Haste Hill facts for kids
Haste Hill is a special hill located near Haslemere, a town in Surrey, England. It's thought that this hill was where the town of Haslemere first began. Later, in the 1800s, it became an important spot for a special communication system called a semaphore station.
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Haste Hill: A Glimpse into History
Haste Hill is found to the southeast of modern-day Haslemere. It covers about 24 acres (around 97,000 square meters) of mixed woodland. You can find a pond there and a great viewpoint. From this spot, you can see across an area called the Weald.
Haslemere's Original Home
Back in the 1300s, Haste Hill was known as East Hill. It was the main place where people lived in Haslemere. There might have even been a church on the hill. Old records mention places like "Churchliten field" and the "Old church-yard" of Haslemere. This suggests it was a very old and important community hub.
The Semaphore Station Story
In 1821, a special building was put up on Haste Hill. It was called an Admiralty Telegraph Station. This building was like a bungalow. On top of it was a semaphore system. A semaphore uses tall poles with movable arms. These arms could be moved into different positions. Each position stood for a letter or a number.
This station was part of a long line of stations. This line stretched all the way from London to Portsmouth. It was used from 1822 to 1847. It helped the British Navy send messages quickly. Imagine sending a text message, but with giant wooden arms!
After the semaphore line closed, the Admiralty sold the site in 1849. The building was changed and added to over time. Today, this historic building is known as the Whitwell Hatch Hotel.
Haste Hill During World War II
The Admiralty returned to Haste Hill during World War II. By May 1941, the Royal Naval Signals School set up a part of its operations there. They used the Whitwell Hatch Hotel for their production department. On August 25, 1941, the site officially became part of HMS Mercury. This was a shore base for the Royal Navy. It played a role in training and communications during the war.
