Four short musings on Alton

1.  I have always been able to go out in the evening and walk home alone late at night feeling safe.

2.  Wherever you are in town, you can always see the edges.  Lovely.

3.  You can’t know everyone in town, but everyone knows someone, who knows everyone. That’s comforting to know.

4.  Whenever I walk through the town, I know I can smile and say hello to a complete stranger (despite 3. there are still some) and they will smile and say hello back.

... has moved with the times but retains that friendly small market town feel

We both grew up in & near to Alton then moved away to spread our wings. Once reunited & married it only seemed right to move back to Alton to bring up our son. We love the countryside & local history as well as the fact we have many dear friends in the town too; it has moved with the times but retains that friendly small market town feel.

Mark and Sarah Crockford via Facebook

Eva McKell

“Alton”

What can I say about Alton, there is so much to say!

Museums, nice town, steam trains, and a park for the kids to play.

A community centre, a library and a cinema too!

And the beautiful Assembly Rooms for any local do!

The Watercress Line and “Thomas days” fill my son with glee

Themed days and real ale trains, for the likes of you and me!

Our museums are so interesting, many subjects we have to choose!

(But with recent government cutbacks we hope that we won’t lose)

Look out for local petitions, put your X on the sheet!

To save our local museums would be a tremendous feat!

The library, well stocked, Cinema films are the latest!

Both local parks well cared for, really are the greatest!

We even have a football pitch, for our local teams!

You could say to live in Alton, is everybody’s dream!!

Jacqui Thompson 50(ish)

More 'My Favourite Place in Alton' pictures

 Douglas Ginn

Joshua Bickerdike

Ellie Robinson

Celebrating Alton

Kings pond, a quiet retreat,

With wildlife ducks and swans,

where lovers often meet.

To us all it belongs

Home of Mid hants railway,

Watercress soup; those steam

trains whistling away.

A steam enthusiasts dream.

Lavender fields close by,

Jane Austen’s library,

And country walks to try.

But if you feel weary

Just rest a little while

In some cosy cafe

Where the waitresses smile

As they serve you latte

There’s just so much to see,

And there are lots of clubs

such a good place to be,

not to mention the pubs

Perhaps you’re a film fan,

The Palace cinema

can be part of your plan.

See your favourite screen star

Where you enter the dream

An imaginary world,

through that magical screen

Where the stories unfold.

And then when the days done

 Go back home to your bed

And be glad for the fun

For you’re a long time dead.

Wendy Godber

From Walton to Alton

I was born in a village named Walton,

At 92 years I moved to Alton,

Having lived in my home for seventy years,

I must confess I shed a few tears.

There are many things of interest here,

In the Public Gardens occasions to cheer

Brass bands, choirs . . . and fairs to see,

Then there’s opera and drama for a small fee.

Museums and galleries, history abounds

In this charming town, I’ve found.

A wonderful market with so much choice,

In PRAISE OF ALTON I raise my voice.

By Doris Mitchell, September 2010

(who moved to Alton in December 2009, aged 92 years)

Pictures by Catherine Curtis

Cut pound 

Alton Morris in the Market Square

A TANKA FOR ALTON

Hops and malt abrew

Intoxicate the senses

Floating aromas

From the brewery in our town

Beer is made to be enjoyed

Wendy Godber

(Tanka is a form of Japanese lyric poem - see http://www.tankaonline.com/ )

ARRIVALS

Don’t you enjoy coming home to Alton?

That wonderful moment when you turn off at Junction 5 and the pressure of motorway-madness falls away! Over the narrow canal bridge at North Warnborough, and into the familiar lanes, spotting a hot-air balloon drifting in the summer evening sky, slowing down for deer in the frosted dark, marvelling at the woodland carpets of bluebells in May, and finally seeing Our Town, a reassuring beacon on the hill in daylight, a scatter of twinkling lights at night.

Or sliding down the Shrave, keeping pace maybe with the steam train on the Watercress Line, then glancing down the valley towards Farringdon, a typical Hampshire landscape of low hills, clumps of woodland and farmed fields.  Gilbert White of Selborne knew that valley, and on this day he would have noted in his diary the trees in their russet and gold, scarfed by a soft autumnal mist.  Jane Austen too knew those lanes, and the turning to Chawton, her final home, is the last landmark before the Butts Green welcomes us to Alton itself.

Best of all is leaving Farnham on the train from Waterloo. After the anonymity of the City and the suburban gentilities of Surrey, the air freshens, cows and sheep graze the pastures and the infant River Wey meanders through the water-meadows beside the track. As we draw into Alton (the end-of-the-line, so there is no anxiety about missing our stop) we gather our bags, exchange a  word with a few friendly fellow-passengers, and rejoice that we are home at last – in Alton!

Judith Hepper

Part of Alan Randall-Coles' photo essay 'Alton through the Seasons'

Celebrity Bands and Singers at the ABC Dances

I have just looked at the contributions made by Altonions and note that one of the contributors refers to the ABC dances which were organised in and around Alton in the 50s and 60s.  My father Bert Hall (now deceased) was one of the organisers of these dances and the mention of them brought many happy memories back to me. All or the organisers used to wear maroon sports jackets and white silk scarves and I always thought my dad looked very dapper.  This was a time when the Assembly Rooms was the main venue for the dances in Alton and live bands (Joe Loss, Ted Heath, Eric Delaney) and singers (Johnny Dankworth,  Cleo Laine)   to name just a few, performed.  When I was very young I used to plead with Dad to let me go with him to the dances for an hour or so in order to get autographs.  I am so grateful to be reminded about this time in my life.

Linda Scofield

Crown Hill, by Pam Pell (= Cllr. Pam Jones)