A little village keeping calm and carrying on
The village of Alton Haypun lies among the winding lanes and patchwork fields of the English countryside. In the latter part of summer 1939, like other towns, cities and villages in Britain, Alton Haypun faces an uncertain future as Britain braces itself for war.
With a population of just 63, the village is a very close-knit community, where everyone knows each other very well and every change in the wind is a topic of conversation.
At the centre of the village stands The Square, the hub of the community.
The centuries-old village church, where Reverend Pearson gives his sermons, overlooks the village proudly on one side. In recent weeks, the congregation has increased as local residents seek reassurance, closeness and the support of the community. The church bells continue to ring but, along with every other church bell across Britain, they’ll be silenced not long from now. A silence which will only be broken to deliver bad news.
The Square is also home to the Post Office and General Store, owned and run by Mrs Larkin. Martha Smith, who also lives in the village, works alongside Mrs Larkin as the village Postmistress. Martha is tasked with handling and delivering the letters so eagerly sent and received by the villagers. The Post Office and General Store are both lifelines now more than ever. With war looming, Mrs Larkin and Martha will have important work to do.
Beside the General Store, Mr and Mrs Taylor run the village bakery. Their bread and pastries are well-known and loved beyond Alton Haypun. The bakery transports its produce by road and rail to shops in nearby towns and villages. The comforting smell of fresh loaves drifting along the lanes of Alton Haypun offers a small reminder of normality in worrying times. The Square is also home to Mr Blackstock and his family who own and run the village Butcher’s shop.
The village pub, The Horse and Trap, sits opposite the church in The Square. With Its low beams and crackling fire, the cosy old Inn remains the social heart of Alton Haypun. Rumours about the war swirl as freely as the ale. Despite the growing concerns about what the future may hold, laughter persists, at least for now.
The village hall sits a short distance away on Station Road and doubles as the village school, with its 25 children under the watchful eye of its single teacher, Miss Gregory. Soon, the curriculum the children are used to will change and their lessons will also feature the practising of air-raid drills between arithmetic and handwriting. Mickey Mouse will take on a new meaning in their lives when they receive their new gas masks, which will become a strange but potentially life-saving new part of daily life in 1939.
A little way further down Station Road lies Alton Haypun Halt, the railway station. It is just a small platform, staffed single-handedly by Mr Hazel. In the coming days, months and years however, it will have an important role to play. Mr Hazel is a steady figure in an unsteady world. His face will be the first that will greet a number of tired, frightened and homesick children before long.
Round the corner from Mrs Larkin’s General Store, you’ll find the Police House where P.C. Coleman lives. In such a small village in which everybody knows everybody, and everyone looks out for each other, P.C. Coleman’s duties revolve around ensuring it stays that way. Aside from the odd drunken resident now and again who might need escorting home to bed rather than a night in the cell, P.C. Coleman’s time is usually taken up by keeping an eye on the vulnerable in the village, occasionally dealing with lost livestock, and generally ensuring the village and its inhabitants feel secure. However, as the storm clouds gather, P.C. Coleman’s duties as the “Village Bobby” are about to increase and carry far greater significance.
Almost opposite the Police House on Greenfield Lane, live Dr Walters and his wife, Joan. They have recently moved to the village from the North of England but settled in very quickly and it feels to everyone as if they have been living in Alton Haypun all their lives. Dr Walters holds his surgeries in a spare room at the side of the house whilst their living room doubles as a waiting room. Mrs Walters ensures everyone is looked after with tea whilst they wait to be seen.
Al little further down Greenfield Lane, Brian Carter and his son, Joe, run their Blacksmiths business from a workshop behind their house. Brian was born in the village, and his father was the village Blacksmith before him. Now Brian is passing on the family skills to his son too.
The Carter’s house and workshop are adjoined to a neighbouring field which marks one of the outer boundaries of land belonging to Lanigan’s Farm, which sits on the edge of the Eastern side of the village. The farm is now run single handedly by Rosie Lanigan, although she is assisted, periodically, by other local farmers and their farmhands from outside of the village. Rosie’s father, who passed away in March 1939, was a very well-respected figure in agricultural circles and used to sit on the county committees and also helped to organise the big county show each year. The respect he earned means that Rosie will be able to count on the help of other farmers from outside of Alton Haypun. She’ll be grateful for that help in the months to come.
The land to the North, West and South of the village is owned by Lord and Lady Hampton who live in the big estate house three and a half miles outside of Alton Haypun. There are three farms a few miles outside of the village which are run by tenant farmers and a few of their farmhands live in Alton Haypun.
Alton Haypun may be small, but it has a big heart and along with it a great sense of duty. The villagers here are resilient and look after each other. The coming days will test them, and they’ll each have a role to play in the events that are about to unfold.
Though the world grows darker, the light of Alton Haypun shines brightly in the small acts of kindness: a shared ration, a helping hand, a letter delivered with care.
In 1939, the residents of Alton Haypun, a quiet patch of England, are ready to do their bit.
Join them on their journey in Alton Haypun at War.