Godalming
Encyclopedia
Godalming is a town and civil parish in the Waverley
district of the county of Surrey
, England, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Guildford
. It is built on the banks of the River Wey
and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt
. Godalming shares a three-way twinning arrangement
with the towns of Joigny
in France and Mayen
in Germany. Friendship links are in place with the state of Georgia
in the United States and the city of Moscow
in Russia
. James Oglethorpe
of Godalming was the founder of the colony of Georgia.
times (see also Godalming (hundred)
), and probably earlier. It is mentioned in the will of King Alfred the Great
, and the name itself has Saxon origins, 'Godhelms Ingus' roughly translated as “the family of Godhelm”, and probably referring to one of the first lords of the manor.
Godalming grew in size because its location is roughly half-way between Portsmouth
and London
, which encouraged traders to set up stalls and inns for travellers to buy from and rest in.
Godalming appears in Domesday Book
of 1086 as Godelminge. It was held by William the Conqueror. Its domesday assets were: 2 churches (both held by Ranulf Flambard) worth 12s, 3 mill
s worth £2 1s 8d, 25 plough
s, 40 acres (16.2 ha) of meadow
, woodland
worth 103 hogs. It rendered £34. Its population was roughly 400 people. At the time, its manor belonged to the King, but a few hundred years later, ownership transferred to the Bishop of Salisbury
, under a charter granted by King Edward I of England
.
and an annual fair
. Its major industry at the time was woollen cloth, which contributed to Godalming’s prosperity over the next few centuries, until a sudden decline in the 17th century. Instead, its people applied their skills to the latest knitting
and weaving
technology and began producing stocking
s in a variety of materials, and later to leather
work.
A willingness to adapt, and move from one industry to another meant that Godalming continued to thrive. For example, papermaking
was adopted in the 17th century, and paper
was still manufactured there in the 20th century. The quarrying of Bargate stone
also provided an important source of income, as did passing trade - Godalming was a popular stopping point for stagecoach
es and the Mail coach
between Portsmouth
and London
. In 1764, trade received an additional boost when early canalisation of the river took place, linking the town to Guildford
, and from there to the River Thames
and London on the Wey and Godalming Navigations.
In 1726 a Godalming maidservant called Mary Toft hoaxed the town into believing that she had given birth to rabbits. The foremost doctors of the day came to witness the freak event and for a brief time the story caused a national sensation. Eventually Mary was found out after a porter was caught smuggling a dead rabbit into her chamber, she confessed to inserting at least 16 rabbits into herself and faking their birth.
, and by 1851 the population had passed 6,500. Already, it was becoming a popular residence for commuters, for it was connected to London by railway two years earlier, in 1849, and to Portsmouth in 1859. Today the town is served by Godalming railway station
on the Portsmouth Direct Line
. The first mayor of Godalming was Henry Marshall who also founded the firm of Marshalls Solicitors in 1831.
The town has around 230 listed buildings, including Tudor
timber framing
and 17th century brickwork
. Godalming Parish Church
has an early Saxon
chancel
and Norman
tower. The 19th century town hall, nicknamed 'the Pepperpot' due to its cupola
, is a distinctive octagonal building situated on the High Street. Due to its unique design, it has become the defacto 'logo' of the town today.
The current building dates back to 1814 and replaced the medieval "Old Market House" that had occupied the site since the early Middle Ages
. It was in this Market House (and its predecessors) that the local Hundred Court met and discussed matters of local importance for more than a thousand years. The upstairs rooms continued to be used for civic gatherings until 1908. The Pepperpot later housed the town museum, and continues to be used as a public function room. The arched area beneath the building, at street level, has been used as a marketplace.
Other significant buildings in the town include Edwin Lutyens
's Red House, and a significant English public school, Charterhouse
stands about a mile from the town, on the top of Charterhouse Hill. Charterhouse won the FA Cup
as the Old Carthusians in 1880 and 1881.
Winkworth Arboretum
, with its collection of rare tree
s and shrub
s, is situated a few miles to the south.
supply, which made electricity available to consumers. It was Calder & Barnet who installed a Siemens
AC
Alternator
and dynamo
which were powered by a waterwheel, located at Westbrook Mill, on the river Wey. There were a number of supply cables that fed seven arc lights
and 34 Swan incandescent lights
, some of which were laid in the gutters. Floods in late 1881 caused problems and in the end Calder & Barnet withdrew from the contract. It was taken over by Siemens. Under Siemens the supply system grew and a number of technical problems were solved. But later on in 1884 the whole town reverted to gas lighting as Siemens failed to tender for a contract to light the town. This was due to a survey he undertook in the town that failed to provide adequate support to make the business viable, and Siemens had lost money on the scheme in the early years, but was prepared to stay on to gain experience. Electricity returned to the town in 1904.
is on the Portsmouth Direct Line
between London (Waterloo)
and Portsmouth
, and is served by South West Trains
. The station has been recognised for its floral decorations including 10 hanging baskets. The next stations up and down the line are at Farncombe and Milford
which in many respects (for example transport and education) are effectively suburbs of Godalming. The town is also served by a bus network connecting the town centre with the main residential areas.
