Farnham (
/ˈfɑːnəm/) is a
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
in
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, England, around southwest of
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. It is in the
Borough of Waverley
The Borough of Waverley is a Non-metropolitan district, local government district with borough status in Surrey, England. The borough's headquarters are in the town of Godalming; other notable settlements are the towns of Farnham and Haslemere an ...
, close to the
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
border with
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
. The town is on the north branch of the
River Wey
The River Wey is a main tributary of the River Thames in south east England. Its two branches, one of which rises near Alton in Hampshire and the other in West Sussex to the south of Haslemere, join at Tilford in Surrey. Once combined the f ...
, a tributary of the
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
, and is at the western end of the
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills and ...
. The civil parish, which includes the villages of
Badshot Lea
Badshot Lea is a small village in Surrey, England, and close to Aldershot. Badshot Lea has access in either direction to the A31 and A331 and is connected to railway stations in the nearby towns with regular bus services. The village is part o ...
,
Hale
Hale may refer to:
Places Australia
*Hale, Northern Territory, a locality
*Hale River, in southeastern Northern Territory
Canada
*Hale, Ontario, in Algoma District United Kingdom
* Hale, Cumbria, a hamlet near Beetham, Cumbria
*Hale, Greater Man ...
and
Wrecclesham
Wrecclesham is a village on the southern outskirts of the large town of Farnham in Surrey, England. Its local government district is the Borough of Waverley.
History
It was once in the estate of Henry of Westminster and Blois the powerful 13th ...
, covers and had a population of 39,488 in 2011.
Among the prehistoric artefacts from the area is a
woolly mammoth
The woolly mammoth (''Mammuthus primigenius'') is an extinct species of mammoth that lived during the Pleistocene until its extinction in the Holocene epoch. It was one of the last in a line of mammoth species, beginning with '' Mammuthus subp ...
tusk
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine teeth, as with pigs and walruses, or, in the case of elephants, elongated incisors. Tusks share c ...
, excavated in Badshot Lea at the start of the 21st century. The earliest evidence of human activity is from the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
and, during the
Roman period
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
, tile making took place close to the town centre. The name "Farnham" is of
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
origin and is generally agreed to mean "meadow where
fern
A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...
s grow". From at least 803, the settlement was under the control of the
Bishops of Winchester
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
and
the castle was built as a residence for
Bishop Henry de Blois in 1138.
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
is thought to have spent part of his childhood under the care of
Bishop Richard Foxe and is known to have lived at Farnham Castle when he was 16.
In the late
medieval period
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, the primary local industry was the production of
kersey, a coarse,
wool
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool.
As ...
len cloth. In the
early modern period, the town's weekly corn market was said to the second largest in England after London. Between 1600 and the 1970s, the area was a centre for growing
hops
Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant ''Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to whi ...
and for the
brewing
Brewing is the production of beer by steeping a starch source (commonly cereal grains, the most popular of which is barley) in water and #Fermenting, fermenting the resulting sweet liquid with Yeast#Beer, yeast. It may be done in a brewery ...
industry. The town began to expand in the early Victorian period, stimulated in part by the opening of
the railway
''The Railway'', widely known as ''Gare Saint-Lazare'', is an 1873 painting by Édouard Manet. It is the last painting by Manet of his favourite model, the fellow painter Victorine Meurent, who was also the model for his earlier works '' Olympia ...
in 1849 and the arrival of the
army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
in nearby Aldershot in 1855. Farnham became an Urban District in 1894, but under the
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...
, its status was reduced to a civil parish with a
town council
A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities.
Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions.
Republic of Ireland
Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...
.
The Farnham area has long been associated with the creative arts and with
pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...
making in particular. One of four campuses of the
University for the Creative Arts
The University for the Creative Arts is a specialist art and design university in the south of England.
It was formed in 2005 as University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester when the Kent Inst ...
is to the west of the centre and there are numerous
works of public art on display in the town. Notable buildings in the civil parish include the ruins of
Waverley Abbey
Waverley Abbey was the first Cistercian abbey in England, founded in 1128 by William Giffard, the Bishop of Winchester.
Located about southeast of Farnham, Surrey, it is situated on a flood-plain; surrounded by current and previous channels o ...
and the 18th century
Willmer House
Willmer House is a grade I listed building in Farnham, Surrey, in England. Built in 1718 for a local hop merchant the building later became a school and dental surgery. Since 1961 it has housed the Museum of Farnham. The building was purchased ...
, now the location of the Museum of Farnham. The politician,
William Cobbett
William Cobbett (9 March 1763 – 18 June 1835) was an English pamphleteer, journalist, politician, and farmer born in Farnham, Surrey. He was one of an agrarian faction seeking to reform Parliament, abolish "rotten boroughs", restrain foreign ...
, and the writer,
George Sturt
George Sturt (18 June 1863–4 February 1927), who also wrote under the pseudonym George Bourne, was an English writer on rural crafts and affairs. He was born and grew up in Farnham, Surrey, the son of Ellen née Smith (1829–1890) and Fra ...
, were both born in Farnham, as was
Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne MacBride ( ga, Maud Nic Ghoinn Bean Mhic Giolla Bhríghde; 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an English-born Irish republican revolutionary, suffragette and actress. Of Anglo-Irish descent, she was won over to Irish nationalism ...
, the
Irish republican
Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate.
The develop ...
suffragette
A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
. More recent residents have included the
watercolour artist,
William Herbert Allen, the
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
driver,
Mike Hawthorn
John Michael Hawthorn (10 April 1929 – 22 January 1959) was a British racing driver. He became the United Kingdom's first Formula One World Champion driver in 1958, whereupon he announced his retirement, having been profoundly affected by the ...
, the
England cricketer
The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. Engla ...
,
Graham Thorpe
Graham Paul Thorpe, (born 1 August 1969) is a former English cricketer who played for England internationally and Surrey domestically. A left-handed middle-order batsman and slip fielder, he appeared in 100 Test matches.
Early life
Thorpe was ...
, and the
England rugby union captain,
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter Wilkinson, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 25 May 1979) is an English former rugby union player. A Fly-half (rugby union), fly-half, he played for Newcastle Falcons and RC Toulonnais, Toulon and represente ...
