Chartham Hatch
Village Hall
History
Chartham Hatch Village Hall was originally built as a school. Records show that on 3rd March 1873 a tender for the construction of a school building was officially accepted. A school had been built in 1872 in neighbouring Chartham in response to the Education Act of 1870 but, even at its opening ceremony, it was acknowledged that another school would have to be built for the children at Chartham Hatch. There was no mains water, gas, electricity or drainage.
Water was drawn by means of a pump in the playground. The handle remains preserved to this day, secured to a board replaced in 1977 to commemorate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.
Research has led us to believe that the original building was about half its present size and this can be seen on early maps.
Around 1900 overcrowding in the school highlighted the need for the building to be enlarged; the work was eventually completed in 1907. The Juniors could then be separated from the Infants by a partition which is still in the hall and education could be conducted in a more satisfactory manner. It appears that the present entrance and kitchen was also constructed at the same time. There is photographic evidence to show that some of the narrow windows have been widened and the adjacent walls have been supported with buttresses.
The school survived both World Wars but by 1966 the Kent Education Committee decided to close the school because of continued low numbers of children (in the summer term of 1963 the numbers had fallen to below 20) and to bus the pupils to the Primary School at Bolts Hill, Chartham. Part of this school is now in use as a doctor’s surgery, the children having been transferred to the former secondary school in Shalmsford Street, Chartham.
Around the same time, some far sighted villagers were instrumental in securing the school building for use as the Chartham Hatch Village Hall. This entailed much hard work – a share scheme was launched and many fundraising events were held. Fêtes and Easter Pram Races continued for many years and most of the village was involved.
Today the hall is in regular use and is fully equipped with mains services, including a toilet with disabled facilities. Both chimneys remain. There is a fireplace at one end of the hall and, at the other, is the concrete base where the round tortoise stove used to stand.
There
is one fist-shaped vent handle remaining. On some of the walls, one can see
evidence of windows or doorways being bricked up. The Fire Exit was installed
soon after the hall was in use.
There is still debate whether the tower on the roof was for bell, ventilator
or both, but its replica stands in place of the one which was dislodged on
the night of the storm in October 1987 – but that is another story for
the History book.
Research into the history of the hall and school has been made possible by a grant from the Local Heritage Initiative* – log on to www.lhi.org.uk/chartham to follow progress on our “Chartham Hatch Village School to Village Hall” project.
Those interested in the wider aspects of the history of Chartham may like to learn more about the Historical Group of the Chartham Society – see www.charthampc.org.uk.
*The Local Heritage Initiative is a national grant scheme that helps local groups to investigate, explain and care for their local landscape, landmarks, traditions and culture. The Heritage Lottery Fund provides the grant but the scheme is a partnership, administered by the Countryside Agency with additional funding from the Nationwide Building Society.