Community Website for Limpsfield
Currently Wolfe House Residential Care Home, the house on Wolf’s Row, was originally built in the 1800s, when Limpsfield appears to have been awash with auxiliary hospitals and convalescent homes! The Limpsfield Convalescent Home took in injured soldiers during WW1. The original building was destroyed in 1921 and the current one built on its site, continuing as a convalescent home until at least the 1950s.
Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Convalescent Home at Wolfe House c. 1913”
An exciting new era beckons as The Carpenters Arms comes under the same management as Botley Hill Farmhouse and the White Bear in Fickleshole Lane, near Warlingham. Continue reading “An exciting new era for The Carpenters Arms”
We all have problems, some small and some large. And often it’s hard to talk about them. Every month we’ll be featuring an Agony Aunt column with me, Sarah Kane, a qualified psychotherapist and counsellor.
Our first Limpsfield Agony Aunt column deals with a much anticipated, but, for some, a much dreaded and lonely time of year – Valentine’s Day. Continue reading “Limpsfield’s new agony aunt column! Lonely on Valentine’s Day…”
Two Limpsfield mums, sisters, Kerry Cook and Nicky Spikesman are the creative duo behind Two Queen Bees, a thriving bag label that specialises in practical, colourful, robust and incredibly useful bags. Kerry and Nicky talk about what its like to work with your sibling and how they conceived and developed their successful business idea. Continue reading “Limpsfield’s Two Queen Bees show bags of initiative”
The Forge and Forge Cottages on Limpsfield High Street (not to be confused with Forge Cottage on Limpsfield Chart – Stoneleigh Road) were built in the late 1600s. The Forge itself (pictured) stood on the end of the cottages on the corner of Priest Hill by Memorial Stores until the 1930s, when it was finally demolished. The four tiny timber and brick/rubble cottages still stand, now painted white and black. Continue reading “Flashback Friday: The Forge and Forge Cottages Limpsfield”
This weekend the Limpsfield Community Orchard is holding its famed annual Wassail Party in the orchards by Grub Street – Saturday 28 January from 5PM. The fun family event celebrates the apple harvest with apple cider, singing, hot dogs and general merry-making around a big bonfire with drums and rattles.
“So what’s wassail?” we hear you ask… Well…wassail is a hot, mulled punch, drunk from a ‘wassailing bowl’ during winter time to celebrate a successful apple harvest.
Originally, ‘wassailers’ dropped roasted crab apples into hot mead, in which they burst forming a potent cider. Since then it’s become more of a mulled cider made with sugar and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg etc) and topped with slices of toast. It can also include wine, fruit juice or mulled ale, sometimes with brandy or sherry added.
Old apple tree we wassail thee
And hoping thou will bear
For the Lord doth know where we shall be
‘Til apples come another yearFor to bear well and to bloom well
So merry let us be
Let every man take off his hat
And shout to the old apple treeOld apple tree we wassail thee
And hoping thou will bear
Hat fulls, cap fulls, three bushel bag fulls
And a little heap under the stairs
Anyway… if you like the idea of a bit of singalong around the fire with the Chart Singers and fancy trying a bit of this medieval and often very potent tipple (don’t worry, there’s apple juice for kids), then assemble at the British Legion on Grub Street at 5ish for a procession through the woods to the orchards at 6pm.
Donations of £2 a head to cover costs would be most welcome. Wear warm, waterproof and colourful gear and bring along torches, rattles, drums and bells if you want! All the family is welcome.
To find out more about the Limpsfield Community Orchard’s work, follow their blog HERE.
A hundred years ago, there were several hospitals and convalescent homes around Limpsfield, including St Michaels, Charing Cross (Trevereux Hill), Caxton House and Furzedown. Below, David Claridge’s writes a short history of, Furzedown, A Lost Hospital, as published in the Limpsfield Parish News magazine.
Continue reading “Furzedown, a lost Hospital”
Hazelwood School in Limpsfield officially opened the Baily Building at the end of last term with a Gala Concert, performed in The Bawtree Hall, featuring over 200 of the school’s most talented musicians performing alongside friends, family and the acapella singing sensation Voces8. Continue reading “Hazelwood opens its Baily Building with Gala Concert”
Now Trevereux Hill’s Chart Ridge, Limpsfield Chart, the Henry Radcliffe Convalescent Home, formerly Charing Cross Auxiliary Hospital was one of several auxiliary hospitals and convalescent homes around Limpsfield and Oxted. Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Henry Radcliffe Convalescent Home, Trevereux Hill”