.
Geography
Farnham's history and present status are mainly the result of its
geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...
; a combination of river, streams, fresh water springs and varied soils, together with a temperate climate, was attractive in prehistoric times. The geology of the area continues to influence the town, both in terms of communications, scenic and botanic variety and the main local industries of agriculture and minerals extraction. Farnham Geological Society is an active organisation in the town, and the Museum of Farnham has a collection of geological samples and fossils.
Farnham lies in the valley of the North Branch of the
River Wey
The River Wey is a main tributary of the River Thames in south east England. Its two branches, one of which rises near Alton in Hampshire and the other in West Sussex to the south of Haslemere, join at Tilford in Surrey. Once combined the f ...
, which rises near
Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
, merges with the South Branch at
Tilford
Tilford is a village and civil parish centred at the point where the two branches of the River Wey merge in Surrey, England, south-east of Farnham. It has half of Charleshill, Elstead in its east, a steep northern outcrop of the Greensand Rid ...
, and joins the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...
at
Weybridge
Weybridge () is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. The settlement is recorded as ''Waigebrugge'' and ''Weibrugge'' in the 7th century and the name derives from a crossing point of the ...
. The mainly east-west alignment of the ridges and valleys has influenced the development of road and rail communications. The most prominent
geological
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Eart ...
feature is the
chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Chalk ...
of the
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills and ...
which forms a ridge (the
Hog's Back
The Hog's Back is a hilly ridge, part of the North Downs in Surrey, England. It runs between Farnham 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 ...
) to the east of the town, and continues through Farnham Park to the north of the town centre, and westwards to form the
Hampshire Downs
The Hampshire Downs form a large area of downland in central southern England, mainly in the county of Hampshire but with parts in Berkshire and Wiltshire. They are part of a belt of chalk downland that extends from the South Downs in the southe ...
. The land rises to more than 180 metres (591 ft) above sea level (ASL) to the north of the town at Caesar's Camp which, with the northern part of the park, lies on gravel beds. There are a number of
swallow holes in the park where this
stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...
meets the chalk. The historic core of the town lies on gravel beds at an altitude of roughly 70 metres (230 ft) ASL on an underlying geology of
Gault Clay
The Gault Formation is a geological formation of stiff blue clay deposited in a calm, fairly deep-water marine environment during the Lower Cretaceous Period (Upper and Middle Albian). It is well exposed in the coastal cliffs at Copt Point in ...
and
Upper Greensand
Greensand or green sand is a sand or sandstone which has a greenish color. This term is specifically applied to shallow marine sediment that contains noticeable quantities of rounded greenish grains. These grains are called ''glauconies'' and co ...
and the southern part of the town rises to more than 100 metres (328 ft) on the
Lower Greensand
The Lower Greensand Group is a geological unit present across large areas of Southern England. It was deposited during the Aptian and Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous. It predominantly consists of sandstone and unconsolidated sand that were ...
.
Climate
Farnham has a temperate maritime climate, free from extreme temperatures, with moderate rainfall and often breezy conditions. The nearest official weather station to Farnham is Alice Holt Lodge, just under southwest of the town centre.
The highest temperature recorded was 35.4 °C (95.7 °F), in July 2006. In an 'average' year, the warmest day would reach 26.3 °C (79.3 °F), with 18.1 days attaining a temperature of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or higher.
The lowest temperature recorded was -14.0 °C (7.0 °F) in February 1986. On average, 57.7 nights of the year will register an air frost.
Annual rainfall averages 821mm, with at least 1mm of rain reported on 126.0 days. All averages refer to the 1991–2020 observation period.
History
Prehistory
Stone Age
Farnham's
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
has been claimed to extend back tens of thousands of years to hunters of the
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...
or early
Stone Age
The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...
, on the basis of tools and prehistoric animal bones found together in deep gravel pits.
[Our History]
on webside of neighbouring Frensham Parish Council The first known
settlement
Settlement may refer to:
*Human settlement, a community where people live
*Settlement (structural), the distortion or disruption of parts of a building
* Closing (real estate), the final step in executing a real estate transaction
*Settlement (fin ...
in the area was in the
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...
period, some 7,000 years ago; a cluster of
pit dwellings[ and evidence of a ]flint-knapping
Knapping is the shaping of flint, chert, obsidian, or other conchoidal fracturing stone through the process of lithic reduction to manufacture stone tools, strikers for flintlock firearms, or to produce flat-faced stones for building or facing w ...
industry from that period has been excavated a short distance to the east of the town. There was a Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
long barrow
Long barrows are a style of monument constructed across Western Europe in the fifth and fourth millennia BCE, during the Early Neolithic period. Typically constructed from earth and either timber or stone, those using the latter material repres ...
at nearby Badshot Lea
Badshot Lea is a small village in Surrey, England, and close to Aldershot. Badshot Lea has access in either direction to the A31 and A331 and is connected to railway stations in the nearby towns with regular bus services. The village is part o ...
, now destroyed by quarrying. This monument lay on the route of the prehistoric trackway known as the Harrow Way
The Harrow Way (also spelled as "Harroway") is another name for the "Old Way", an ancient trackway in the south of England, dated by archaeological finds to 600–450 BC, but probably in existence since the Stone Age. The Old Way ran fr ...
or Harroway, which passes through Farnham Park, and a sarsen
Sarsen stones are silicified sandstone blocks found in quantity in Southern England on Salisbury Plain and the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire; in Kent; and in smaller quantities in Berkshire, Essex, Oxfordshire, Dorset, and Hampshire.
Geology ...
stone still stands nearby, which is believed to have marked the safe crossing point of a marshy area near the present Shepherd and Flock roundabout. The parallel Pilgrims' Way
The Pilgrims' Way (also Pilgrim's Way or Pilgrims Way) is the historical route supposedly taken by pilgrims from Winchester, Hampshire, Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent. This name, of compa ...
, known as such for linking Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
to Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
, also dates back to prehistory and, like the Harrow Way, may date back to the time when Britain was physically joined to continental Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
.
