Author: Madeline Hutchins

Saturday 4th November 2023

PICTURE POSTCARD CHALDON: Roger Packham, a Vice-President and the Chairman of the Bourne Society, will gave an illustrated talk, explaining the history of the Picture Postcard in Edwardian Britain, and showing a wonderful range of images of Chaldon village from the early 20th century.

Some of the postcards shown were produced and sold in great numbers, including a lovely one of the Well Tower at Willey Farm.

Others shown are rare, including one of Roffes Lane in the 1920s or 30s, and another of the shop in The Heath in the 1930s.

Nearly forty people attended the talk.

Proceeds (after costs are deducted) went to the Friends of Chaldon Church for the preservation of the building – £142.

See how small the yew tree is in this photo.

And how big the pond is in this one!

Sunday 30th July 2023: all day walk

Some of the old field names including Poor Robin, Gang Croft, Great Wor and Dirty Sarmans had their origins revealed while others kept their secrets. The group discovered the tale of when, why and how Fiveways was established and heard the stories behind other village paths.

An all day walk, on footpaths and quiet roads, starting at Chaldon Court, by the Church. Lunch was at the Cricket Pavilion in Six Brothers Field, and tea at the Church.

The proceeds from the walk, £75, were given to the Friends of Chaldon Church.

Monday 12th June 2023

A talk and tour with Liz Bonsall – Part of the Caterham Festival 2023 – look out for the same talk and tour in next year’s Festival.

The Burial Ground is in Chaldon and is owned and managed by Chaldon Village Council. It is open for public access, and is managed in an environmentally friendly manner to protect its biodiversity.

The grid reference is TQ320560. 

If you would like to visit it, the main entrance is on Bridleway 77, just 150m from Green Lane towards Chaldon and the Golf Club (easiest and level walk) or from the Golf Club towards Green Lane (this direction is steeper and can be muddy). 

Saturday 4th March 2023

A talk by Madeline Hutchins and Liz Bonsall

How much do we know about Chaldon (and South East England) in this period?

From the archives and local history centres what evidence is there of who was here and what life was like in Chaldon from the mid 11th century to the mid 13th century? 

Who might have built the church and commissioned the mural? 

What manor houses, villages and towns were there nearby?

The talk also looked briefly at major historical events in this period – including the Domesday Survey 1086, Magna Carta 1215 and Montfort’s Parliament of 1265.

Over 60 people attended the talk.

The proceeds (after costs) were used to give a donation of £30 to the East Surrey Museum and the rest, £215, was given to the Friends of Chaldon Church for the preservation of the building and the mural.

Saturday 21st January 2023

A talk by Liz Bonsall & Madeline Hutchins

Celebrating the achievements of Chaldon residents 100 years ago in protecting local rights of way and putting this in context with the history of tracks and paths. 

Drawing on the minutes of meetings and other records to learn about the work in 1920-3 by Martin Coles Harman and others to establish the network of rights of way in Chaldon shown on the postcard map (above).

A look back to Anglo-Saxon times and through the ages since to establish when and why Chaldon’s tracks and paths were established. Comparing maps through the ages to see the development of new paths and the loss of old. 

19^th and 20^th century national initiatives to protect rights of way including the 1949 Countryside Act and the Definitive Maps.

There was a great turnout for this talk and a high level of interest in the material. Minutes and documents from the 1920s were available to be looked through and there were various maps on display. All those attending were given a 1970s version of the map postcard.

£148 was given to the Friends of Chaldon Church from the proceeds (after costs).

Saturday 10th December 2022. A talk by Professor Ted Howard on the story behind the monument in the church to Mrs Sarah Beresford of Charleston, South Carolina who died in Chaldon in 1796 ‘in the 69th year of her age’ and is buried in the churchyard. Since Ted last gave this talk in January 2016, he had discovered more of the story including its link to a dramatic episode in a village in Leicestershire.

Those attending found out why Mrs Beresford was in Chaldon, and Ted’s personal interest in the Chaldon / Charleston connection. Then they heard how the Beresford story developed and what happened in the Leicestershire village.

A joint event with the Friends of Chaldon Church to whom all proceeds were given for the preservation of the building and the mural.

Sunday 12th October 2025

These take place each year, from 2024 re-established as on the second Sunday in May and the second Sunday in October. The next date is Sunday 12th October 2025. 2:45pm start, with free tea and cake in the Village Hall afterwards.

No need to book, just turn up at one of the start points at 2:45pm. Children and dogs welcome.

Chaldon has a proud tradition of maintaining its public rights of way. Six walks between them covering all 13 miles of public paths in Chaldon have been walked diligently over the last century. The original purpose of the twice-a-year walks is inspecting and reporting on their condition. It is also a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon, in a small group of people, walking and talking, with some commentary about local history and natural history.

Each walk has a leader with a little blue book. Any problems with hedges, stiles, signs etc are looked for and notes written in the books. The notes are then collated and reported to Chaldon Village Council and the Surrey County Council Rights of Way Officer for any action that is needed.

There is now a new route 7, covering the area that became Chaldon through a boundary change in 2000.

The starting points, mileage and routes for the walks are:

1.Chaldon Church

3 miles via Happy Valley, the Golf Course, Fryern Farm, Chaldon Common Road and Birchwood Lane. 

2. Junction Leazes Avenue/Doctors Lane

2.25 miles via Piles Wood, Happy Valley, Magazine Road, Green Lane, the Golf Course and Rook Lane.

3. Village Hall Car Park

2.3 miles via Church Lane, Piles Wood, Happy Valley, permissive path in Golf Course, Leazes Avenue, FP3 and Rook Lane.

4. Chaldon Church

2.25 miles via Alderstead Heath, Tollsworth Manor, North Downs Way, Hilltop Farm and Willey Broom Wood.

5. Chaldon Crossroads (Church Lane/Rook Lane/Hilltop Lane)

3.6 miles via Tollsworth Manor, North Downs Way, Park Ham, Spring Bottom, Quarry Hangers, North Downs Way, Hilltop Farm and Willey Broom Wood.

6. Junction Roffes Lane/Chaldon Common Road

2.3 miles via Willey Farm Lane, Grubs Wood, White Hill, Willey Park Farm, North Downs Way, Rook Farm and Rook Lane.

7. Junction Roffes Lane / Willey Lane (NEW)

2.7 miles via Willey Lane, Harestone Lane, Beech Grove, Roffes Lane, Birchwood Lane, Willey Broom Wood.

The walks are run by Chaldon History Group, supported by Chaldon Village Council and Chaldon Community Trust (Village Hall).

Any questions, including checking on starting points, please contact Liz Bonsall on email lizbonsall@aol.com or phone 01883 340508.

If you would like to walk any of the routes by yourself at any time, maps and notes of the routes with historical and nature information are available to download free on the Chaldon Walks page of this website.

If you would like to join as a walk leader, or help put up posters round the village or other aspects of the management of the walks, please contact Liz Bonsall (contact details above).

TALK CANCELLED – APOLOGIES FOR ANY DISAPPOINTMENT CAUSED.

A talk by Liz Bonsall