The Village Hall
Although there was no Village Hall in existence at the time, an "Entertainments Committee" had been formed and the first reference to its activities is found in 1933. It would appear that the primary objective of this committee was the organising of "Whist Drives", "Socials" and the annual fete with surplus funds going to the school. The Village School closed in 1946 and was then used informally from time to time as a village hall.
The Old School House, the first Village Hall (recent picture)
The New Village Hall.
Late in 1981, due to increasing repair costs of the Old School along with the limited space, making it necessary to use other halls for functions of a reasonable size, there was a meeting of Newchurch residents were it was unanimously agreed:
‘To sell the existing premises and land, in whole or in part subject to outline planning permission being first obtained’. It was also agreed to go ahead with plans to build an entirely new Village Hall.
The sale was achieved in April 1986, the same year as the site for the present village hall was secured. For the next few years the Newchurch Village Hall Charity Management Committee became homeless but continued to raise funds with annual Barn Dances and Cross Country Horse Rides until it the new village hall was complete. Work began by B E Ames Ltd of Brenzett in October 1988 and on 16th September 1989, the present Village Hall was completed and opened by The Right Hon. Michael Howard QC MP. An attached annex was completed in 2001 to house the Social Club.
The modern Newchurch Village Hall, built in 1989
The Old Village Hall
Some years later, on 3rd October 1951 the following resolution was passed at a meeting of the Parish Council:
‘The Parish meeting held in the Old School on 3rd October 1951 unanimously agrees that the Parish, with the assistance from grants obtainable, take steps to acquire and adapt the Old School as a Village Hall for the Parish, and authorizes the existing Entertainment Committee to serve as a Planning Committee vested with full authority by the Parish to proceed to this end’.
The purchase was finally achieved in June 1953 at the agreed price of ￡100. At the same time, the old Entertainments Committee became the Newchurch Village Hall Charity Management Committee. The old school, now known as the village hall was in constant use for 33 years.
Programme for Newchurch Festival Week which included an Ankle competition!
Article from the Folkestone Hythe Herald - Friday, 4th December 1981 about the meeting of Newchurch residents discussing the new village hall.