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-   -   In search of the Hampshire years (http://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showthread.php?t=54712)

Murrow 12-09-2014 02:49 PM

In search of the Hampshire years
 
I'm hoping to make a jaunt or two down Hampshire way in the New Year.

I hope to walk up the road past Benifols (even though I have already done so in Street View) and try and pass Headley Grange perhaps too.

I want to go into the Crown pub and see if there's anyone there who remembers when FM were in town so to speak.

I'd also be fascinated to find the exact spot where John McVie took the Bare Trees cover photos and to see if anyone knows what became of Mrs Scarrott - I'm sure she'll be long dead but if there's any local source that published her poetry in small pamphlets.

If anyone already knows any of this info I'd be interested to hear from you.

Oh and did FM actually record anything at Headley Grange? I know they were the ones who recommended it to Led Zeppelin but most of their stuff from that time seems to have been recorded at De Lane Lea.

wetcamelfood 12-10-2014 06:22 AM

I know Kiln House was in Alton but that's all I got.

If you could get Mrs. Scarrott's first name for me (for the discography) that would be great. :)

John

Murrow 12-10-2014 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood (Post 1155734)
I know Kiln House was in Alton but that's all I got.

If you could get Mrs. Scarrott's first name for me (for the discography) that would be great. :)

John

There's other threads on here that show where you can find Benifols.

It's in Bordon, Headley Down, not all that far from where Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex meet.

I'd rather not give the street address here but a cursory google will reveal it.

Blue Horizon 12-10-2014 08:01 AM

Hi Murrow,

See my thread :- Benifolds-home of FM 1971/74, for further info regarding Benifolds.
Good luck with your visit in the New Year.

Blue Horizon

Murrow 12-10-2014 08:53 AM

Thanks BH will check that out.

Think I might have seen the thread before but nice to have a recap.

wetcamelfood 12-10-2014 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murrow (Post 1155736)
There's other threads on here that show where you can find Benifols.

It's in Bordon, Headley Down, not all that far from where Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex meet.

I'd rather not give the street address here but a cursory google will reveal it.

Thanks but I'm not looking for the address. By all means though if you come across Mrs. Scarrott's first name, feel free to PM it to me, that's what I meant. :)

John

THD 12-10-2014 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood (Post 1155748)
T if you come across Mrs. Scarrott's first name, feel free to PM it to me, that's what I meant. :)

John

Her husbands name could have been Judas *




* (not to be taken in anyway as a serious suggestion and posted only for comedy effect !)

becca 12-11-2014 12:12 AM

I thought she was just reading something out from a book, not that she'd written the poem. :shrug:

She was described as a neighbour so possibly lived next door?

Wish I could visit too!

wetcamelfood 12-11-2014 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by becca (Post 1155806)
I thought she was just reading something out from a book, not that she'd written the poem. :shrug:

You're probably right but until we can find the source of the poem...and as a "performer" it would just look better having the name instead of "Mrs." as a first name is all. :)

John

Murrow 12-12-2014 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by becca (Post 1155806)
I thought she was just reading something out from a book, not that she'd written the poem. :shrug:

She was described as a neighbour so possibly lived next door?

Wish I could visit too!

The way Mick's heard complimenting her at the end, plus the fact that she's credited in the brackets would suggest to me that she did indeed write the piece. Probably inspired Danny to write the title track.

You see now why I want to see the place in winter. I so wish I knew the exact spot John took the cover photos.

Murrow 01-11-2015 01:13 PM

Well I did it!

Yesterday I made my trip to Headley. A bloke on the bus pointed out Benifold on the hill, I had a pint in the Crown and then following what I'd carefully studied in street view, I made my way to Benifold.

The road it's in is now a neighborhood watch area and while I managed to find it and snap it quickly from either end, I had to do the "Just having a walk" act when I had to stop right outside to let a lady drive past, only to find she was in fact turning into the house opposite.

I left the immediate area by means of a designated footpath that slopes down past the lower end of the house - I had to slide down on my rear-end. But once you get to the bottom you can turn right and follow the narrow footpath (treacherously muddy in winter) and come out near the Crown again.

From there it's not that long a walk to Headley Grange either.

Can post a pic or two but will be doing so with respect for the fact that both buildings are now private homes.

Plenty of trees so bare and yet so beautiful though - and someone in the Crown told me they still get spectacular sunsets round there.

P.S. Oh yes and the official spelling is BENIFOLD. There's a D but no S, despite other spellings I've seen.

FuzzyPlum 01-11-2015 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murrow (Post 1157703)
Well I did it!

Yesterday I made my trip to Headley. A bloke on the bus pointed out Benifold on the hill, I had a pint in the Crown and then following what I'd carefully studied in street view, I made my way to Benifold.

The road it's in is now a neighborhood watch area and while I managed to find it and snap it quickly from either end, I had to do the "Just having a walk" act when I had to stop right outside to let a lady drive past, only to find she was in fact turning into the house opposite.

I left the immediate area by means of a designated footpath that slopes down past the lower end of the house - I had to slide down on my rear-end. But once you get to the bottom you can turn right and follow the narrow footpath (treacherously muddy in winter) and come out near the Crown again.

From there it's not that long a walk to Headley Grange either.

Can post a pic or two but will be doing so with respect for the fact that both buildings are now private homes.

Plenty of trees so bare and yet so beautiful though - and someone in the Crown told me they still get spectacular sunsets round there.

P.S. Oh yes and the official spelling is BENIFOLD. There's a D but no S, despite other spellings I've seen.

Wow, that's great. I take it the house had a name sign. Is Benifold on the Hill the proper name of the house or the name of the street? Or both? Did you speak with any punters in the Crown about the band? Do they have any pictures on the walls?

FuzzyPlum 01-11-2015 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum (Post 1157716)
Wow, that's great. I take it the house had a name sign. Is Benifold on the Hill the proper name of the house or the name of the street? Or both? Did you speak with any punters in the Crown about the band? Do they have any pictures on the walls?

PS. Any news on Mrs Scarrott?

Murrow 01-12-2015 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum (Post 1157721)
PS. Any news on Mrs Scarrott?

Sadly the only lowdown I got from anyone on the band was the guy on the bus who remembered being a kid and seeing Mick and Christine around the place. No-one in the pub was around in those days but a couple of guys told me the guy who'd been Peter Green's bass player was now in the band that had played the village New Year's gig and that once Pete Townshend had dropped by on his bike and popped in for a pint.

The name of the house is just Benifold and yes it is signed.

Owing to lack of those around at the time, I couldn't really ask anyone about Mrs Scarrott. I do however know a Headley-related website where the webmaster might be able to look out the info for me.

Murrow 01-14-2015 01:17 PM

I have corresponded with a resident of Headley who knows a lot about the area. He contacted a Benifold expert but could only ascertain that Christine's paintings are no longer there.

He did however tell me the following story:

"Funnily enough, I was leading a walk past Benifold this morning and two of the walkers had first-hand Fleetwood Mac stories to tell me - one about a birthday party for one of the daughters in the local church hall - her daughter (aged about 3) was invited - there was no food other than rock cakes and people were smoking funny joints!"

Deduction tells me it would have been Amie's birthday probably in January 1974 when she herself turned three - only months or even weeks before the band moved out.


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