A community transport service is provided by "Hoppa
". Chaired through its difficult early days by Brian Richards, Waverley Hoppa has burgeoned into a low priced provider of minibus and MPV personalised transport for the elderly, the disabled, the young and others for whom simply getting from where they are to where they want to be is a problem.
and Gatwick
, the two major commercial international airport
s in South East England
.
terminates at the United Church
.
s; to the east there is Catteshall; to the west there is Aaron's Hill and Ockford Ridge
; to the north there is Farncombe, Charterhouse and Frith Hill; and to the south there is Holloway Hill, Busbridge and Crownpits. Sometimes Milford
is classed as a suburb of Godalming.
.
The figures shown in brackets are VA value added a measure of how pupils' performance has improved, and AGG aggregate score the sum of the percentages of pupils achieving the expected levels in English, maths and science (thus the maximum possible is 300).
Godalming is also home to the The National Autistic Society resource centre for the south east.
And also NAS horizons day centre.
, contains the following footnote: "Note: It is believed that this book mentions Godalming more than any other book ever written, including A Social, Artistic and Economic History of Godalming by E. Phipps-Blythburgh." The novel was the second in a trilogy, adapted to become a hit TV series: The Return of Reginald Perrin.
Owing to its typically English appearance, attractive shop fronts and cobbled streets, the town has often been used as a backdrop for the shooting of various films and television programmes. In February 2006, High Street and Church Street, which runs from the Pepperpot to the parish church
, was used in the production of The Holiday
.
Numerous notable people were born in the town including: James Oglethorpe
(born 1696) founder of the colony of Georgia; Julius Caesar
(born 1830), cricketer; Aldous Huxley
(born 1894), writer; Nick Clarke
(born 1948), radio journalist and presenter; and Mick Mills
(born 1949), footballer.
The radio operator of RMS Titanic, Jack Phillips, was born and lived in Godalming. He is famed for remaining at his post, sending a distress call, until the ship sank completely. There are several articles of remembrance around the town, including a section of Godalming Museum, a memorial fountain, cloister and garden walk near the church (the largest Titanic memorial in the world), and a Wetherspoons
pub named in his honour.
The architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens
, began work in 1896 on a house at Munstead Wood, Godalming for the garden designer, Gertrude Jekyll
. She died in 1932 and is buried in the churchyard of St. John the Baptist, Busbridge, Godalming next to her brother.
In the 1800s judge James Wilde, 1st Baron Penzance
lived at Eashing Park, Godalming.
In the 1900s, George Mallory
, who later made a fatal attempt to scale Mount Everest, taught at Charterhouse School, and then lived in the town after marrying Ruth Turner. He died during the 1924 attempt, but Ruth and his three children remained in the area.
In the late twentieth century, actor Terry-Thomas
, comedic actor Terry Scott
, actor Christopher Timothy
, comedian Billy Dainty
and the singer Alvin Stardust
resided in the town. Dainty died at his house, "Cobblers", in the village on 19 November 1986.
The band Genesis
was formed in 1967 by Peter Gabriel
and Tony Banks
while students at Charterhouse School
.
Actor Sam Worthington
was born in Godalming in 1976, before moving to Australia at a young age.
Significant people currently living in the town include the actress Rachel Hurd-Wood
, Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole
and former wife Cheryl Cole
and football pundit Alan Hansen
.
Paul Merrett
, a famous chef who has appeared several times on British TV, was a pupil at Rodborough.
Waverley, Surrey
Waverley is a local government district with borough status in Surrey, England. The borough's headquarters are in the town of Godalming, with Farnham and Haslemere being the other large notable towns....
district of the county of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
. It is built on the banks of the River Wey
River Wey
The River Wey in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex is a tributary of the River Thames with two separate branches which join at Tilford. The source of the north branch is at Alton, Hampshire and of the south branch at both Blackdown south of Haslemere, and also close to Gibbet Hill, near Hindhead...
and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt
London commuter belt
The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding London, England from which it is practical to commute to work in the capital. It is alternatively known as the Greater South East, the London metropolitan area or the Southeast metropolitan area...
. Godalming shares a three-way twinning arrangement
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with the towns of Joigny
Joigny
Joigny is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.It is located on the banks of the Yonne River.-Notable people :...
in France and Mayen
Mayen
Mayen is a town in the Mayen-Koblenz District of the Rhineland-Palatinate Federal State of Germany, in the eastern part of the Volcanic Eifel Region. As well as the main town, there are five further settlements which are part of Mayen, they are: Alzheim, Kürrenberg, Hausen-Betzing, Hausen and Nitztal...
in Germany. Friendship links are in place with the state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in the United States and the city of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. James Oglethorpe
James Oglethorpe
James Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, member of Parliament, philanthropist, and founder of the colony of Georgia...
of Godalming was the founder of the colony of Georgia.
Pre-1300
The town has existed since SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
times (see also Godalming (hundred)
Godalming (hundred)
Godalming was an ancient hundred in the south west of the county of Surrey, England. It corresponds to the central third of the current borough of Waverley and some parts of the current borough of Guildford.-History:...
