Shalford, Surrey
Encyclopedia
Shalford is a village
in Surrey
, England
, situated on the busy A281
Horsham
road immediately south of Guildford
. It has a railway station
which is between Guildford and Dorking
on the North Downs Line
.
Shalford appears in Domesday Book
of 1086 as Scaldefor. It was held by Robert de Wateville from Richard Fitz Gilbert
. Its domesday assets were: 4 hide
s; 1 church, 3 mill
s worth 16s, 11½ plough
s, 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of meadow
, wood worth 20 hogs. It rendered £20. The mills continued to be built and operated there for hundreds of years. One still survives today, although it is now preserved as a tourist attraction: Shalford Mill
, situated in the centre of the village opposite the Sea Horse public house, was built in the 18th century and is now owned by the National Trust
.
The River Tillingbourne
joins the River Wey
at Shalford adjacent to the parish church. For centuries, the river provided an important source of income for the village. Cranleigh Waters
joins the Wey at the northern terminus of the Wey and Arun Canal
. Shalford was a landing place for barges, and continues to be visited by boats today — but for pleasure rather than trade.
The village also became well known for "the Great Fair of Shalford" which was set up by a charter issued by King John
. In its heyday, it was said to have covered 140 acres (570,000 m²) and attracted merchants from across the country. Some claim that the author of The Pilgrim's Progress
, John Bunyan
, once lived in the village and drew his inspiration from the fair, and from the ancient route known as the Pilgrims' Way
, which passes nearby, on its way to Canterbury
.
The original church, mentioned in the Domesday survey, no longer exists. An early Victorian
church now stands in its place. St Mary's was built in 1846. Many older cottages do survive. One of the finest properties, Shalford House, dates back to the Tudor period
and features a carved stone fireplace dated 1609. Unfortunately, Shalford House was demolished in 1967 to make way for a water treatment plant. A watercolour sketch titled 'In Captain Pierrepont's Grounds' was painted by Anthony Devis
(1729–1817) not long after Captain William Pierrepont of HMS Naiad acquired Shalford Manor in 1800.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, situated on the busy A281
A281 road
The 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...
Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
road immediately 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 has a railway station
Shalford railway station
Shalford railway station serves the village of Shalford in Surrey, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by First Great Western. It is situated on the North Downs Line.- Services :...
which is between Guildford and Dorking
Dorking
Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
on the North Downs Line
North Downs Line
The North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Main Line...
.
Shalford 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 Scaldefor. It was held by Robert de Wateville from Richard Fitz Gilbert
Richard Fitz Gilbert
Richard fitz Gilbert , was a Norman lord who participated in the Norman conquest of England in 1066. He was also known as "de Bienfaite", "de Clare", and "de Tonbridge".-Biography:...
. Its domesday assets were: 4 hide
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
s; 1 church, 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 16s, 11½ 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, 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) 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...
, wood worth 20 hogs. It rendered £20. The mills continued to be built and operated there for hundreds of years. One still survives today, although it is now preserved as a tourist attraction: Shalford Mill
Shalford Mill
Shalford Mill is an 18th century watermill located on the River Tillingbourne in Shalford, near Guildford, Surrey, England. Since 1932 it has been owned by the National Trust....
, situated in the centre of the village opposite the Sea Horse public house, was built in the 18th century and is now owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
The River Tillingbourne
River Tillingbourne
The River Tillingbourne runs along the south side of the North Downs and joins the River Wey at Guildford. Its source is near Tilling Springs to the north of Leith Hill at and it runs through Friday Street, Abinger Hammer, Gomshall, Shere, Albury, Chilworth and Shalford. The source is a...
joins 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...
at Shalford adjacent to the parish church. For centuries, the river provided an important source of income for the village. Cranleigh Waters
Cranleigh Waters
The Cranleigh Waters or Bramley Wey is a tributary of the River Wey in Surrey. It rises near Walliswood, flowing initially southwestwards to Vachery Pond, before turning to run northwards via Bramley to meet the Wey at Shalford....
joins the Wey at the northern terminus of the Wey and Arun Canal
Wey and Arun Canal
The Wey and Arun Canal is a 23-mile-long canal in the south of England, between the River Wey at Shalford, Surrey and the River Arun at Pallingham, in West Sussex...
. Shalford was a landing place for barges, and continues to be visited by boats today — but for pleasure rather than trade.
The village also became well known for "the Great Fair of Shalford" which was set up by a charter issued by King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
. In its heyday, it was said to have covered 140 acres (570,000 m²) and attracted merchants from across the country. Some claim that the author of The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pilgrim's Progress
The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and published in February, 1678. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been...
, John Bunyan
John Bunyan
John Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
, once lived in the village and drew his inspiration from the fair, and from the ancient route known as the Pilgrims' Way
Pilgrims' Way
The Pilgrims' Way is the historic route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent...
, which passes nearby, on its way to Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
.
The original church, mentioned in the Domesday survey, no longer exists. An early Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
church now stands in its place. St Mary's was built in 1846. Many older cottages do survive. One of the finest properties, Shalford House, dates back to the Tudor period
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...
and features a carved stone fireplace dated 1609. Unfortunately, Shalford House was demolished in 1967 to make way for a water treatment plant. A watercolour sketch titled 'In Captain Pierrepont's Grounds' was painted by Anthony Devis
Anthony Devis
Anthony Devis was an English landscape painter.Anthony Devis was born in Preston, Lancashire. His father's name was also Anthony Devis, who was a carpenter and town councillor in the town. Anthony junior was the older of two sons of his father's second marriage, to Anne Blackburne...
(1729–1817) not long after Captain William Pierrepont of HMS Naiad acquired Shalford Manor in 1800.