About the Village Hall

The Village Hall was built in 1970 and was extended and refurbished in 2000. The adjoining Sports pavilion was built in 1982. The building is of traditional brick and tile construction and is set in a 4 acre playing field close to the village centre.

It is readily accessible, being within a short distance of the A12 trunk road.

There is a large car park adjoining the hall, which is shared with the Sports Clubs when the field is in use.

The village hall facilities are available for hire, these include: the spacious large main hall with stage, adjoining kitchen and bar, multi-use large meeting room/function room, smaller meeting room, recreation ground and sports facilities. 

In the Spring of 2003, Lord and Lady Chelmer's son Robin, his wife Carol and daughter Charlotte very generously donated the sum of £20,000 to the Village Hall in commemoration of Eric and Enid's long association with the village. The money was specifically intended to assist the village hall committee in its plans for the continued repair and improvement of the Hall and its associated facilities and in particular the refurbishment of this room, now fittingly named The Chelmer Room.

It is hoped that the photographs of Eric and Enid shown here (some of which were taken at village events) caputre the spirit of their interest and involvement with village affairs.

Eric was President of Margaretting Horticultural Society for over 40 years and Enid was always on hand to present the prizes at the Annual Show. Indeed, for many years the Show was held in the delightful gardens and grounds of 'Peacocks' in the centre of the village, their home for over 40 years. On leaving school Eric had ambitions to join the Diplomatic Service but he was persuaded to follow his granfather and father into the legal profession and he worked in the family firm for some 50 years.

During World War II he served with distinction - he landed on the beaches on D-Day, won the Military Cross and was a lieutenant colenel at the age of 30. In politics he acted most effectively as conservative party treasurer and was given a life peerage in 1963. In his spare time he enjoyed both coastal and ocean sailing and he devoted much time and energy to musicians' charities.

Enid was a very friendly and much loved figure in the village. She possessed a keen sense of humour and was very jolly company. She was supportive of Eric in his political work but she preferred to be at home in her garden. In her early years she had been a skilled dancer and a proficient teacher of dance and her interest in young children extended to her work as a governor of the village school.

Pictured above are Lord and Lady Chelmer's son Robin, his wife Carol and daughter Charlotte formally opening the Chelmer Room on the 18th July 2004. The centre photograph includes a number of committee members and the right hand picture the co-ordinating sub-committee for the project comprising Graham Ansell, Arthur Radley and Maurice Wright. Shortly after the opening, arrangements were made for the village school to use the room for ten months during building alterations at the school - a very fitting use for the room and one which would have had Eric and Enid's full support.