), and probably earlier. It is mentioned in the will of King Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, and the name itself has Saxon origins, 'Godhelms Ingus' roughly translated as “the family of Godhelm”, and probably referring to one of the first lords of the manor.
Godalming grew in size because its location is roughly half-way between Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, which encouraged traders to set up stalls and inns for travellers to buy from and rest in.
Godalming appears in Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as Godelminge. It was held by William the Conqueror. Its domesday assets were: 2 churches (both held by Ranulf Flambard) worth 12s, 3 mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
s worth £2 1s 8d, 25 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s, 40 acres (16.2 ha) of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
, woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
worth 103 hogs. It rendered £34. Its population was roughly 400 people. At the time, its manor belonged to the King, but a few hundred years later, ownership transferred to the Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
, under a charter granted by King Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
.
1300–1800
In the year 1300, the town was granted the right to hold a weekly marketMarket
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
and an annual fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
. Its major industry at the time was woollen cloth, which contributed to Godalming’s prosperity over the next few centuries, until a sudden decline in the 17th century. Instead, its people applied their skills to the latest knitting
Knitting
Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...
and weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
technology and began producing stocking
Stocking
A stocking, , is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings vary in color, design and transparency...
s in a variety of materials, and later to leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
work.
A willingness to adapt, and move from one industry to another meant that Godalming continued to thrive. For example, papermaking
Papermaking
Papermaking is the process of making paper, a substance which is used universally today for writing and packaging.In papermaking a dilute suspension of fibres in water is drained through a screen, so that a mat of randomly interwoven fibres is laid down. Water is removed from this mat of fibres by...
was adopted in the 17th century, and paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
was still manufactured there in the 20th century. The quarrying of Bargate stone
Bargate stone
Bargate stone is a highly durable form of sandstone, which was quarried for centuries in south west Surrey, England - particularly around Guildford and Godalming. It owes its yellow, ‘butter’ colouring to the high iron oxide content....
also provided an important source of income, as did passing trade - Godalming was a popular stopping point for stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
es and the Mail coach
Mail coach
In Great Britain, the mail coach or post coach was a horse-drawn carriage that carried mail deliveries, from 1784. In Ireland, the first mail coach began service from Dublin in 1789. The coach was drawn by four horses and had seating for four passengers inside. Further passengers were later allowed...
between Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1764, trade received an additional boost when early canalisation of the river took place, linking the town to Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, and from there to the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and London on the Wey and Godalming Navigations.
In 1726 a Godalming maidservant called Mary Toft hoaxed the town into believing that she had given birth to rabbits. The foremost doctors of the day came to witness the freak event and for a brief time the story caused a national sensation. Eventually Mary was found out after a porter was caught smuggling a dead rabbit into her chamber, she confessed to inserting at least 16 rabbits into herself and faking their birth.
From 1800
So successful was Godalming, that in the early 19th century it was considerably larger than today’s county town of GuildfordGuildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, and by 1851 the population had passed 6,500. Already, it was becoming a popular residence for commuters, for it was connected to London by railway two years earlier, in 1849, and to Portsmouth in 1859. Today the town is served by Godalming railway station
Godalming railway station
Godalming railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line. The station, which opened in 1859 to replace one on a different site of the town, is situated at the edge of the town of Godalming. The current typical off-peak service is two trains per hour in each direction...
on the Portsmouth Direct Line
Portsmouth Direct Line
The Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
. The first mayor of Godalming was Henry Marshall who also founded the firm of Marshalls Solicitors in 1831.
Architecture
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
timber framing
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
and 17th century brickwork
Brickwork
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures such as walls. Brickwork is also used to finish corners, door, and window openings, etc...
. Godalming Parish Church
Godalming Parish Church
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a church that is located in Godalming, Surrey, England.-History:A church has stood on the site of Saint Peter and Saint Paul since at least the mid-ninth century...
has an early Saxon
Anglo-Saxon architecture
Anglo-Saxon architecture was a period in the history of architecture in England, and parts of Wales, from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. Anglo-Saxon secular buildings in Britain were generally simple, constructed mainly using timber with thatch for roofing...
chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
tower. The 19th century town hall, nicknamed 'the Pepperpot' due to its cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
, is a distinctive octagonal building situated on the High Street. Due to its unique design, it has become the defacto 'logo' of the town today.
The current building dates back to 1814 and replaced the medieval "Old Market House" that had occupied the site since the early Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. It was in this Market House (and its predecessors) that the local Hundred Court met and discussed matters of local importance for more than a thousand years. The upstairs rooms continued to be used for civic gatherings until 1908. The Pepperpot later housed the town museum, and continues to be used as a public function room. The arched area beneath the building, at street level, has been used as a marketplace.
Other significant buildings in the town include Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
's Red House, and a significant English public school, Charterhouse
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
stands about a mile from the town, on the top of Charterhouse Hill. Charterhouse won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
as the Old Carthusians in 1880 and 1881.
Winkworth Arboretum
Winkworth Arboretum
Winkworth Arboretum is a National Trust-owned arboretum located between Godalming and Hascombe, Surrey, England.Winkworth Arboretum exhibits large collections of azalea, rhododendron, and holly on slopes leading down to ornamental lakes. Gertrude Jekyll explored the woods in the early 20th century...
