Hammer Vale History

Hammer Vale (where the pub is situated) stretches over three counties: Hampshire, West Sussex and briefly Surrey. The convergence of the counties is at Pop Hole, a historic bridge across the River Wey which serves as a physical reminder of Hammer Vale’s former role in the iron working industry. 

Hammer Vale also encompasses some of Sandy Lane, which leads down from Haslemere and the A3.
Historically, it has recorded evidence of rural industry, including broom making. A small broom-maker’s building still remains on land belonging to the house ‘Broomsquires’. The hamlet also had a railway stop to collect local goods destined for London.

The remains of a quarry can be seen on the north side of the road, near to Plum Tree Cottages. This quarry would have supplied either the Hammer Brickworks or Hammer Vale Pottery, an arts and crafts studio in Hammer Lane run by WW Stallworthy and Radley Young, which flourished in the early part of the twentieth century. 

The older cottages still remaining in both Hewshott Lane and Hammer Lane are made from ‘Bargate Stone’ which would have been locally sourced.