Another corner of Midhurst ....

There has been a town at Midhurst since the 12th century and many early buildings still survive. This is our library at the corner of Knockhundred Row. It’s had a varied history as you might guess. In the very early part of the 20th century, it consisted of a row of cottage with a sweet shop. By 1921 it was in use as a Working Mens Club, but was closed down because it breached licensing laws by selling alcohol to non members. It just happened that the non-members in question were police officers!

The earliest lighting was of course by gas and there was a gas lamp in the exact same spot as our present electric lamp, back at the beginning of the 20th century.

The intriguing road name – Knockhundred – defeats my investigations. I know Hundred was a division in some counties in England, but combined with Knock …. ? May have been just the name of the area, the Knock Hundred, though I haven’t come across traces of it anywhere else in the neighbourhood.

Beside the library down the lane on the left is the last Burgage stone in Midhurst. These stones were attached to houses to represent a vote in Parliament. The system was abolished by the Reform Act of 1892. It’s now protected by a grill and has the distinction of its own plaque. It was removed from the house next door whose owner had the vote, still called Burgage House.

Wet and grey today, as you can see from the featureless sky and wet pavements.