, with its collection of rare tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, is situated a few miles to the south.
Public electricity supply
Godalming came to world attention in September 1881, when it became the first town in the world to have installed a public electricityElectricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
supply, which made electricity available to consumers. It was Calder & Barnet who installed a Siemens
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
Alternator
Alternator
An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field but linear alternators are occasionally used...
and dynamo
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
which were powered by a waterwheel, located at Westbrook Mill, on the river Wey. There were a number of supply cables that fed seven arc lights
Arc lamp
"Arc lamp" or "arc light" is the general term for a class of lamps that produce light by an electric arc . The lamp consists of two electrodes, first made from carbon but typically made today of tungsten, which are separated by a gas...
and 34 Swan incandescent lights
Joseph Swan
Sir Joseph Wilson Swan was a British physicist and chemist, most famous for the invention of the incandescent light bulb for which he received the first patent in 1878...
, some of which were laid in the gutters. Floods in late 1881 caused problems and in the end Calder & Barnet withdrew from the contract. It was taken over by Siemens. Under Siemens the supply system grew and a number of technical problems were solved. But later on in 1884 the whole town reverted to gas lighting as Siemens failed to tender for a contract to light the town. This was due to a survey he undertook in the town that failed to provide adequate support to make the business viable, and Siemens had lost money on the scheme in the early years, but was prepared to stay on to gain experience. Electricity returned to the town in 1904.
Transport
Rail
Godalming railway stationGodalming railway station
Godalming railway station is a stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line. The station, which opened in 1859 to replace one on a different site of the town, is situated at the edge of the town of Godalming. The current typical off-peak service is two trains per hour in each direction...
is on the Portsmouth Direct Line
Portsmouth Direct Line
The Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
between London (Waterloo)
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
and Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, and is served by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
. The station has been recognised for its floral decorations including 10 hanging baskets. The next stations up and down the line are at Farncombe and Milford
Milford, Surrey
Milford is a large village, situated south west of Godalming in Surrey, England. Nearby villages include Witley, Elstead and Eashing, and the hamlets of Enton and Hydestile. It is situated in the Borough of Waverley.-Transportation:...
which in many respects (for example transport and education) are effectively suburbs of Godalming. The town is also served by a bus network connecting the town centre with the main residential areas.
Road
Roads running through, or close to, Godalming are:- A3 - major trunk roadTrunk roadA trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to PortsmouthPortsmouthPortsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, bypassBypass (road)A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
es Godalming - A31A31 roadThe A31 is a major trunk road in southern England that runs from Guildford in Surrey to Bere Regis in Dorset.-Route of road:The road begins in the centre of Guildford, meeting the A3 road before running south west along the Hog's Back. It continues past Farnham, Alton and New Alresford before...
- main trunk road GuildfordGuildfordGuildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
to WinchesterWinchesterWinchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, bypasses Godalming along the Hog's BackHog's BackThe Hog's Back is a part of the North Downs in Surrey, England, that lies between Farnham, Surrey in the west and Guildford in the east.-Name:Compared with the main part of the Downs to the east of it, it is a narrow elongated ridge, hence its name.... - A281A281 roadThe A281 is a northwest-southeast road in southern England that passes through the countryside between Guildford, Surrey and Pyecombe, West Sussex near Brighton.-Route :*Guildford *Shalford *Bramley...
- main road Guildford to BrightonBrightonBrighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, bypasses Godalming - A283 - main road MilfordMilford, SurreyMilford is a large village, situated south west of Godalming in Surrey, England. Nearby villages include Witley, Elstead and Eashing, and the hamlets of Enton and Hydestile. It is situated in the Borough of Waverley.-Transportation:...
to Shoreham-by-SeaShoreham-by-SeaShoreham-by-Sea is a small town, port and seaside resort in West Sussex, England. Shoreham-by-Sea railway station is located less than a mile from the town centre and London Gatwick Airport is away... - A286 - main road Milford to BirdhamBirdhamBirdham is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located on the Manhood Peninsula, about three miles south west of the city of Chichester...
just beyond ChichesterChichesterChichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings... - A3100 - local main road Guildford to Milford, runs through Godalming
- B2130 - local road Godalming to CranleighCranleighCranleigh is a large village, self-proclaimed the largest in England, and is situated 8 miles south east of Godalming in Surrey. It lies to the east of the A281 which links Guildford with Horsham; neighbouring villages include: Ewhurst, Alfold and Hascombe....
- B3000 - local road Farncombe to ComptonCompton, SurreyCompton is a village and civil parish in the Guildford district of Surrey, England. It is situated between Godalming and Guildford. The village is close to the A3 road and is crossed by the North Downs Way. Compton contains the Watts Mortuary Chapel, built to the memory of Symbolist painter George...
, the A3 and then to the A31 just beyond Puttenham - B3001 - local road Milford to Farnham
A community transport service is provided by "Hoppa
Waverley Hoppa
Waverley Hoppa, or simply Hoppa as it is known locally, is a community transport operation covering the Surrey borough of Waverley. Hoppa is a company limited by guarantee and a charity. Early funding was from the Countryside Agency and ongoing funding is from Waverley Borough Council and Surrey...