Bronze Age
Occupation of the area continued to grow through the Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
. Two bronze hoards have been discovered on Crooksbury Hill, and further artefacts have been found, particularly at sites in Green Lane and near the Bourne spring in Farnham Park. A significant number of Bronze Age barrows occur in the area, including a triple barrow at Elstead
Elstead is a civil parish in Surrey, England with shops, houses and cottages spanning the north and south sides of the River Wey; development is concentrated on two roads that meet at a central green. It includes Pot Common its southern neighbo ...
and an urnfield
The Urnfield culture ( 1300 BC – 750 BC) was a late Bronze Age culture of Central Europe, often divided into several local cultures within a broader Urnfield tradition. The name comes from the custom of cremating the dead and p ...
cemetery at Stoneyfield, near the Tilford
Tilford is a village and civil parish centred at the point where the two branches of the River Wey merge in Surrey, England, south-east of Farnham. It has half of Charleshill, Elstead in its east, a steep northern outcrop of the Greensand Rid ...
road.
Iron Age
Hill fort
A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...
s from the early Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
have been identified locally at Botany Hill to the south of the town, and at Caesar's Camp to the north. The latter is a very large earthwork on a high promontory, served by a spring which emerges from between two conglomerate boulder
In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive.
In c ...
s called the Jock and Jenny Stones. "Soldier's Ring" earthworks on Crooksbury Hill date from the later Iron Age. The final era of the Iron Age, during the 1st century AD, found Farnham within the territory of the Belgic Belgic may refer to:
* an adjective referring to the Belgae, an ancient confederation of tribes
* a rarer adjective referring to the Low Countries or to Belgium
* , several ships with the name
* Belgic ware
Aylesford-Swarling pottery is part of a ...
tribe Atrebates
The Atrebates (Gaulish: *''Atrebatis'', 'dwellers, land-owners, possessors of the soil') were a Belgic tribe of the Iron Age and the Roman period, originally dwelling in the Artois region.
After the tribes of Gallia Belgica were defeated by Caes ...
led by Commius
Commius (Commios, Comius, Comnios) was a king of the Belgic nation of the Atrebates, initially in Gaul, then in Britain, in the 1st century BC.
Ally of Caesar
When Julius Caesar conquered the Atrebates in Gaul in 57 BC, as recounted in his '' ...
, a former ally of Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...
, who had brought his tribe to Britain following a dispute with the Romans. A hut dating from this period was discovered at the Bourne Spring and other occupation material has been discovered at various sites, particularly Green Lane.
Roman Britain
During the Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
period the district became a pottery centre due to the plentiful supply of gault clay
The Gault Formation is a geological formation of stiff blue clay deposited in a calm, fairly deep-water marine environment during the Lower Cretaceous Period (Upper and Middle Albian). It is well exposed in the coastal cliffs at Copt Point in ...
, oak woodlands for fuel, and good communications via the Harrow Way and the nearby Roman road from Silchester to Chichester
Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ci ...
. Kilns dating from about AD 100 have been found throughout the area, including Six Bells (near the Bourne Spring), Snailslynch and Mavins Road, but the main centre of pottery had been Alice Holt Forest
Alice Holt Forest is a royal forest in Hampshire, situated some south of Farnham, Surrey. Once predominantly an ancient oak forest, it was particularly noted in the 18th and 19th centuries for the timber it supplied for the building of ships ...
, on the edge of the town, since about AD 50, just 7 years after the arrival of the Romans. The Alice Holt potteries continued in use, making mainly domestic wares, until about AD 400. Near the Bourne Spring two Roman buildings were discovered; one was a bath-house dating from about AD 270 and the other a house of later date. The Roman Way housing estate stands on this site. William Stukeley
William Stukeley (7 November 1687 – 3 March 1765) was an English antiquarian, physician and Anglican clergyman. A significant influence on the later development of archaeology, he pioneered the scholarly investigation of the prehistoric ...
propounded that Farnham is the site of the lost Roman settlement of Vindomis, although this is now believed to be at Neatham, near Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
. Large hoards of Roman coins have been discovered some south-west of Farnham in Woolmer Forest
Woolmer Forest is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Bordon in Hampshire and West Sussex. It is also a Special Area of Conservation and part of the Wealden Heaths Phase II Special Protection Area. Two areas are Nature Conse ...
and a temple has been excavated at Wanborough, about to the east.
The Anglo-Saxon period
In the 7th century, Surrey passed into the hands of King Caedwalla of Wessex, who also conquered Kent and Sussex, and founded a monastery at Farnham in 686.
It was the Saxons
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
who gave the town its name—Farnham is listed as ''Fearnhamme'' in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' is a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the ''Chronicle'' was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alf ...
''. ''Fearn'' refers to the fern and bracken of the land and ''Hamme'' to the water meadows. They arrived in the 6th century and, in AD 688, the West Saxon King Caedwalla donated the district around Farnham to the Church, and to the diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
of Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
. This was the first mention of Farnham in written history. A Saxon community grew up in the valley by the river. By the year 803 Farnham had passed into the ownership of the Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...
and the Manor of Farnham remained so (apart from two short breaks) for the next thousand years. Although Farnham is documented in Saxon texts and most of the local names are derived from their language, there is only one fully attested Saxon site in Farnham, just off the lower part of Firgrove Hill, where a road called Saxon Croft is now sited. Here several Saxon weaving huts from about AD 550 were discovered in 1924.
In 892 Surrey was the scene of another major battle when a large Danish army, variously reported at 200, 250 and 350 ship-loads, moved west from its encampment in Kent and raided in Hampshire and Berkshire. Withdrawing with their loot, the Danes were intercepted and defeated at Farnham by an army led by Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...
's son Edward, the future King Edward the Elder, and fled across the Thames towards Essex.
The Hundred of Farnham
A hundred (county subdivision)
A hundred is an administrative division that is geographically part of a larger region. It was formerly used in England, Wales, some parts of the United States, Denmark, Southern Schleswig, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek, C ...
was an area that had a general overlord of its lords of the manor, entitled to charge certain rents to certain intermediate lords. Parishes within Farnham hundred were: Frensham
Frensham is a village in Surrey, England, next to the A287 road, WSW of Guildford, the county town. Frensham lies on the right bank of the River Wey (south branch), only navigable to canoes, shortly before its convergence with the north bran ...
