Smannell, Knights Enham, Enham Alamein, Charlton
One of nineteen tapestry panels covering the
Borough of Test Valley
Smannell
Canvas
TOP BORDER:Skittles, representing the annual village fete and bowling
for the pig competition held before the war. The fifty-pence coin
commemorates Mr Christopher Ironside of Church Farm House who
designed Britain's first decimal coinage introduced in February
1971; the steam engine "Lincoln Imp". The cottage loaf and peel
denote bread making begun at Woodhouse Bakery nearly two centuries
ago. Riding for the Disabled. The Andover group started at
Woodhouse Farm in 1972; the hurdle represents three local
businesses, which supplied hurdles, pea sticks, bean rods, faggots
and logs
MIDDLE SECTION:The cottages in the top left corner are from the hamlet of
Little London, which was established in 1665 by refugees from the
great plague. The cultivated fields belong to Woodhouse Farm whose
farmhouse (on the right) dates from 1746. The thatched building on
the left is the Woodhouse Bakery. The red bakers' van can be
detected at the end of the cottage. The cows opposite are part of
the local herd of Friesians. The staddlestones with flowers at
their base are from Finkley Manor Farmhouse (1787). The red-tiled
building is the school, built in 1873. Between the school and the
church is the distinctive letterbox. Christ Church, Smannell, with
its brick decorated and flint walls. The mother and toddler next to
the rider in the bottom corner represent the drug rehabilitation
unit at nearby Ashley Copse. A new mother and baby unit was opened
here by the Princess of Wales in 1988, which accounts for the red
helicopter at the top of the panel
LOWER BORDER:Animals and plants of the countryside; primroses/ rabbit;
blackberries; pheasant; an oak branch, representing the village
inn, the British Oak.
Knights Enham and Enham Alamein
Canvas
TOP BORDER:Two
books representing Enham's bookbinding industry; the insignia of
the Mediterranean Fleet 1942, the 8th Army (Desert Rats) and the
Western Desert Air Force which are featured in the three stained
glass windows in the Alamein Church of St George; a basketful of
flowers representing the combined Enham industries of basket making
and the garden centre.
MIDDLE SECTION:The large building at the top of the panel is the £1.3
million Enham Resource Centre for assessing the disabled, completed
in 1990 and opened by the Patron, the Duchess of Gloucester. The
cedar tree in front of the building is now the logo of the Enham
Trust. The biplane in the upper corner symbolises the link between
the First World War and the manufacture of glider parts in the
Second. Below the Resources Centre, on the left, is an elm tree.
The 17th century thatched cottage houses the estate office and a
museum of the Battle of Alamein. Below the elm tree is the bus
shelter, originally a shepherd's hut and rebuilt brick by brick. In
front is a flower stall, representing the Garden Centre. The
building in the centre is The Landale Wilson Institute. To its
right is the general store and sub-post office. The disabled are
represented by a lady in a wheelchair and friend, also emphasising
the social aspect provided by the store. In front of the Landale
Wilson hall is a bed of red roses planted as a memorial to the late
Medical Officer Dr MacCullum. Below the rose garden is Bradbury
House. In the bottom left corner is the 12th century church of St
Michael, Knights Enham. The squirrel in the tree denotes its
country setting; a hedgehog sits in front. The imposing gates in
the bottom corner are one of the set of three presented by the
Egyptian government. Surrounding the gates are some of the abundant
flora and fauna including daisies, fly agaric fungus, cuckoo pint,
cowslip, bluetits, butterfly and snail. The poppy represents the
war dead. The huge candle made in the workshops is now listed in
the Guinness Book of Records. It was 101.7 feet tall and was
exhibited at the Andover Show in 1989.
LOWER BORDER:Fox, badgers in their set; ferns, leaves, robins, ladybird
butterflies and sheep.
Charlton
Canvas
TOP BORDER:Artefacts and a dwelling, representing Charlton's Saxon
heritage; the oak tree planted to commemorate Queen Victoria's
Diamond Jubilee in June 1897; the bell presented to the church of
St Thomas, Charlton, by Lady Susan Sutton of Penton Lodge on its
consecration in March 1908; symbols representing "livelihoods"; a
horse shoe and arable farming; the school, and a baker representing
the Hopgood family whose business goes back over 100
years.
MIDDLE SECTION:Just left of centre at the top of the panel is Marchment
Farm, with grazing sheep, a horse and farm buildings. To the right
of the farm is Foxcotte Tower. The houses to the right of the tower
represent those built to meet the needs of the Andover district as
a dormitory area. The lake represents the very popular Charlton
Sports and Leisure Centre, built on 76 acres of waste ground. The
boating and fishing lake, sports pavilions and children's play area
depicted in the panel. To its left is the village shop and post
office and across the road is the church of St Thomas. The Royal
Oak public house is prominent lower in the panel. In front of the
pub is a thriving flower stall which was established in the village
in 1989 while the thatched cottages at the bottom of the panel,
located opposite Carters Meadows, are Bluebell Cottage on the left
and Snowdrop Cottage on the right. Below the splendid
horse-chestnut tree and beds of daffodils are the watercress beds,
which were still being harvested when the panel was
designed.
LOWER BORDER: Local birds and fish found at
Charlton Lakes - Canada geese; moorhens; swift, martin and swallow;
trout, chub and silver bream.