Sandhurst, Berkshire facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Sandhurst
Daffodills in Ambarrow Court
Sandhurst
Population	20,383 (2021 Census)
OS grid reference	SU836618
Civil parish	Sandhurst
Unitary authority	Bracknell Forest
Shire county	Berkshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SANDHURST
Postcode district	GU47
Dialling code	01344 01276 01252

Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Royal Berkshire
Ambulance	South Central

EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Bracknell
List of places UK England Berkshire 51°20′56″N 0°48′00″W / 51.349°N 0.800°W / 51.349; -0.800

Sandhurst is a town in Berkshire, England. It is located in the southeast part of Berkshire. The town is about 51 kilometers (32 miles) southwest of London. It is also close to Camberley and Bracknell.

Sandhurst is famous for being home to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. This is often just called "Sandhurst" or "The Academy." The town also has a big shopping area called "The Meadows." Here you can find large stores like Tesco and Marks & Spencer. A big Next store is also located there.

Exploring Sandhurst's Location
Getting Around Sandhurst
- Train Travel
- Bus Services
A Look Back at Sandhurst's Past
Fun and Games in Sandhurst
Famous People from Sandhurst
Images for kids
See also

Exploring Sandhurst's Location

Weather chart for Sandhurst

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temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm
source: MSN Weather

Imperial conversion

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
0.2 45 36	0.2 46 36	0.1 52 37	0.2 55 39	0.1 63 45	0.1 68 50	0.1 72 54	0.5 72 54	0.2 64 50	0.2 57 45	0.2 50 39	0.2 46 37
temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches

Sandhurst is in South East England. It is near where the counties of Berkshire, Hampshire, and Surrey meet. The town has four main areas. These are Little Sandhurst, central Sandhurst, College Town, and Owlsmoor.

North of the town are Edgbarrow Woods. There is also a special nature area called Sandhurst to Owlsmoor Bogs and Heaths. This area includes the Wildmoor Heath nature reserve. To the east is Broadmoor Bottom. This is an area of heathland with fir trees.

Sandhurst is bordered by the River Blackwater to the south. Several lakes along the river are within the town's area. These include Trilakes, which has a country park. The river also forms the county line with Hampshire.

The town of Crowthorne is to the north. The village of Finchampstead is to the west. Camberley is to the southeast, across the Surrey county line. Sandhurst is also about 9.5 kilometers (5.9 miles) south of Bracknell. The soil in Sandhurst is sandy, with sand and gravel underneath.

Getting Around Sandhurst

Sandhurst is close to the A30 main road. This road is about 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) from junction 4 of the M3 motorway. The town is also about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the M4. You can reach the M4 by taking the Crowthorne bypass (A3095) to Bracknell. Then you take the A329(M) towards Reading.

Train Travel

Sandhurst railway station is a stop on the North Downs Line. Great Western Railway operates the trains. Services run between Gatwick, Guildford, and Reading.

Bus Services

Stagecoach South runs bus route 3. This bus goes between Yateley and Camberley. It runs every 15 minutes, except on Sundays. Some buses also go to and from Aldershot.

A Look Back at Sandhurst's Past

Early Beginnings: Saxon and Medieval Times

The name Sandhurst comes from old English words. It means "sandy soils" and "hurst," which means a wooded hill. In the early 1300s, Sandhurst was part of a larger church area called Sonning. This area later became a "hundred" when its villages got their own churches. These lands belonged to the Bishops of Salisbury.

There were two main estates, or "manors," in Sandhurst. One was called 'Hall' where the Royal Military Academy is now. The other was 'Sandhurst' where Sandhurst Lodge stands. No original buildings from these manors remain. The first time Sandhurst was mentioned was in 1175. It was recorded in the financial records of King Henry II.

From Tudor to Georgian Eras

In the early modern period, Sandhurst was a small farming community. It was on the edge of Windsor Forest. Sandhurst Walke was an important part of the forest. People living there could cut turf, bracken, heather, and wood. This wood was mainly used to feed the forest deer. Royal hunting parties would hunt these deer from a hunting lodge nearby.

