History of Hanworth with Gunton Memorial Hall
Hanworth with Gunton is a community of around 130 souls set in one of the most beautiful environments in the UK. As an ancient and relatively isolated village, mentioned in the Doomsday Book, it has always had to provide for its own entertainment and build its own social structure.
Today, with no public transport, it can be a lonely place for the elderly and young alike. The elderly depend on their neighbours for supplies, surgery and hospital visits and the comfort of companionship. It is up to residents to maintain, build and expand the sense of community. For this to happen the village needs a place to meet, socialise and offer support. The Memorial Hall has provided this space since the early 20th Century.
Some history
It began life as a village school in 1852, and was used as such until 1908, when schooling was moved to the larger village school at Alby, now known as Aldborough Primary School.
It sat, and still sits on 35 acres of the largest fenced common in England. To live on this Common is to be a trustee of the Common, as it is owned by the village.
At the end of the First World War the village decided to convert the old school into a village hall as a memorial to those residents who were lost and those who served in the war. After the Second World War, the memorial was expanded to include those lost in the conflict and re-dedicated. It is a registered War Memorial. An extension which formed a snooker room was added in the 1960s and a team played in the local leagues for several years.
Life continued in the village and evolved, as it did elsewhere in the world. Farm workers became a minority, young people wanted to listen to something other than the “Norfolk Nuts” on a Friday night. TV, private cars and discos took many away from the village entertainment. However, Friday night bingo survived up until the 2000s. It was used as a meeting place for the Parish Council, the Hanworth Common Management Committee, the annual children’s Christmas party and many a resident had their 21st marked by a party in the Hall.
But over time the building became worn down and tired, and little was done to freshen it up.
It was hard to build up Interest in the building despite many appeals.
The wake-up call
Then in 2004 the village had a stark wake-up call as to how vital such a community building is. A person claimed he owned the Common which makes up much of the village. He fenced it, even though it was grazed for six months every year, patrolled it with security and dogs, and sent invoices of up to £50,000 to individuals demanding that they pay for their right of access.
But, using the Memorial Hall as the centre, the village fought back. The intruder was taken to court and more than 18 months later the High Court judge ruled in favour of the village. The Common is now owned by trustees on behalf of the village.
But action in the High Court was expensive – £55,000! The village raised this money by many means but by far the majority was raised through events held at the Memorial Hall. It was the meeting place and the centre for the campaign. After the verdict the village was awarded costs which were paid in full. Some of these costs went to repaying loans (which would have converted to donations if we had lost). But much was held by the Common Committee for future village needs.
The Hanworth Common Management Committee is separate to the Hanworth with Gunton Memorial Hall charity. However, the Common Committee donated £20,000 to the hall and loaned a further £11,000. Both work together for the betterment of the village. And the Parish Council works with both. Having such a small population with three established groups means that overlap is inevitable.
But the success of the fight had drained the energy of the village so it rested on its laurels. The hall became sadder and more decrepit.
Time passes
A full meeting of the village was held with more than 30 people attending. Two major questions were asked:
1) Do you want a village hall. The answer was unanimously ‘yes’.
2) Do you want a new village hall (which could be cheaper) or do you want to restore this one. Again, unanimously, they wanted the older one retained.
A committee then undertook a survey of all residents which came back with similar answers.
The challenge was on. The sum of £225 thousand pounds was needed (at that time) to restore the older part of the hall, to remove the wooden ‘snooker room’ extension and replace it with a modern room making the most of the idyllic setting, and a new kitchen and toilet block.
Work begins again
Grants were applied for, donations requested and events held to raise the money. The Common committee set the ball rolling with the £20,000. Two local residents made large donations, one of £10,000 another of £5,000. The builder, a resident of the next village, gave £5,000. Grants were applied for and a total of more than £300,000 has been raised so far.
Impact on the community
The first event at the completed hall was the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. This was for residents and their families only to also celebrate the reopening of the hall. Over 150 people attended, more than had ever attended a village-only event. This raised more than £600 even though it was designed as a non-fundraising event. All the hard work was justified. The village would use the hall in many different ways and come together across the main road which divides it to use the hall.
The whole project was nearing completion when the pandemic intervened. It was not the pandemic itself, as the builder was able to make progress as the hall is so isolated. But the following increase in the price of materials made the final push so much more difficult. The final external cladding and walkway, designed to make the most of the conservation area setting, doubled in price. We ploughed on and with the help of more grant funding we were able to complete the outside walkway and landscaping.
Conservation and sustainability have been considered at every step. Electricity is mainly supplied by a solar array on the new pitched roof of the extension and we hope to install a solar battery to minimise our costs and provide a secure haven in the event of an extended village power cut.
The hall and surroundings are now complete and are open for all to enjoy.
Bookings
Hanworth Memorial Hall is open for hire.
So far it is used by;
- Hanworth with Gunton Parish Council
(four meetings plus the annual village meeting) - Hanworth Commons Management Committee.
(Four meetings) - Act of Remembrance
- Harvest Festival
- Christmas Celebration
- Weekly Pilates class
- Regular social afternoons, Wednesdays ‘Cake on the Common’.
- It is the polling place for surrounding villages.
Our success will be measured not only by its use, but the variety of its use. Whether it is for fun, learning, council meetings, voting, or just social exchange, it will be for all