(including tything Pitfold with Churt
Churt is a village and civil parish in the borough of Waverley, Surrey, Waverley in Surrey, England, about south of the town of Farnham on the A287 road towards Hindhead. A nucleated village, clustered settlement is set in areas acting as its b ...
) (partly in the hundred of Alton) Elstead
Elstead is a civil parish in Surrey, England with shops, houses and cottages spanning the north and south sides of the River Wey; development is concentrated on two roads that meet at a central green. It includes Pot Common its southern neighbo ...
, the liberty
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
of Dockenfield, the liberty of Waverley Waverley may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Waverley'' (novel), by Sir Walter Scott
** ''Waverley'' Overture, a work by Hector Berlioz inspired by Scott's novel
* Waverley Harrison, a character in the New Zealand soap opera ''Shortland Stree ...
, Seal (now Seale) the tything
A tithing or tything was a historic English legal, administrative or territorial unit, originally ten hides (and hence, one tenth of a hundred). Tithings later came to be seen as subdivisions of a manor or civil parish. The tithing's leader or s ...
s of Badshot, Runfold
Runfold is a village in Surrey, U.K., about ENE of Farnham.
Runfold lies on the ancient trackway known as the Pilgrims' Way and on the former route of the A31 road, which has by-passed the village since the early 1990s. Loss of through tra ...
, Culverlands, Tilford
Tilford is a village and civil parish centred at the point where the two branches of the River Wey merge in Surrey, England, south-east of Farnham. It has half of Charleshill, Elstead in its east, a steep northern outcrop of the Greensand Rid ...
with Culverlands, Farnham, Runwick, Wrecklesham (now Wrecclesham
Wrecclesham is a village on the southern outskirts of the large town of Farnham in Surrey, England. Its local government district is the Borough of Waverley.
History
It was once in the estate of Henry of Westminster and Blois the powerful 13th ...
), and Bourne.
In the 14th century, Farnham hundred was owned by the Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...
and was one of the wealthiest on the bishop's rolls.
See also, in this context:
* Medieval Surrey
* Surrey hundreds
After the Norman invasion
Farnham appears in Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...
of 1086 as ''Ferneham'', one of the five great " minster" churches in Surrey. Its Domesday assets were: 40 hides; 1 church, 6 mill
Mill may refer to:
Science and technology
*
* Mill (grinding)
* Milling (machining)
* Millwork
* Textile mill
* Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel
* List of types of mill
* Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine early ...
s worth £2 6s 0d, 43 plough
A plough or plow ( US; both ) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses, but in modern farms are drawn by tractors. A plough may have a wooden, iron or ...
s, of meadow
A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artifi ...
, woodland
A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...
worth 175½ hogs. It rendered £53.
Waverley Abbey
Waverley Abbey was the first Cistercian abbey in England, founded in 1128 by William Giffard, the Bishop of Winchester.
Located about southeast of Farnham, Surrey, it is situated on a flood-plain; surrounded by current and previous channels o ...
, the first Cistercian
The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
abbey
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The conce ...
in England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, was founded in 1128 by William Giffard
William Giffard (died 23 January 1129),Franklin "Giffard, William" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' was the Lord Chancellor of England of William II and Henry I, from 1093 to 1101,Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 8 ...
, Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...
about one mile (1.5 km) south of the town centre. King John visited Waverley in 1208, and Henry III in 1225. The abbey produced the famous Annals of Waverley, an important reference source for the period. By the end of the 13th century the abbey was becoming less important. By the time it was suppressed by Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
in 1536 as part of the dissolution of the monasteries there were only thirteen monks in the community.
The town is midway between Winchester and London and, in 1138, Henry de Blois
Henry of Blois (Wiktionary:circa, c. 1096 8 August 1171), often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death. He was a younger son of Stephen II, Count of Blois, Stephen He ...
(grandson of William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
and brother of King Stephen) started building Farnham Castle
Farnham Castle is a 12th-century castle in Farnham, Surrey, England. It was formerly the residence of the Bishops of Winchester.
History
Built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, grandson of William the Conqueror, Farnham cast ...
to provide accommodation for the Bishop of Winchester in his frequent journeying between his cathedral and the capital. The castle's garrison provided a market for farms and small industries in the town, accelerating its growth. west of the town is Barley Pound, the remains of an 11th-century precursor of Farnham Castle.
Farnham was granted its charter as a town in 1249 by William de Ralegh, then Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...
.
The Blind Bishop's Steps, a series of steps leading along Castle Street up to the Castle, were originally constructed for Bishop Richard Foxe
Richard Foxe (sometimes Richard Fox) ( 1448 – 5 October 1528) was an English churchman, the founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was successively Bishop of Exeter, Bath and Wells, Durham, and Winchester, and became also Lo ...
(godfather of Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
).
The Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...
hit Farnham in 1348, killing about 1,300 people, at that time about a third of the population. In 1625 Farnham was again subject to an outbreak of the plague which, together with a severe decline in the local woollen industry (the local downland wool being unsuitable for the newly fashionable worsted
Worsted ( or ) is a high-quality type of wool yarn, the fabric made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from Worstead, a village in the English county of Norfolk. That village, together with North Walsham and Aylsham, for ...
) led by the 1640s to a serious economic depression
An economic depression is a period of carried long-term economical downturn that is result of lowered economic activity in one major or more national economies. Economic depression maybe related to one specific country were there is some economic ...
in the area. Local wool merchants were, like merchants throughout the country, heavily taxed by Charles I to pay for his increasingly unpopular policies.
The Civil War
Against this background the English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
began, with Farnham playing a major part. Here, support for the Parliamentarians was general. The castle was considered a potential rallying point for Royalists
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
, resulting in the installation of a Roundhead garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
there in 1642. As the King's forces moved southwards, taking Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
and Windsor
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
* Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
* Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
, the garrison commander at Farnham (a noted poet), Captain George Wither
George Wither (11 June 1588 O.S. (21 June 1588 NS) – 2 May 1667 O.S. (12 May 1667 NS)) was a prolific English poet, pamphleteer, satirist and writer of hymns. Wither's long life spanned one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of En ...