". Chaired through its difficult early days by Brian Richards, Waverley Hoppa has burgeoned into a low priced provider of minibus and MPV personalised transport for the elderly, the disabled, the young and others for whom simply getting from where they are to where they want to be is a problem.
Air
Godalming lies approximately equidistant (50 kilometres) from HeathrowLondon Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
and Gatwick
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
, the two major commercial international airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s in South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
.
Water
The Wey and Godalming NavigationsWey and Godalming Navigations
The Wey and Godalming Navigations is the name given to the navigable parts of the River Wey, in Surrey, UK. The navigation runs for around between the River Thames below Shepperton Lock near Weybridge, to the south-west of London, and the centre of Godalming, in Surrey; it runs through Guildford...
terminates at the United Church
Godalming United Church
Godalming United Church is a non-conformist church formed in 1977 of a union of the local Methodist and URC churches. It is located between the fire station and the River Wey in Godalming.-Ministers:...
.
Residential
People live in the town centre and various suburbSuburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s; to the east there is Catteshall; to the west there is Aaron's Hill and Ockford Ridge
Ockford Ridge
Ockford Ridge is a small housing estate in south east England. Built in the early-mid 1930s, it consists of roughly 200 homes and related amenities. There is also a playground and a basketball court on a green and there was a pub called the King Alfred, It has been knocked down and a couple of new...
; to the north there is Farncombe, Charterhouse and Frith Hill; and to the south there is Holloway Hill, Busbridge and Crownpits. Sometimes Milford
Milford, Surrey
Milford is a large village, situated south west of Godalming in Surrey, England. Nearby villages include Witley, Elstead and Eashing, and the hamlets of Enton and Hydestile. It is situated in the Borough of Waverley.-Transportation:...
is classed as a suburb of Godalming.
Independent schools
- Charterhouse SchoolCharterhouse SchoolCharterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
is one of the great historic schools of England and is one of the original nine English public schools, which includes Eton CollegeEton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Harrow SchoolHarrow SchoolHarrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868Public Schools Act 1868The Public Schools Act 1868 was enacted by the British Parliament to reform and regulate nine of the leading English boys' schools. They were described as "public schools" as admission was open to boys from anywhere and was not limited to those living in a particular locality...
. It was founded in 1611 and located to Godalming in 1872. The impressive school buildings within the 200 acre estate include a chapel designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (designer of the British red telephone box) to which have been added many new sporting and academic facilities. The 6th form is mixed (2:1 boys:girls) and most pupils board. - King Edward's School, WitleyKing Edward's School, WitleyKing Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI and Nicholas Ridley. The School is located in the village of Wormley , Surrey, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952...
is an independent co-educational boarding and day school located in nearby Wormley. Founded in 1553 in the London area of St Bride's ChurchSt Bride's ChurchSt Bride's Church is a church in the City of London, England. The building's most recent incarnation was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672 on Fleet Street in the City of London, though Wren's original building was largely gutted by fire during the London Blitz in 1940. Due to its location on...
, Fleet StreetFleet StreetFleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
(formerly Bridewell PalaceBridewell PalaceBridewell Palace in London, originally a residence of King Henry VIII, later became a poorhouse and prison. The name "Bridewell" subsequently became synonymous with police stations and detention facilities in England and in Ireland...
), the school moved to its current location in 1867. Ages 11 – 18 with a strongly international Sixth Form. - Prior's Field SchoolPrior's Field SchoolPrior’s Field is an independent girls boarding and day school in Godalming, Surrey. It is set in 23 acres of Surrey parkland, 34 miles south west of London and adjacent to the A3. Its original building was designed and developed by Charles Voysey , an English architect of the Arts and Crafts movement...
is an independent private girls boarding school founded at the beginning of the 20th century by Julia HuxleyHuxley familyThe Huxley family is a British family of which several members have excelled in scientific, medical, artistic, and literary fields. The family also includes members who occupied senior public positions in the service of the United Kingdom....
. There are 333 pupils of which about 40% are boarders (weekly or termly); - St Hilary's SchoolSt Hilary's SchoolSt Hilary's School is an independent preparatory school in Godalming for boys 2 - 7 and girls 2 - 11 . Statistically, boys often go on 0202020 and girls mainly to Prior's Field , St Catherine's School Bramley and Tormead School Guildford . Scholarships were gained by 17% of girls in 2006...
is an independent preparatory school for boys 2.5 - 7 (around 90) and girls 2.5 - 11 (around 200).
State 6th form colleges
- Godalming CollegeGodalming CollegeGodalming College is a state sixth form college, situated in Godalming, four miles from Guildford, Surrey, England. The college is highly popular and has been consistently oversubscribed in recent years. It is the successor to Godalming Grammar School, a state grammar school...
is in the Holloway Hill area of Godalming. Founded in 1975 on the campus of Godalming Grammar School, it caters for sixteen to nineteen years olds. Awarded Beacon status in 2006, it was the best performing state school for AS/A levels in the Surrey area in 2004; its Ofsted report for 2005 graded the college as "outstanding" in six of the seven key areas ("good" in the 7th).
