easthampshire.org

Headley is a village about eight miles south-east of Alton, between Bordon and Grayshott, and bordering Surrey. The name means ‘clearing in the heath’ and it is surrounded by heaths and downs. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as ‘Hallege’.

The village has plenty of history. Headley Mill still grinds corn using the power of the river on a site where a watermill has stood since Saxon times. All Saints’ Church stands on a site which has had a church since at least the 12^th century. The tower is dated around 1380 and had a shingled spire until it burnt down in 1836 and was replaced. A chestnut tree outside the Holly Bush pub was planted in1891 on the site of the old stocks. Around its base is a circular metal seat, and on this are inscribed six of the old ways of spelling Headley.

More recently Headley Grange was used as a recording studio for several famous bands – perhaps most notably Led Zeppelin recorded Led Zeppelin IV there in 1971, including ‘Stairway to Heaven’. Other groups included Genesis, Ian Dury and Band Company. Fleetwood Mac also recorded in the area at Benifold between 1970 and 1974.

A second centre to Headley is ‘Headley Down’, which was originally developed from the early 1900s as a place to build small country retreats near Hindhead, which was nicknamed ‘Little Switzerland’ for its healthy air. During World War II an army camp was built by the Canadians on heathland at the top of Beech Hill – after the war the site, now known as Heatherlands, was taken over for housing.

Headley village website (opens in new window)