The pub had been empty since 1923 and after actively fundraising in 1934 with a Christmas fair as well as a Folk dance supported by the Penn and Tylers Green Girl Guides, the trustees, that had been formed specifically to oversee the project paid their deposit to buy the land on 11 November 1935, and loans were secured to pay for the build.

Building work began on Wednesday 26th February 1936, with local builder Henry George Wheeler taking on the job.

By September the hall was finished, with the pub sign being given pride of place in the main hall.

The hall was officially opened By Viscountess Curzon on Saturday 3rd October 1936.

The building including the equipment cost £2,855.

 

In 1938 the hall was registered with the charity commission and a committee of management was established, and this framework is still in place today.

In 1951 the kitchen was added to the side of the hall, but as the years progressed the building was starting to need some repairs, new trestle tables were needed, as well as bigger expenses such as a new boiler!

In 1971 plans were drawn up to create a smaller meeting area complete with bar and storage, however with quotes of £6000 for the work and an income of £820 a year the trustees decided it was too big a risk financially.

Eventually with more funding secured in 1978 the extension was agreed, and two years later in 1980 the Penn room opened at a cost of £20,000 including the storage area.

 

As the hall was approaching its 50th anniversary some areas were starting to become worn and tired, the kitchen and toilets needed updating and repairing, the heating did not work and there was a smell of gas!

Regular hirers found alternative venues. It was a tricky position as £3000 was still owed and with less money now coming in the repairs couldn’t be done. 

In the 1980s after a generous gift, repairs were at last completed, including a new floor in the main hall, blinds and the kitchen renovated.

 

In 1996 the local village magazine, ‘Village Voice’ ran a poll about how the village should celebrate the Millennium.

Top of the poll across a range of ages was to revamp the hall so it was fit for the 21st century.

With the trustees, representatives from regular hall users  together with the local parish councillor, the wish list of what the community needed began!

Fundraising began in earnest and an application was made to the National lottery and by mid 1998 everything was prepared to include new toilets, meeting room, new kitchen, foyer and reception, after a bit of debating over the plans with the council it was all systems go.

In December 1999 trial holes were dug and finally on 12 June 2000 the first phase of the work began, with a few problems such as underground wells delaying the work and adding to the cost, it was touch and go but on 29th December 2000 Earl and Countess Howe opened the new look hall, just in time for the millennium!

Of course the hall needed to be maintained and next on the list were the old fashioned lights, so in 2004 a lottery application began again, and whilst it took a long time to get an answer, it was worth the wait and by the Spring of 2007 phase two was done, and Earl and Countess Howe returned to declare the new Tylers Green Village Hall well and truly completed!

 

For more than seven decades the village hall has been at the centre of the community and will continue to serve the community for generations to come.

 

With thanks to Chepping council, Peter Brown and all the trustees past and present.

If you would like to know more about the history of Tylers Green village hall please pick up a copy of “Tylers Green Village Hall, The story so far…” by Peter and Tina Brown