, decided to evacuate the castle; the new High Sheriff of Surrey
The list of known High Sheriffs of Surrey extends back to 1066. At various times the High Sheriff of Surrey was also High Sheriff of Sussex (1229–1231, 1232–1240, 1242–1567, 1571–1635).
1066–1228
(High Sheriffs of Surrey only)
1229– ...
(John Denham John Denham may refer to:
* John Denham (died 1556 or later), English MP for Shaftesbury
* John Denham (judge), (1559–1639), father of the poet below, and one of the Ship Money judges
* John Denham (poet) (1615–1669), English poet
* John Denham ...
, a Royalist sympathiser and another noted poet) then occupied the vacant castle with 100 armed supporters. With the castle and much of the surrounding area in Royalist hands, Parliament despatched Colonel Sir William Waller
Sir William Waller JP (c. 159719 September 1668) was an English soldier and politician, who commanded Parliamentarian armies during the First English Civil War, before relinquishing his commission under the 1645 Self-denying Ordinance.
...
to Farnham to retake the castle. The defenders refused to surrender but Waller's men used a petard
A petard is a small bomb used for blowing up gates and walls when breaching fortifications. It is of French origin and dates back to the 16th century. A typical petard was a conical or rectangular metal device containing of gunpowder, with a s ...
to destroy the castle gates and overcame them, with only one fatality, and took the High Sheriff prisoner.
The following year, as the Royalists strengthened their position west of Farnham, the garrison at Farnham Castle was strengthened when it became the headquarters of the Farnham regiment of foot or " Greencoats", with some eight to nine hundred officers and men, supported by a number of troops of horse. Further reinforcement by three regiments from London, 4,000 strong under Waller's command arrived in Farnham that October prior to an unsuccessful foray
A foray ( pl, zajazd, be, наезд, uk, наїзд) was a traditional method of law enforcement in Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In view of the weakness of the executive in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, ...
to recapture Winchester from the Royalists. Eight thousand Royalists under Ralph Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton, (159628 September 1652), was an English politician, soldier and landowner. During the 1642 to 1646 First English Civil War, he served as Royalist commander in the West Country, and was made Baron Hopton of Stra ...
(a former friend of Waller) advanced on Farnham from the west and skirmishes took place on the outskirts of town. Despite further reinforcement for Waller from Kent, Hopton's entire army gathered on the heathland just outside Farnham Park. There was some skirmish
Skirmishers are light infantry or light cavalry soldiers deployed as a vanguard, flank guard or rearguard to screen a tactical position or a larger body of friendly troops from enemy advances. They are usually deployed in a skirmish line, an i ...
ing but Hopton's men withdrew. Through the next few years Farnham was an important centre of Parliamentary operations and the garrison cost Farnham people dearly in terms of local taxes, provisioning and quartering; even the lead from the Town Hall roof had been requisitioned to make bullets. A number of local women were widowed following the pressing of local men into the militia. The bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or towns and buildings.
Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, ...
of Basing House
Basing House was a Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivalled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only parts of the basement or lower ground floor, plus the fo ...
was by a train of heavy cannon
A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
assembled at Farnham from other areas and, in 1646, most of the garrison was removed from Farnham to form a brigade to besiege Donnington Castle
Donnington Castle is a ruined medieval castle, situated in the small village of Donnington, just north of the town of Newbury in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Sir Richard Abberbury the Elder in 1386 and was bought by Tho ...
near Newbury. The King surrendered shortly afterwards at Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
and a small garrison remained at Farnham.
In 1647, having escaped from custody at Hampton Court
Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief ...
, the King rode through Farnham at dawn on 12 November with a small party of loyal officers, en route to the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
, where he sought sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
under the protection of Colonel Robert Hammond, a Parliamentarian officer but with Royalist sympathies. The following March, Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
stayed at Farnham for discussions concerning the marriage of his daughter to a Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
gentleman, although some historians have speculated that this was cover for secret negotiations with the King.
Following the rebellion
Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority.
A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
during the summer of 1648 the keep was partially dismantled at the orders of Cromwell, to make further occupation by garrison indefensible. In late November that year Hammond was summoned to Farnham, where he was arrested and the King was removed under military escort to the mainland. On 20 December the King and his escort entered Farnham, where groups of men, women and children gathered at the roadside to welcome him and touch his hand. That night the King lodged at Culver Hall (now Vernon House) in West Street before the party continued to London for Charles's trial and execution in January 1649. The King gave his night cap to Henry Vernon, owner of Culver Hall, "as a token of Royal favour". Records show that the following period of interregnum until English Restoration, restoration of the monarchy in 1660 was a time of prosperity and growth for Farnham. In 1660 the bishops of Winchester were restored to the adjoining Bishops Palace, which remained their residence until 1927. From 1927 until 1955 it was a residence of the bishops of the newly created diocese of Guildford. The castle is currently owned by English Heritage.
Post-restoration
Farnham became a successful market town; the author Daniel Defoe wrote that Farnham had the greatest corn-market after London, and describes 1,100 fully laden wagons delivering wheat to the town on market day. During the 17th century, other new industries evolved: Farnham Pottery, greenware pottery (a pottery, dating from 1873, still exists on the outskirts of the town), wool
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool.
As ...
and cloth, the processing of wheat into flour, and eventually hops
Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant ''Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to whi ...
, a key ingredient of beer. The Anglican divine, Augustus Montague Toplady, composer of the hymn Rock of Ages (Christian hymn), Rock of Ages (1763, at Blagston) was born in Farnham in 1740 – a plaque now marks the building on West Street where he was born.
The radical MP, soldier, farmer, journalist and publisher William Cobbett
William Cobbett (9 March 1763 – 18 June 1835) was an English pamphleteer, journalist, politician, and farmer born in Farnham, Surrey. He was one of an agrarian faction seeking to reform Parliament, abolish "rotten boroughs", restrain foreign ...
was born in Farnham in 1763, in a pub called the Jolly Farmer. The pub still stands, and has since been renamed the William Cobbett.