Farming has always been a big part of life in Sandhurst. Some old farms are still remembered in the names of housing areas and roads. Examples include Sandhurst Farm, Snaprails, and College Farm. In the mid-1500s, William, Lord Sandys, owned a manor house called 'Buckhurst'. He was a top advisor to King Henry VIII.

Victorian and Modern Changes

Life in Sandhurst changed a lot in the 1800s. Large areas of land were sold to build the Royal Military College Sandhurst. This college moved from Marlow in 1813. The railway came to Sandhurst in 1849. After that, many large country houses were built. These included Harts Leap, Forest End, and Ambarrow Court.

Sandhurst Lodge was built around 1858. It was first rented by John Walter of The Times Newspaper. Later, Sir William Farrer, who was a lawyer for Queen Victoria, lived there. Many of these large houses are now gone. They were torn down to build new homes.

These large houses and places like Broadmoor Hospital and Wellington College in nearby Crowthorne caused the population to grow. More people moved to the area looking for work. New homes were built for these workers. More schools and churches were also built for the community.

Before Sandhurst School was built in 1969, older students went to schools in Crowthorne or Winnersh. From the late 1950s to the 1980s, many housing estates were built. This created the larger town we see today. It joined the original four villages of College Town, Central Sandhurst, Little Sandhurst, and Owlsmoor.

Places of Worship

St Michael's Parish Church, in Little Sandhurst, dates from the 1200s. It was mostly rebuilt in 1853.
The Baptist Church, in Central Sandhurst, was built in 1884.
The Wesleyan Methodist chapel, in Central Sandhurst, was built in 1906.
The Church of England parish church of St George's in Owlsmoor was first an iron church in 1880. It was rebuilt in 1993.
The Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception was built in 1959.

Local Schools

St Michael's Church of England School, in Little Sandhurst, opened in 1862. Other schools followed quickly:

Old Scotland Hill, Little Sandhurst, opened in 1871.
The Methodist School, Central Sandhurst, opened in 1906.
College Town School opened in 1907.
Uplands, Central Sandhurst, opened in 1962.
Owlsmoor Primary was added in 1974.

Fun and Games in Sandhurst

The Tug of War Association National Outdoor Championships were held in Sandhurst in 2000 and 2013.
Sandhurst's tug of war team has won the World Championship three times. You can see this on signs when you enter the town.
Sandhurst's football team, Sandhurst Town F.C., plays at Bottom Meadow.
The local boys and girls football club offers football for children aged 6 to 21. It has over 750 players.
Sandhurst Cricket Club has two teams in the Berkshire League. They also have a Sunday team and a growing junior section.
Sandhurst Joggers has over 400 members. They range from beginners to athletes. They organize runs six days a week.
Sandhurst Memorial Park has tennis and basketball courts. It also has cricket and football pitches. There is a playground with a large sand area and a small skatepark.
The park has a large water area called a "balancing pond." A firework show is held here once a year, usually near Guy Fawkes Night. The Sandhurst Donkey Derby is also an annual event.
The Memorial Park is home to Sandhurst Memorial parkrun. This is a weekly 5k run held every Saturday at 9:00 am. The route includes the River Blackwater.
Sandhurst Leisure Centre is in the Owlsmoor area. It is part of Sandhurst School. It has many facilities for sports and fun activities.
Sandhurst has an active Historical Society.
The Sandhurst Silver Band Organisation practices in its own building. They have two bands: The Sandhurst Community Band and the Sandhurst Silver Band. In March 2018, the Sandhurst Silver Band won the London and Southern Counties First Section Champions title. This earned them an invitation to the National Finals.

Famous People from Sandhurst

William, Prince of Wales (then Prince William of Wales) lived at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from January to December 2006.
Greg Davies, the actor and comedian, was an English and Drama teacher at Sandhurst School in the 1990s.
Max and Harvey are British twin singers.