ABINGER and the ROYAL GREENWICH OBSERVATORY

A HISTORICAL NOTE

You will be able to relive a part of World War II history at the British Middle Championships event. The Arena field is in Abinger and was adjacent to an important outpost of the Royal Greenwich Observatory from 1924 to 1957.

The Magnetic Observatory

Magnetic measurements had been made at Greenwich since 1847 but with electrification of tramways and railways in the area it became necessary to find an alternative site where interference did not occur. The land on the corner of Leith Hill Road and Sheephouse Lane was chosen as a suitable site and the Magnetic Observatory was set up here in 1924.

Time measurement and the Transmission of Time Signals

Time signals had been generated from Greenwich for many years before the first public radio time signal of six pips started to be broadcast in 1924. Shortly before World War II, because of the vulnerability of Greenwich to air attack, the Observatory looked for a safer area for the Time Department. They transferred two time clocks from Greenwich to Abinger and installed two more there in 1938. Extra buildings were added to the site to accommodate this extra service.

Today

With the electrification of the Guildford to Portsmouth and Dorking to Horsham railway lines in the two years prior to World War II, Abinger ceased to be an ideal location. After World War II, the Magnetic Department eventually moved to Heartland Point in South Devon in 1957.

In the same year, the time service left Abinger and moved to Herstmonceux with the rest of the Greenwich Observatory except the Magnetic Department.

The four corners of the site were marked by boundary stones engraved with anchors indicating the boundaries of the Admiralty property. Two of these stones remain today and you may see one of them near the Arena field.

With acknowledgement to The Surrey Industrial History Group (SIHG, www.sihg.org.uk) and a publication from them published with assistance from Surrey County Council in 1996. Special thanks to Mrs Barton, one of the farmers who are allowing us to use the land that they farm for our car parking and who alerted me to this historical background.

Andrew Evans