond. On the right is Old Harry's Cottage and on the left Paragon Cottages also designed and built by Goodhart-Rendel for the Estate workers. The last house in Back Lane is Stuart Cottage, c.1550, whose garden is open to the public on several days a year.

Turning right up the Ripley Road, Tunmore Farm with its grand gates is on the left and the first house on the right is Tunmore Cottage c.1550 timber framed with a central smoke bay and hood. Next door is Frogmore Cottage c.1500, timber framed with an open hall.

Just before the T-junction with the Street, on the right is the Tithe Barn which is mentioned in the Doomsday Book and has been converted into four dwellings. Post box

Opposite are Tunmore Fields, an open space of 4 acres donated to the village by Goodhart-Rendel. Next to the fields is The Old Post House which was the post office and village shop.

Next door is 17th Century Bay Tree Cottage. Opposite this is the War Memorial erected by the Parish Council in 1921. The memorial now commemorate villagers who died in two World Wars, in the case of the first especially, a quite appalling number for so small a village.

At the Junction of the Street facing down the Ripley Road stands Lamp Cottage c.1550. Turn left and then right into School Lane, past the carefully tended vegetable garden and "privy" of Warren Cottage. A hundred yards along is the Old School House which was originally the Village school opened in 1863 and closed a century later. On the left is the Village Recreation Ground with a well equipped and well used Play area and Tennis Court.

Continuing up the lane past the grave yard on the right is Cherry Trees. Originally called Alexandra Hospital it was built in the reign of Edward VII as part of Barts Hospital for children for the treatment of tubercular hips. It became the Langford Cross Family Home in 1937 and in 1980 Cherry Trees, a charity devoted to providing short term respite care for children with physical and/or learning difficulties.

At the top of School Lane, turn left along the Old Epsom Road for about 30 yards and turn left into New Road, the full length of which, between the Walnut Trees, affords a glorious open view of

Hatchlands House in the distance and Fullers Farm and fields in the foreground, with the main entrance to the National Trust estate. Built in 1758 for Admiral Boscawen & set in a beautiful Repton park offering a variety of park & woodland walks, Hatchlands contains splendid interiors by Robert Adam, decorated in appropriately nautical style. It houses the Cobbe Collection, the world's largest group of keyboard instruments associated with famous composers e.g. Purcell, JC Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Mahler & Elgar. More information

Turning sharply left at the bottom back into the Street, are c.16th century Wild Rose Cottage, with its pretty garden, Yew Tree Cottage (1528)with its ancient yew tree-hedge and Dolphin Cottage.