{"id":220,"date":"2009-07-07T20:01:58","date_gmt":"2009-07-07T19:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/?page_id=220"},"modified":"2026-02-09T10:43:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T10:43:28","slug":"220-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/220-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Village Hall History"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;section&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||0px||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; text_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;24px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1em&#8221; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;center&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; min_height=&#8221;100px&#8221; height=&#8221;100px&#8221; max_height=&#8221;100px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;||-119px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||||false|false&#8221; text_text_shadow_style=&#8221;preset5&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>A brief history of Eathorpe Village Hall<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_2,1_2&#8243; use_custom_gutter=&#8221;on&#8221; gutter_width=&#8221;4&#8243; make_equal=&#8221;on&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; width=&#8221;100%&#8221; max_width=&#8221;950px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-10px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;20px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;24px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1em&#8221; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;justified&#8221; min_height=&#8221;416.2px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-1px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|10px||10px|false|false&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|10px|10px|10px|10px&#8221; border_width_all=&#8221;3px&#8221; border_color_all=&#8221;#E02B20&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;\">The Village Hall is built on land sold to the village in July 1954, for the sum of \u00a31.00, by the Twist family, then living at Eathorpe Hall. It was to be used \u2018for the purpose of physical and mental training&#8230; recreation and social, moral and intellectual development&#8230; for the benefit of the inhabitants of&#8230; Eathorpe and Wappenbury and their immediate vicinity&#8230; without distinction of sex or of political, religious or other opinions\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The original building was lightweight and wooden, erected by voluntary effort. Slightly smaller than the present building, it had a low, felt-covered, roof, fibre-board internal walls and windows set above eye-level. By the early 1990\u2019s, over 35 years of the prevailing southwest winds had given it a significant tilt to the north-east and \u00a34,000 was spent on major structural repairs.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/Village-Hall-pre-2000.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-241909 alignnone size-full\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" \/><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;\">The hall continued to be a lively centre, increasingly hosting professional theatre and music as well as social events for villagers. Its users included the ever more active Eathorpe Table Tennis Club, Morris dancing and the Over-60\u2019s Club. But the building continued to deteriorate, its basic facilities dropped away from modern standards and access for disabled people was primitive. A remarkably successful photo exhibition \u2018The Changing Community\u2019, in January 2001, drew over 1,000 visitors and prompted thoughts of building a new hall before the old one finally fell down. \u00a0Minutes of EVH Committee meetings since 1949 are available and some photos will be posted here.<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- \t\t@page { margin: 2cm } \t\t@page:first { margin-right: 1.5cm; margin-top: 1cm; margin-bottom: 1.29cm } \t\tP { margin-bottom: 0.35cm; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify } \t\tP.western { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.cjk { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.ctl { font-size: 12pt } --><!-- \t\t@page { margin: 2cm } \t\t@page:first { margin-right: 1.5cm; margin-top: 1cm; margin-bottom: 1.29cm } \t\tP { margin-bottom: 0.35cm; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify } \t\tP.western { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.cjk { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.ctl { font-size: 12pt } --><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;24px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1em&#8221; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; text_orientation=&#8221;justified&#8221; min_height=&#8221;416.2px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-1px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|10px||10px|false|false&#8221; border_radii=&#8221;on|10px|10px|10px|10px&#8221; border_width_all=&#8221;3px&#8221; border_color_all=&#8221;#E02B20&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/EathorpeVH.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"185\" alt=\"Village Hall\" class=\"wp-image-1485 alignnone size-full\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" \/>In less than 3 years the money required (\u00a3340,000) was raised and the new hall built. About \u00a350,000 of the total came from a vigorous programme of fund-raising events and generous individual donations. The project was a genuinely local affair. The architect, Phil Mitchell, lived in Hunningham and developed his designs through a series of village meetings at which almost all households were represented. The builder, Tompkins Construction Ltd, was based in nearby Birdingbury and its site manager, Chris Clewes, was connected with the village through his mother, who spent her childhood child in a now demolished cottage near the Plough Inn.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Fund-raising, and the complete building programme, was co-ordinated by a sub-committee of villagers: Judy Baum (Chair of the overall Hall committee), David French (Chair of the sub-committee), Graham Peck, Maggy Smith, Ivan Spicer (Treasurer), and Rosie Aaron. