Information Board in Chipperfield Road

Image: © David Hillas Taken: 4 Sep 2020

This information board is located in Chipperfield Road HP3 0JN opposite Austins Mead and is maintained by Bovingdon Parish Council. It has the following wording: WELCOME TO BOVINGDON VILLAGE The settlement of Bovingdon dates from the 1200s when the forest was cleared and arable farming began. The village gradually grew over the centuries eventually appearing in its present form in the 1900s. You are standing on Chipperfield Road this was formally known as Blacksmiths Hill, the village forge being located near Farriers Close. The house called 'The Close' was purpose built in the 1840's as our village school; this was outgrown in the 1920's when it relocated to the High Street. Adjacent to the old school, Austins Mead housing was built for the RAF serving at Bovingdon Airfield post WW2, the RAF moved out in the 1970's. Prior to this, the field was used by Bovingdon Football Club. Left column Photo: Bovingdon School 1910 - Infants Class Photo: Bovingdon Forge in the 1900s Photo: main village blacksmith, by the 1920s repairing cars Middle column Image of house Map of the southern part of Bovingdon village Photo: Druce butchers circa 1900, original telephone number 5 Right column Photo: Bull Cottages in Church Street once housed the Post Office. Circa 1912, it shows Mr & Mrs Burgin and their staff. They also operated the first village telephone exchange. Photo: Up to the 1930s roads were made of earth, flints/stones; they were wet and muddy in winter, dry and dusty in summer. Women, as shown in the photo, would pick stones from the fields which men would break and place in the potholes. Photo: Floods have often occurred at the junction of Chipperfield Road and the High Street, so much so the area is known as 'The Docks'. This picture is pre- WW1, the earliest recorded flood was in 1634 and the latest 2016.

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