South Farnborough and Heritage Quarter History Walk

Another of Jo Gosney's popular walks took place on 9 October 2011 and began at the Old Town Hall Gardens, an excellent vantage point for

several places of interest such as St Mark’s Church and the war memorial. Proceeding along Alexandra Road and down Church Road West to Church Circle, Jo spoke of the fascinating history behind many of the houses, notably those built by William Knell, as well as pointing out a tumulus and the site of a former maternity hospital.

In Albert Road, Jo talked about Devereux House, formerly the Cottage Hospital, Farnborough’s First World War Memorial.  Knellwood, in Canterbury Road, now a residential home for the elderly, is a War Memorial to the fallen of the Second World War. The walk took us along to the Farnborough College of Technology, and on past the sites of several schools, most notably the old Hillside Convent College, then into the former RAE site.   Highlights here included The Hub, which incorporates the National Aerospace Library and The Secret Factory, and the five listed buildings, two of which are grade 1.

Emerging onto Farnborough Road, the walkers were fascinated to learn that there is a disused Victorian pedestrian tunnel beneath the Farnborough Road just to the North of the RAE traffic lights. The final part of the route passed The Swan Inn and the FAST Museum, then took Reading Road back to the starting point. This walk was packed with interest and proved extremely popular.