The London and South Western Railway arrived in 1848 and, in 1854, neighbouring Aldershot became the "Home of the British Army". Both events had a significant effect on Farnham. The fast link with London meant city businessmen could think of having a house in the country and still be in close contact with the office; Farnham thereby became an early example of a 'commuter town'. Also, the railway did not reach Aldershot until 1870; during the intervening period soldiers would be carried by train to Farnham railway station, Farnham station and then march to Aldershot. Many officers and their families chose to billet in Farnham itself. The railway was electrified by the Southern Railway (UK), Southern Railway company in 1937 as far as Alton, and a carriage shed for the new electric stock was built in Weydon Lane. This building, which carried fading camouflage paint for many years after World War II, was replaced in 2006.
In 1895 Farnham Urban District Council (FUDC) was formed. In 1930 the council purchased Farnham Park, a large park occupying much of the former castle grounds. That same year, St Joan of Arc's Church, Farnham, St Joan of Arc Church was built on Waverley Lane, it was dedicated to Joan of Arc, St Joan of Arc because Farnham Castle
Farnham Castle is a 12th-century castle in Farnham, Surrey, England. It was formerly the residence of the Bishops of Winchester.
History
Built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, grandson of William the Conqueror, Farnham cast ...
was a residence of Henry Beaufort, Cardinal Henry Beaufort who presided over the saint's trial. The FUDC was abolished in 1973 by the Local Government Act of the previous year. Farnham, together with Hindhead, Haslemere, Cranleigh and surrounding areas were absorbed into the new Waverley District Council (latterly Waverley Borough Council) with its headquarters in Godalming. In 1984 Farnham Parish Council became Farnham Town Council, taking on some of the minor roles of the former FUDC from Waverley.
Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square was once a tannery; the site expanded to become part of the Farnham United Breweries, which included its own maltings. Taken over by a major brewer (Courage (brewery), Courage) brewing ceased but malting continued into the 1960s, when Courage planned to sell off the site for redevelopment. The people of Farnham raised enough money to buy the building so that it could be converted into a community centre for the town. Other buildings in Farnham once linked to the Farnham Maltings include The Oasthouse (now offices) in Mead Lane and The Hop Kiln (now private residences) on Weydon Lane.
Transport
Rail
Farnham railway station is served by South Western Railway (train operating company), South Western Railway services between Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
and London Waterloo railway station, Waterloo. South Western Railway also manage the station. Services to Guildford are facilitated by a line running in that direction. The Alton Line becomes a single track between Farnham and Alton railway station, Alton station. The station formerly served as the terminus for the Tongham railway station, Tongham railway until passenger services ceased in July 1937.
Roads
The A31 road, A31 Farnham bypass links the town by road to Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
, Alton and Guildford; the A325 road, A325 links the town to Farnborough, Hampshire, Farnborough and to the A3 road, A3 (London-Portsmouth) at Greatham, Hampshire, Greatham. The A287 road, A287 links Farnham to the M3 motorway (Great Britain), M3 at Hook, London, Hook and the A3 at Hindhead.
Buses
Farnham is served by several bus routes, the majority of bus services originate from Aldershot bus station and are run by Stagecoach South, Stagecoach. The ''Waverley Hoppa'' provides demand-responsive transport for travel between Farnham and the surrounding villages.
Air
The nearest airport for business passengers is Farnborough Airport. The nearest major airport is London Heathrow Airport which is by road. London Gatwick Airport, Gatwick Airport and Southampton Airport are each about away by main roads.
Recreational routes
Farnham is the western starting point of the North Downs Way National Trail, which is predominantly footpath.
The Pilgrims Way which follows long sections of the North Downs Way traditionally runs from Winchester to Canterbury. The footpath known as St. Swithun's Way has created a more pleasant route to Winchester than the modern road network which constitutes a lot of the Pilgrims Way.
The southern suburb of Rowledge lies adjacent to the north western fringes of the South Downs National Park.
National Cycle Route 22 passes through Farnham, connecting it to Guildford, East Surrey, Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
and the New Forest.
Economy
Farnham is a market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
with many shops located along the main thoroughfare running through West Street, The Borough and East Street. The town has a significant number of independent retailers, some of which have been in business since the 19th century, such as Rangers Furnishing Stores (est. 1895), Elphicks department store (est. 1881) and Pullingers (est. 1850). The latter evolved into the Pullingers Art Shop chain and is thought to be Farnham's oldest surviving business. There are also branches of national retailers such as Argos (retailer), Argos, Robert Dyas, Boots Group, Boots, Poundland, Waterstone's and W H Smith. The major supermarkets are represented by Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Lidl in the town centre, and two Tesco Express stores and a Co-op Food, Co-operative Food out of town. Sainsbury's also have a larger Superstore on the outskirts of town towards Badshot Lea
Badshot Lea is a small village in Surrey, England, and close to Aldershot. Badshot Lea has access in either direction to the A31 and A331 and is connected to railway stations in the nearby towns with regular bus services. The village is part o ...
. There is a large Jewson (Timber and Builders Merchants) in the same area. Large garden centres exist nearby at Holt Pound, Frensham
Frensham is a village in Surrey, England, next to the A287 road, WSW of Guildford, the county town. Frensham lies on the right bank of the River Wey (south branch), only navigable to canoes, shortly before its convergence with the north bran ...
and Badshot Lea.
Castle Street's market stalls have been replaced by semi-permanent "orangery" style buildings. Once a month a farmers' market is held in the central car park where produce from farms in Farnham and the surrounding area is sold. The Farnham Maltings hosts a monthly market selling arts, crafts, antiques and bric-a-brac with specialist fairs and festivals held there on a less regular basis.
Public services
Public library
Refurbished in November 2005, Farnham Library is a community lending library service run by Surrey County Council. The library is housed in the historic Vernon House at which Charles I of England, King Charles I slept on his way to his trial and execution in London in 1649, commemorated by a plaque on the building wall. The library features public gardens with sculptures provided by local artists and University for the Creative Arts, UCA students.