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 100%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The hall was opened in November 2003 by Mota Singh, Chair of the County Council and former village postman for Eathorpe. The event was celebrated by a weekend of comedy, jazz and theatre that set the style for the next period in the existence of Eathorpe and Wappenbury Village Hall.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height: 100%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;mailto:info@eathorpe.org.uk&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Contact us&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_text_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; button_bg_color=&#8221;#E02B20&#8243; button_border_width=&#8221;3px&#8221; button_border_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; button_border_radius=&#8221;30px&#8221; button_font=&#8221;|700|||||||&#8221; button_use_icon=&#8221;off&#8221; button_text_shadow_style=&#8221;preset1&#8243; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A brief history of Eathorpe Village HallThe Village Hall is built on land sold to the village in July 1954, for the sum of \u00a31.00, by the Twist family, then living at Eathorpe Hall. It was to be used \u2018for the purpose of physical and mental training&#8230; recreation and social, moral and intellectual development&#8230; for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<!-- \t\t@page { margin: 2cm } \t\t@page:first { margin-right: 1.5cm; margin-top: 1cm; margin-bottom: 1.29cm } \t\tP { margin-bottom: 0.35cm; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify } \t\tP.western { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.cjk { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.ctl { font-size: 12pt } -->\r\n\r\n<!-- \t\t@page { margin: 2cm } \t\t@page:first { margin-right: 1.5cm; margin-top: 1cm; margin-bottom: 1.29cm } \t\tP { margin-bottom: 0.35cm; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify } \t\tP.western { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.cjk { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.ctl { font-size: 12pt } -->\r\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The Village Hall is built on land sold to the village in July 1954, for the sum of \u00a31.00, by the Twist family, then living at Eathorpe Hall. It was to be used \u2018for the purpose of physical and mental training... recreation and social, moral and intellectual development... for the benefit of the inhabitants of... Eathorpe and Wappenbury and their immediate vicinity... without distinction of sex or of political, religious or other opinions\u2019.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The original building was lightweight and wooden, erected by voluntary effort. Slightly smaller than the present building, it had a low, felt-covered, roof, fibre-board internal walls and windows set above eye-level. By the early 1990\u2019s, over 35 years of the prevailing southwest winds had given it a significant tilt to the north-east and \u00a34,000 was spent on major structural repairs. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The hall continued to be a lively centre, increasingly hosting professional theatre and music as well as social events for villagers. Its users included the ever more active Eathorpe Table Tennis Club, Morris dancing and the Over-60\u2019s Club. But the building continued to deteriorate, its basic facilities dropped away from modern standards and access for disabled people was primitive. A remarkably successful photo exhibition \u2018The Changing Community\u2019, in January 2001, drew over 1,000 visitors and prompted thoughts of building a new hall before the old one finally fell down.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">In less than 3 years the money required (\u00a3340,000) was raised and the new hall built. About \u00a350,000 of the total came from a vigorous programme of fund-raising events and generous individual donations. The project was a genuinely local affair. The architect, Phil Mitchell, lived in Hunningham and developed his designs through a series of village meetings at which almost all households were represented. The builder, Tompkins Construction Ltd, was based in nearby Birdingbury and its site manager, Chris Clewes, was connected with the village through his mother, who spent her childhood child in a now demolished cottage near the Plough Inn.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 100%;\" align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Fund-raising, and the complete building programme, was co-ordinated by a sub-committee of villagers: Judy Baum (Chair of the overall Hall committee), David French (Chair of the sub-committee), Graham Peck, Maggy Smith, Ivan Spicer (Treasurer), and Rosie Aaron (until she left the village). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"line-height: 100%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The hall was opened in November 2003 by Mota Singh, Chair of the County Council and former village postman for Eathorpe. The event was celebrated by a weekend of comedy, jazz and theatre that set the style for the next period in the existence of Eathorpe and Wappenbury Village Hall.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<!-- \t\t@page { margin: 2cm } \t\t@page:first { margin-right: 1.5cm; margin-top: 1cm; margin-bottom: 1.29cm } \t\tP { margin-bottom: 0.35cm; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify } \t\tP.western { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.cjk { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.ctl { font-size: 12pt } --><!-- \t\t@page { margin: 2cm } \t\t@page:first { margin-right: 1.5cm; margin-top: 1cm; margin-bottom: 1.29cm } \t\tP { margin-bottom: 0.35cm; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify } \t\tP.western { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.cjk { font-family: \"Calibri\", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt } \t\tP.ctl { font-size: 12pt } -->","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-220","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":242981,"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/220\/revisions\/242981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eathorpe.org.uk\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}