When I was young, in the early 1960s,
one of the highlights of the year was the annual Bodiam Hill
Climb. This was held in October after hop picking had
finished. Bodiam Castle car park was used as the pits (I think
visitors to the Castle had to park in the fields around the
Castle. I can't remember where the Hill Climb spectators parked
but would suspect it was in one of the New House Farm fields near the
river. The Hill Climb course was 670 yards long and
startedsomewhere between the Castle Inn and the thatched cricket
pavilion and ran along the New House road, turning right at the bottom
of Knowle Hill and finishing near the top of the hill by Knowle
Cottages.
Recently Anthony Breeds has been in contact with me and gave me the following comments on the Hill Climb:-
Here are the photos and programmes from Anthony (plus one from Martyn Lawrence).
My brief memories of the Hill Climb are as follows:-
Here is a link to another website that has some Bodiam Hill Climb information - http://www.nhca.co.uk/Archives/1968/28%20Bodiam%2019th%20Oct%201968.pdf
Julie Dowsing has provided me with some press cuttings for the 1986 Hill Climb. These can be found here - Bodiam%20Hill%20Climb%201986.pdf
Recently Anthony Breeds has been in contact with me and gave me the following comments on the Hill Climb:-
I took my grandchildren to the Bodiam
Classic Car Show a couple of weeks ago and was reminded of the time the
area from the Castle Inn, along past the cricket ground and up the hill
towards New House Farm? was used for the Bodiam Hill Climb.
I've sent you some photos of vehicles taking part in 1964 and copies of programmes (also details from the 1964 programme). Some of the photos of the vehicles taking part may not be of good enough quality to use but I'm sure there will be some interest in them. Perhaps someone has more to contribute.
I won't incriminate myself and explain how we got into the spectators' area but at least I bought a programme. The races were very exciting with cars starting near the cricket pavilion (I gather now a house), raced along the lane, turned sharp right (avoiding a telegraph pole) and raced up the hill.
Cars taking part covered the whole range from for example an Austin A40, lots of Minis, right the way up to 4 litre Jaguars. There were even classes for sports and racing cars with I remember especially many Lotus and Elva cars.
I've sent you some photos of vehicles taking part in 1964 and copies of programmes (also details from the 1964 programme). Some of the photos of the vehicles taking part may not be of good enough quality to use but I'm sure there will be some interest in them. Perhaps someone has more to contribute.
I won't incriminate myself and explain how we got into the spectators' area but at least I bought a programme. The races were very exciting with cars starting near the cricket pavilion (I gather now a house), raced along the lane, turned sharp right (avoiding a telegraph pole) and raced up the hill.
Cars taking part covered the whole range from for example an Austin A40, lots of Minis, right the way up to 4 litre Jaguars. There were even classes for sports and racing cars with I remember especially many Lotus and Elva cars.
Here are the photos and programmes from Anthony (plus one from Martyn Lawrence).
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| Cars waiting
at the end of the course to return to the pits |
Repairs |
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| Lister Jaguar |
Repairs |
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| This photo
was supplied by Martyn Lawrence. It must have been taken after
Guinness left Bodiam as there are no hopgardens in the background. |
Racing |
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| John Brimm
has supplied this photo of a competitor returning to the pits via the public roads |
This photo
shows a competitor coming out of New House Farm at Mutton House Corner. Note the two cyclists mixing with the cars. Photo supplied by John Brimm |
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| Another photo from John Brimm showing a competitor returning to the pits |
My brief memories of the Hill Climb are as follows:-
I remember the Bodiam Hill Climb very
well. One of the highlights of the "Bodiam Boy" 's year.
The first priority was how to get in without paying. My favorite
place to stand was at the end of the short straight from the cricket
pavilion to where the road beared slightly right before the sharp right
hander to go up Knowle Hill. From this point you could see the
fast cars take off over the slight hump by the cricket pavilion and
hopefully watch them come a cropper at the right hander at the bottom
of Knowle Hill. You could also watch them go up the hill.
They used to have practice in the morning and start for real about 1pm. Cars that were taxed for the public roads would return to the Castle car park via the public roads but un-taxed cars would be held at the dairy and would come back down the track in a group to return to the pits.
They used to have practice in the morning and start for real about 1pm. Cars that were taxed for the public roads would return to the Castle car park via the public roads but un-taxed cars would be held at the dairy and would come back down the track in a group to return to the pits.
Here is a link to another website that has some Bodiam Hill Climb information - http://www.nhca.co.uk/Archives/1968/28%20Bodiam%2019th%20Oct%201968.pdf
Julie Dowsing has provided me with some press cuttings for the 1986 Hill Climb. These can be found here - Bodiam%20Hill%20Climb%201986.pdf