State secondary schools
Numbers in brackets indicate the % of pupils achieving 5 A-C GCSEs in total and then including the key subjects of maths and EnglishEnglish studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
.
- Broadwater SchoolBroadwater SchoolBroadwater School is a state, secondary Specialist Mathematics and Computing College in Farncombe, near Godalming, Surrey, England. It has been a mixed comprehensive school since 1970, and now has approximately 600 students aged 11–16 years. Its facilities extend over four floors and takes students...
is in the Farncombe area of Godalming, caters for young people from 11 to 16 and has no 6th form. (42, 29) - Rodborough Technology CollegeRodborough Technology CollegeRodborough Technology College is a secondary school located in Milford, Surrey, England. The school is currently oversubscribed with 919 pupils and is popular with the local area...
is in the village of Milford on the outskirts of Godalming, Rake Lane. It caters for young people from 11 to 16 and has no 6th form.(64, 59).
State primary schools (includes grant aided)
All primary schools in Godalming are coeducational. Infant schools cover the age range 4–7, junior schools cover 8–11.The figures shown in brackets are VA value added a measure of how pupils' performance has improved, and AGG aggregate score the sum of the percentages of pupils achieving the expected levels in English, maths and science (thus the maximum possible is 300).
- Loseley Fields Primary School (VA 98.9, AGG 195) is in the village of Binscombe, on the outskirts of the Farncombe side of Godalming.
- Busbridge C of E Aided Junior School was built over 100 years ago by members of nearby Busbridge Church and extensive links between the two have continued to this day. It admits 60 children each year with preference being given to Christians and in particular to children of Busbridge/Hambledon church members. (VA 100.9, AGG 279)
- Busbridge County Infants School is in Hambledon Road Godalming. It caters for around 150 children (2007)
- Chandler C of E Junior School is in the Witley area and caters for around 330 children
- Godalming Junior School is in the Farncombe area of Godalming. It has 230 children in 8 classes (four per year). The Ofsted report for 2005 graded the school as at least satisfactory in all four of the new categories. (VA 100.6, AGG 275)
- Milford School is an infant school situated in the centre of the village of Milford, on the outskirts of Godalming. http://www.milford.surrey.sch.uk/html/the_school.html
- Moss Lane School
- St Edmunds Catholic Primary School is a voluntary aided parish school covering both primary and junior age ranges (4–11); it is linked to both St Edmund's Church in Godalming and to St Joseph's Church in Milford. The 2005 Ofsted report described it as "a good school with a well deserved reputation of providing a good standard of education".(VA 100.1, AGG 282)
- Green Oak C of E Primary School, formerly St Mark's, currently covers just the first two year groups but will expand by a year group annually, it is in the Ockford RidgeOckford RidgeOckford Ridge is a small housing estate in south east England. Built in the early-mid 1930s, it consists of roughly 200 homes and related amenities. There is also a playground and a basketball court on a green and there was a pub called the King Alfred, It has been knocked down and a couple of new...
area of Godalming. - Witley C of E Infant School
Sport
- Godalming AnglingAnglingAngling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
Society founded in 1881, with fishing rights to 6 lakes and the River Wey from Lower Eashing to Guildford. - Godalming Town F. C. currently play in the Ryman Division One South, level 8 of English football. They were formed in 1971 and play their home games at Wey Court, Meadrow.
- CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
has been played in Godalming since at least 1767- Godalming Cricket ClubGodalming Cricket ClubGodalming Cricket Club is based at Godalming, Surrey, and was briefly a major cricket team, playing 12 known first-class matches from 1821 to 1825. Its home ground then was The Burys but is now Holloway Hill recreation ground....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_brockman/3251730758/ now plays at the Holloway Hill Recreation Ground - Farncomb Cricket Club http://farncombe.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp?
- Godalming Cricket Club
- Guildford Rugby ClubGuildford Rugby ClubGuildford Rugby Club is a Rugby Union team that was formed in 2003 following the merger of the adult sections of Old Guildfordians RFC and Guildford & Godalming RFC. The club is based at Broadwater, which is close to Farncombe between the Surrey towns of Guildford and Godalming.The club's 1st XV...
(formed in 2002 following the merger of Guildford & Godalming RFC and Old Guildfordians RFC) plays in the London 2 South West league at the Broadwater Sports Club in Godalming. - Flat Green Lawn BowlsBowlsBowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
http://www.bowlsengland.com/index.asp?pageID=1 tales place at three venues:- Godalming and Farncomb Bowls Club http://bowlsclub.org/club/6643/ play at the Burys in central Godalming
- Holloway Hill Bowls Club http://www.godalming-tc.gov.uk/organisation/Holloway-Hill-Bowling-Club plays epomymously at Holloway Recreation Ground.
