CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE. REPEAT IF REQUIRED
Barbe Baker Hall is named after the grandfather of a former resident of Elizabeth’s house, The Firs.
From my sister’s bathroom window can be seen the roof of this historic corrugated iron chapel. The tiled roof in the foreground is that of her purpose built workroom.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KamYPQ_qBd8&w=560&h=315]
This ‘Tin Tabernacle’ is, according to https://www.geocaching.com, ‘a survivor of several “dissenter churches” founded in the area between 1764 and 1843 and is built of corrugated iron and painted green. It has the title “Barbe-Baker Hall” after the Rev. J.T.W. Baker who was Chaplain at the South Stoneham Union (Workhouse) situated a mile away. His grandson was the well known “Man of the Trees who collected trees from around the world and planted some fine specimens in local parks.’
Despite its dilapidated appearance, this establishment remains a regular place of worship.
Elizabeth points out that anyone interested might like to buy her house, glimpsed in this photograph, which is currently on the market for sale: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60590944.html
The Workhouse was, after the formation of the National Health Service in 1948, and with the addition of other premises, converted to the Moorgreen Hospital which. last year, was sold to developers.
Historic buildings have been retained and are being converted; some later, minor, buildings demolished;
and the land filled with new flats and
houses forming the residential development entitled The Pavilions,
currently being constructed by Barratt Homes. The roof of the original building was, this afternoon, crawling with an army of scaffolders.
Some of the properties are already occupied.
Apart from the now usual hold-up from horses on the road out of Beaulieu, we had an uneventful drive home from Elizabeth’, where we had stayed the night.
My sister had provided an excellent roast chicken lunch, so pizza and salad was all we needed to keep us going through evening. With this, Jackie drank Hoegaarden, and I consumed more of the Douro.