Museum of Farnham
The town Museum is located at Willmer House
Willmer House is a grade I listed building in Farnham, Surrey, in England. Built in 1718 for a local hop merchant the building later became a school and dental surgery. Since 1961 it has housed the Museum of Farnham. The building was purchased ...
, an 18th-century town house with a decorative brickwork façade in West Street. It houses a collection of artefacts spanning several periods of the town's history and prehistory.
The museum was founded in 1961 to provide the Farnham community with a collection dedicated to the history of the local area in an elegant Grade I listed Georgian townhouse which still retains many original features, including a walled garden. The displays include items from a large and eclectic collection; from archaeological artefacts to nationally important artworks by local artists and an extensive costume collection. The museum has a Local Studies Library.
Leisure and recreation
There are two main parks in Farnham town centre: Farnham Park and Gostrey Meadow. Farnham Park is adjacent to Farnham Castle. Gostrey Meadow is in the centre of Farnham, next to the river Wey, and includes a fenced children's play area. There is a skate park and leisure centre next to the town centre.
Hospital
Farnham Hospital is directly north east of the town. It was once the main hospital in the area, including accident and emergency services, but that role is now taken by Frimley Park Hospital.
Farnham once had a second hospital which was at the end of Bardsley Drive, on the site which is now Lynton Close.
Cemeteries
The town has four cemeteries, all maintained by Farnham Town Council: Hale Cemetery in Upper Hale; Badshot Lea Cemetery on Badshot Lea Road; Green Lane Cemetery, Farnham, Green Lane Cemetery and the West Street Cemetery.
Tourism
The town has a number of attractive houses from various periods, and many passages which reveal hidden parts of the town including old workshops, historic cottages and hidden gardens. Farnham Castle was built by the Normans and updated over the years as the Palace of the Bishops of Winchester. The former Bishops' Palace of the castle is now a training and conference centre, which also manages the keep, recently made more accessible by a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant. The keep is open to the public, and organised tours of the palace are held weekly.
Many of the places mentioned in the books of George Sturt
George Sturt (18 June 1863–4 February 1927), who also wrote under the pseudonym George Bourne, was an English writer on rural crafts and affairs. He was born and grew up in Farnham, Surrey, the son of Ellen née Smith (1829–1890) and Fra ...
can be seen, and Waverley Abbey, the first Cistercian
The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
Abbey in England, is open to the public. Farnham borders the Surrey Hills AONB, Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the North Downs Way long-distance path starts here. Alice Holt Forest
Alice Holt Forest is a royal forest in Hampshire, situated some south of Farnham, Surrey. Once predominantly an ancient oak forest, it was particularly noted in the 18th and 19th centuries for the timber it supplied for the building of ships ...
is nearby, as are Frensham Ponds and many Heath (habitat), heaths and downland scenery. The Rural Life Living Museum, Tilford, Rural Life Living Museum is nearby at Tilford, and the town is a suitable tourist base for Winchester, the Mid-Hants Railway and canal trips on the Basingstoke Canal and Wey Navigation.
Culture
Farnham has a strong association with the creative arts. Farnham School of Art opened in 1866 and was associated with the Arts and crafts movement when architects such as Edwin Lutyens and Harold Falkner, painters such as George Frederic Watts, George Watts and William Herbert Allen, W. H. Allen, potters such as Mary Fraser Tytler, Mary Watts and landscape gardeners such as Gertrude Jekyll worked in the area. Farnham has several art galleries: the New Ashgate Gallery in Lower Church Lane has exhibitions by established and new artists in a variety of media, the exhibition changing on the first Saturday of each month. The gallery at Farnham Maltings also has frequent exhibitions.
Entertainment
Farnham maltings, Farnham Maltings has diverse concerts including opera, Folk music, folk and acoustic music, acoustic music gigs, band evenings and stand up comedy nights, as well as shows and workshops for younger people. There is a film, cinema run every Wednesday at the Maltings. The Maltings hosts an "Acoustic Fridays" evening once a month. A regular blues night takes place in the "Cellar Bar" and the whole venue is taken over for the annual Blues Festival. In keeping with the town's historical link with hop-growing and beer, the Farnham Maltings holds the Farnham Beer Exhibition, an annual event that started in 1977. There are many pubs in Farnham, many of which have live music regularly.
Farnham has an annual carnival, usually held on the last Saturday in June, organised by two charitable service organisations, the Farnham Lions Club and The Hedgehogs. Castle Street is closed for the evening, with bands playing on a stage in the street, a beer tent, barbecue, and sideshows. A procession of Float (parade), carnival floats, marching bands, tableau vivant, tableaux, Float (parade), trade floats and classic vehicles parade through the main streets of the town. Local schools also participate in the parade, which has a different theme each year. Staff of the local Kar Ling Kwong Chinese restaurant traditionally perform the Lion Dance each year as part of the parade, the restaurant closed in February 2019. There is also a smaller Hale Carnival which takes place in the village of Hale
Hale may refer to:
Places Australia
*Hale, Northern Territory, a locality
*Hale River, in southeastern Northern Territory
Canada
*Hale, Ontario, in Algoma District United Kingdom
* Hale, Cumbria, a hamlet near Beetham, Cumbria
*Hale, Greater Man ...
in the North of Farnham. This is usually held on the first Saturday of July.
The arts
William Herbert Allen, the notable English landscape watercolour artist, lived and worked in Farnham for most of his career. He was Master of Farnham Art School from 1889 to 1927 and many of his works depict landscapes of the Farnham area. Illustrator Pauline Baynes spent much of her childhood in Farnham and trained at the Farnham School of Art. A popular fantasy artist, Josephine Wall, was born and educated in the town.
Since Roman times the wealden clay of the area has been exploited for pottery and brickmaking. Pottery continued on a small-scale commercial basis until the closure of Farnham Pottery at Wrecclesham in 1998, when it passed to the Farnham Buildings Preservation Trust. Farnham Pottery, in addition to utility wares, became famous during the Arts and crafts movement for their decorative wares, either hand-thrown or moulded and decorated in a variety of coloured glazes, particularly "Farnham Greenware". There was close co-operation between the pottery and Farnham School of Art (now a campus of University for the Creative Arts
The University for the Creative Arts is a specialist art and design university in the south of England.
