J Arthur Rank
This wonderful green open space, known today as the Gratton, was given in trust to our community by J Arthur Rank, later Lord Rank of Sutton Scotney. Lord Rank’s company, The Rank Organisation, controlled half of the cinemas and theatres in England during the 1940s and 1950s and produced some of the finest films of the period.
Those of a certain age will recall ‘the Gongman’ who struck a huge brass gong at the start of every Rank film.
Lord Rank began making films as a way of spreading the gospel and used to teach in the Sunday School at Sutton Scotney Methodist Church (which is now Busy Bees Nursery). He showed his films down the road from the Gratton in Victoria Hall and used to stand at the door shaking everyone by the hand as they left.
Lord Rank purchased the Sutton Manor Estate in 1933 and it was there that he entertained many of the stars of the big screen including Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe.
Lord Rank was a philanthropist who became deeply involved with the Sutton Scotney community. He arranged for Sutton Scotney to be connected to the electricity grid and provided his farm workers with high quality housing for life.
By the time of his death in 1972 the Sutton Manor Estate was described as one of the finest landholdings in Southern England and the biggest estate in Hampshire with fifteen let farms. The estate is now a residential care home.
The Gratton
While the land was still owned and maintained by Lord Rank, use of the ‘recreation ground’ was given to local residents on the 6th June 1958, via a trust deed of the Lord Rank 1958 Charity.
On his death in 1972, ownership of The Gratton went to the Rank Foundation. Use of the land was continued through a series of leases between the landlords (Lord Rank 1958 Charity trustees) and the tenants. However, there was no bequest from Lord Rank to help maintain the space.
By 1997 some of the tenants had formed the award winning Gratton Trust charity, who paid an annual rent of £1 for the lease of the ‘Gratton’, and also raised funds (approximately £15,000 pa) to maintain and develop it the green space.
Around the turn of the Millenium Wonston Parish Council purchased the Gratton, and they continue to lease it to the The Gratton Trust to this day.
The River Dever runs along the far side of the Gratton. It is a typical Hampshire chalk stream. It has its source near West Stratton and meets the River Test at Wherwell. It is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Through the Gratton runs The Watercress Way, a 26 mile (42km) circular trail connecting the communities of Alresford, the Worthys and Sutton Scotney. You can find lots of information about the way, along with maps and events from The Watercress Way charity.
Sutton Scotney Train Station
Did you know that passenger trains between Didcot and Southampton ran right along the edge of the Gratton, on the embankment behind the pavilion and just north of the Surgery?
The line from Didcot to Winchester was opened in 1885, the extension to Southampton was opened in 1891. The railway boosted Iocal farming especially locally grown watercress which was taken from Sutton Scotney Station to the Midlands and London.
During World War II the line was a crucial transport link, carrying troops and equipment to the south coast in preparation for the D-Day landings in Normandy. However the line never carried heavy passenger numbers and was closed in 1960.
Sutton Scotney station was just up the road past the surgery, and until 2018, when the Station Drive housing development was built; the old platforms and one of the station buildings were still visible.
Still today, the railway embankment is still clearly visible along with a little of the old infrastructure. The photo below is of a Tippler Distributor, built into the side of the embankment, which filtered dirty water from the rails above.