- Milford Bowls Club http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?hl=en&pq=holloway+hill+bowls+club&xhr=t&cp=3&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1280&bih=555&wrapid=tlif131110327274910&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=milford+bowls+club&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=milford+bowls+club&hnear=0x4875d41816d163b7:0x20f9e2ba0648b374,Woking&cid=14776724313547621261 plays at Chapel Lane, Milford
- Contract BridgeContract bridgeContract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
is played at several venues:- Busbridge Duplicate Bridge Club http://www.busbridgebridge.org.uk/ meets at the Busbridge Village Hall on three evenings a week
- Godalming Bridge Club meets on Monday afternoons at the Milford Village Hall
- Waverley Bridge Partnership http://www.bridgewebs.com/chapellane/(owned by Brian Richards and Rosemary Bayley) has two clubs offering workshops:
- Holloway Hill Bridge Club meets on Tuesday afternoons at the Holloway Hill Recreation Ground http://www.hhsa.co.uk/ pavilion
- Chapel Lane Bridge Club meets at the Clockhouse http://www.clockhouse.org.uk/, Milford on Wednesday evenings
- Clockhouse Bridge Clubhttp://www.bridgewebs.com/clockhouse/, a spinoff from Chapel Lane Bridge Club, meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for duplicate bridge
Theatre
- Godalming Theatre Group is an amateur theatre company in Godalming. It performs three productions a year at the Ben Travers Theatre, Charterhouse SchoolCharterhouse SchoolCharterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, Godalming: a spring musical, autumn drama or comedy, and a Christmas pantomime or show. It also runs a youth theatre group.
Community centres
- The "Denningberg Centre for the Elderly" is named after Danny Denningberg MBEMBEMBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(b.1923) a local politician recently honoured with the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Waverley. Denningberg was a community activist and fund raiser who served as a councillor on Godalming Borough Council in 1954 and then again from 1963 continuously through the formation of Waverley until 2003 when he retired. Denningberg had also been both Mayor of Godalming and Mayor of Waverley during his public career. - The "Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre" in Godalming is named after Wilfrid NoyceWilfrid NoyceCuthbert Wilfrid Francis Noyce was an English mountaineer and author...
(1917–1962), a master at Charterhouse and a mountaineerMountaineeringMountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
who was on the expedition that made the first ascent of Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
in 1953. - The Clocktower, or Milford and Villages Day Centre, is a day centre for people over 50. The money to build it in 1997 was raised entirely from charitable donations and local fundraising.
Godalming is also home to the The National Autistic Society resource centre for the south east.
And also NAS horizons day centre.
Town lottery
The Godalming Town Lottery "GOLO" was launched in Godalming on the 1st November 2008, by the Go-Godalming Association, a member of the Lotteries Council. Tickets, sold at local shops and pubs, cost £1 and the draw takes place on the last Saturday of every month. The first one was on Godalming Town Day, 29 November 2008, at the Pepperpot. It is considered to be the first town lottery of its kind. There are 17 prizes, ranging from £500 to £10. Profits are donated to local causes, beginning with the Bandstand roof fund. GOLO is a community lottery for the Godalming Community. The first independent town lottery in the country has now turned three years old. GOLO has given away more than £18,000 to local causes and more than £30,000 in cash prizes. To celebrate, GOLO launched another easy way to buy your GOLOs each month—Standing Orders!Shopping
In a charter dated 7 June 1300, King Edward I granted the Bishop of Salisbury the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair in the town. Godalming remains a typical English market town, with a market every Friday and a selection of independent and national retailers selling clothing for all ages, shoes, watches, jewellery, fine art, books, gifts, stationery, music, guitars, computers, photography, pine furniture, antiques, flowers, hardware, food of all sorts, and household goods. In addition there are the ubiquitous banks, building societies, estate agents, travel agents, solicitors, accountants, employment agencies and charity shops. There are several pubs, restaurants and cafes, occasional visiting French and Italian markets, and an annual Godalming Food Festival.Media
The comic novel The Return of Reginald Perrin, by David NobbsDavid Nobbs
David Gordon Nobbs is an English comedy writer.Following an education at Marlborough College and Cambridge University, Nobbs wrote for many of Britain's comedy performers over the years, including Kenneth Williams, Frankie Howerd, Les Dawson and The Two Ronnies...
, contains the following footnote: "Note: It is believed that this book mentions Godalming more than any other book ever written, including A Social, Artistic and Economic History of Godalming by E. Phipps-Blythburgh." The novel was the second in a trilogy, adapted to become a hit TV series: The Return of Reginald Perrin.
Owing to its typically English appearance, attractive shop fronts and cobbled streets, the town has often been used as a backdrop for the shooting of various films and television programmes. In February 2006, High Street and Church Street, which runs from the Pepperpot to the parish church
Godalming Parish Church
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a church that is located in Godalming, Surrey, England.-History:A church has stood on the site of Saint Peter and Saint Paul since at least the mid-ninth century...
, was used in the production of The Holiday
The Holiday
The Holiday is a 2006 American romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers. Distributed by Columbia Pictures and Universal Studios, it stars Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet as two lovelorn women from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, who temporarily exchange homes to...
.
Notable people
- See also alumni of Godalming Grammar SchoolGodalming Grammar SchoolGodalming Grammar School was a state-funded selective grammar School taking both boys and girls, situated in Tuesley Lane, Godalming, England.-History:...
and List of notable Old Carthusians
Numerous notable people were born in the town including: James Oglethorpe
James Oglethorpe
James Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, member of Parliament, philanthropist, and founder of the colony of Georgia...
