Hambledon, Hampshire

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Hambledon
latitude= 50.9307
longitude= -1.0799
civil_parish= Hambledon
population = 947 (2001 census)
shire_district= City of Winchester
shire_county= Hampshire
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Winchester
post_town= PORTSMOUTH
postcode_district = PO6 2
postcode_area= PO
dial_code= 023 92
os_grid_reference= SU646150

Hambledon is a small village and civil parish in the county of Hampshire in England, situated about 15 miles north of Portsmouth.

Hambledon is best known as the 'Cradle of Cricket'. It is thought that Hambledon Club, one of the oldest cricket clubs known, was formed about 1750. Hambledon was England's leading cricket club from about 1765 until the formation of MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) in 1787.

The famous "Bat and Ball Inn" in Hyden Farm Lane, Clanfield is next to the historic cricket ground near Broadhalfpenny Down where the Hambledon club originally played. The inn was run by Richard Nyren, who was also captain of the club. The modern Hambledon Cricket Club's ground is at Ridge Meadow - about half a mile away.

Hambledon is a rural village surrounded by fields and woods. There are about 400 households with just under 1,000 residents.The nearest villages are Clanfield, Chidden and Denmead.

There is a school, Hambledon Infant School, recently rated as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, and a parish church, St Peter's and St Paul's.

"The Witches", a 1966 Hammer Films production, was mostly filmed in Hambledon.

ee also

*Cricket
*Hambledon Club

External links

* [http://www.communigate.co.uk/hants/thehambledonclub/index.phtml Refoundation of the cricket club in 1999 after a brief break]
* [http://www.hambledon-hants.com/ Hambledon website]
* [http://www.hambledoninfantschool.co.uk/ Hambledon Infant School]
* [http://www.hambledonchurch.btinternet.co.uk/ St Peter's and St Paul's Church]
* [http://gallery.beautifulengland.net/main.php?g2_itemId=7535 Information and photographs of Hambledon]