The History of Shedfield Reading Room
In 1869 the Shedfield Reading Room was built at the instigation of Frederick Townsend Esq of The Lodge and Captain Travers of The Grange. It had a library and a billiard table and was regularly used for village gatherings such as concerts.
On 24th June 1880 the land and buildings were given in Trust by Sir Thomas Pasley, Frederick Townsend and Augustus Phillimore to Reverend Stephen Bridge and Henry Franklyn Esq. The Trust was set up to take care of the premises which were to be used as “Reading and Recreation Rooms for the Parish of Shedfield”.
In 1921 Captain Franklyn gave another billiard table and the present billiard room as an addition to the Reading Room in memory of his mother Mrs A.S.Franklyn. During the years between 1950 and 1989 the Reading Room was hired by the County Education Authority for the use of the parish school during the day.*
Today the Reading Room is the Village Hall and is still used for all the activities which have gone on in the past. The Recreation Rooms are still used for billiards etc and have been managed by the Shedfield Social Club since its formation in the 1960’s.
* From “Some of the History of Shedfield Parish” ISBN No 0 -86146-083-9. By kind permission of the Author, Grace Emery.