(born 1696) founder of the colony of Georgia; Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar (cricketer)
Julius Caesar was a Surrey cricketer who played 194 first-class cricket matches between 1849 and 1867.-Childhood:...
(born 1830), cricketer; Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
(born 1894), writer; Nick Clarke
Nick Clarke
Nicholas Campbell Clarke , was an English radio and television presenter and journalist, primarily known for his work on BBC Radio 4....
(born 1948), radio journalist and presenter; and Mick Mills
Mick Mills
Michael 'Mick' Denis Mills is an English former football full-back who, by the end of his career, had achieved Ipswich Town's record number of appearances and captained England at the 1982 World Cup.-Club career:...
(born 1949), footballer.
The radio operator of RMS Titanic, Jack Phillips, was born and lived in Godalming. He is famed for remaining at his post, sending a distress call, until the ship sank completely. There are several articles of remembrance around the town, including a section of Godalming Museum, a memorial fountain, cloister and garden walk near the church (the largest Titanic memorial in the world), and a Wetherspoons
Wetherspoons
J D Wetherspoon plc is a British pub chain based in Watford. Founded as a single pub in 1979 by Tim Martin, the company now owns 815 outlets. The chain champions cask ale, low prices, long opening hours, and no music. The company also operates the Lloyds No...
pub named in his honour.
The architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
, began work in 1896 on a house at Munstead Wood, Godalming for the garden designer, Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
. She died in 1932 and is buried in the churchyard of St. John the Baptist, Busbridge, Godalming next to her brother.
In the 1800s judge James Wilde, 1st Baron Penzance
James Wilde, 1st Baron Penzance
James Plaisted Wilde, 1st Baron Penzance was a noted British judge and rose breeder who was also a proponent of the Baconian theory that the works usually attributed to William Shakespeare were in fact authored by Francis Bacon....
lived at Eashing Park, Godalming.
In the 1900s, George Mallory
George Mallory
George Herbert Leigh Mallory was an English mountaineer who took part in the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest in the early 1920s....
, who later made a fatal attempt to scale Mount Everest, taught at Charterhouse School, and then lived in the town after marrying Ruth Turner. He died during the 1924 attempt, but Ruth and his three children remained in the area.
In the late twentieth century, actor Terry-Thomas
Terry-Thomas
Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens was a distinctive English comic actor, known as Terry-Thomas. He was famous for his portrayal of disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads and toffs, with the trademark gap in his front teeth, cigarette holder, smoking jacket, and catch-phrases such as...
, comedic actor Terry Scott
Terry Scott
Owen John "Terry" Scott was an English actor and comedian who appeared in seven Carry On films. He also appeared in BBC1's popular domestic sitcom Terry and June with June Whitfield...
, actor Christopher Timothy
Christopher Timothy
Christopher Timothy is a Welsh actor, television director and writer. Timothy is possibly best known today for his role as James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small; more recently he has starred as Dr. Brendan 'Mac' McGuire in the British television drama Doctors...
, comedian Billy Dainty
Billy Dainty
William Hooper Frank John Dainty was a British comedian, dancer, physical comedian and pantomime and television star....
and the singer Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust is an English pop singer and stage actor.-Career:...
resided in the town. Dainty died at his house, "Cobblers", in the village on 19 November 1986.
The band Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
was formed in 1967 by Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
and Tony Banks
Tony Banks (musician)
This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
while students at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
.
Actor Sam Worthington
Sam Worthington
Samuel Henry J. "Sam" Worthington is an English born, Australian actor. After almost a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Worthington gained Hollywood's attention by playing Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation and the lead role, Jake Sully, in James Cameron's science...
was born in Godalming in 1976, before moving to Australia at a young age.
Significant people currently living in the town include the actress Rachel Hurd-Wood
Rachel Hurd-Wood
Rachel Clare Hurd-Wood is an English actress. Her break-out role was as Wendy Darling in the 2003 movie Peter Pan.-Personal life:Rachel Hurd-Wood was born in London, England, the daughter of Philip and Sarah Hurd-Wood...
, Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
and former wife Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
and football pundit Alan Hansen
Alan Hansen
Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland...
.
Paul Merrett
Paul Merrett
Paul Merrett is a chef and TV personality based in Godalming who is known for being a frequent guest chef on Saturday Kitchen, a resident chef on Sunday Feast, and starred in The Best along with Silvana Franco and Ben O'Donoghue. Paul Merrett owns and runs the Victoria Pub and Dining Rooms in Sheen...
, a famous chef who has appeared several times on British TV, was a pupil at Rodborough.
External links
- Godalming Town Council
- Official Town Guide (includes history)
- Godalming Town Webcams
- Godalming Fire Station
- Photographs of Godalming
- Town museum
- Godalming aerial photographs
- The River Wey and Wey Navigations Community Site
- Live bus locations in Godalming.
- Football Club in Godalming.
- Godalming Theatre Group
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Godalming and surrounding area
- Lammas Lands, Godalming
- GOLO