It was formed in 2005 as University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester when the Kent Inst ...
).
The Castle Theatre in Castle Street was replaced by the Redgrave Theatre, Farnham, Redgrave Theatre in 1974 which, itself, closed down in 1998 due to the decline of repertory theatre in England. In 1998 'The New Farnham Repertory Company', now renamed Farnham Rep, was formed to carry on the tradition of repertory theatre in the town. The Farnham Theatre Association campaigns for a theatre in Farnham, either in the form of a restored Redgrave Theatre or a new building.
The Maltings
Productions still regularly take place at the Maltings, which produces work and receives touring shows. Productions are occasionally held in the grounds of Farnham Library. Various genres of music are promoted at the Maltings, where there is a dance studio. The Maltings is a creative arts centre, catering for all ages, with workshops, clubs, groups and sessions involved in craft, theatre, music and writing, including Rock Choir, amongst others.
Actors and actresses
Gerald Flood, stage, TV and film actor, lived in Farnham for most of his life; Lupino family, Peter Lupino, a well-known West End theatre, West End actor of the 1930s and 40s, and member of the famous theatrical family, also lived for many years in Farnham, in Red Lion Lane and was a well-known local character in his retirement. Actor Bill Maynard, the Carry On films, Carry On and Heartbeat (UK TV series), Heartbeat actor, was born in the town. The actor Bill Wallis lived in the town and learned his trade on the stage of the Castle Theatre. Opera singer Sir Peter Pears (1910–1986) was born in Farnham and Jessie Matthews, OBE (1907–1981), the actress, dancer, and singer of the 1930s to 1960s, lived in Farnham.
The New Ashgate Gallery
The New Ashgate Gallery is a non-profit, educational charity based in Farnham. It specialises in contemporary art and craft, organising a programme of exhibitions and projects with artists and makers. Established in 1959, the gallery is the longest running craft space in South of England and [http://www.newashgate.org.uk New Ashgate Gallery] was the first provincial gallery to showcase both local and international artists. Architect Paul Archer designed a quarter-million pound redevelopment for the Gallery that was finished in 2004. The gallery organises established platforms to present new work through exhibitions projects such as the ''Surrey Artist of the Year'' competition, organised with the Surrey Open Studios, the Hothouse, an early career maker support programme with the Crafts Council, and the annual, open call ''Rising Stars'' touring exhibition that provides information, guidance, networking and exhibition opportunities to emerging and graduating artists from the UK and internationally.
Peter Pan
It was in Farnham, whilst living at Black Lake Cottage, a remote woodland retreat near Tilford, that J. M. Barrie was inspired to write ''Peter Pan''.
Bourne Wood
The nearby Bourne Wood is a popular film location appearing in Gladiator (2000 film), Gladiator, Thor: The Dark World and Wonder Woman (2017 film), Wonder Woman.
Education
Farnham has a broad mix of State school, state, Faith school, religious and Independent school (United Kingdom), independent schools. There are eight infant schools, nine primary/junior schools, three secondary schools and two schools for pupils with special educational needs.
There are also four independent schools in the Farnham area.
Farnham College (part of Guildford College) provides further education. The University for the Creative Arts
The University for the Creative Arts is a specialist art and design university in the south of England.
It was formed in 2005 as University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester when the Kent Inst ...
at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester or UCA (a merger of the local Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College and Kent Institute of Art & Design) provides higher education.
The area includes some of the top state schools (academies) in the country including South Farnham School, Weydon School and many others who consistently rank highly in school results year on year including South Farnham which has, more than once, been rated the best state primary school in the country based on exam results.
Farnham Grammar School was created some time before 1585 (when a donation by a Richard Searle was recorded "to the maintenance of the school in Farnham"). In 1905 the town centre assets of the old grammar school, located in West Street, were sold in order to purchase and build new premises in fields to the south of the town. In 1973 this campus became a Sixth Form College and was renamed Farnham College.
Sport
There are various sporting facilities in Farnham of which the local leisure centre is one. The centre is run by D C Leisure Management, DC Leisure on behalf of Waverley borough council. The leisure centre was built in 1981 with a swimming pool and training pool, gym and main hall for team sports. The entire centre was refurbished in 2010, during which the swimming pool was lengthened by four centimetres to exactly 25 metres to allow galas to be held.
The town is represented in the non-league football pyramid by Farnham Town F.C., who compete in the premier division of the Combined Counties League. There is a second football club, Farnham United FC which has several youth teams as well one adult team, Farnham United.
Farnham Swimming Club (FSC) was established in 1893 and is based at the Farnham leisure centre. The club is a member of Swim England and competes in the National, Regional and County Championships.
Farnham Cricket Club was established in 1782, originally playing in Holt Pound. The current ground is at the edge of Farnham Park near the former moat of the castle.
Farnham RUFC is based in Wilkinson Way. Farnham Archers have a ground in Elstead
Elstead is a civil parish in Surrey, England with shops, houses and cottages spanning the north and south sides of the River Wey; development is concentrated on two roads that meet at a central green. It includes Pot Common its southern neighbo ...
.
The Farnham and Aldershot hockey club runs six senior men's teams, four senior women's teams who play in the South, Hampshire and Surrey leagues. Floorball, Floorball hockey is regularly played by the adult team Southern Vipers FBC.
Farnham has a public golf course which is next to the cricket ground directly behind Farnham Castle
Farnham Castle is a 12th-century castle in Farnham, Surrey, England. It was formerly the residence of the Bishops of Winchester.
History
Built in 1138 by Henri de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, grandson of William the Conqueror, Farnham cast ...
. It was designed by Sir Henry Cotton (golfer), Henry Cotton. It is a nine-hole, par-three golf course.
A horse named Farnham took part in the 1850 Grand National but was largely unregarded by the public and finished outside the first four.
Carlin Motorsport are based in the town.
Demography and housing
In 1901, the population of Farnham was about 14,000. Since the end of the World War II, Second World War, Farnham has expanded from a population of about 20,000 to 39,488; about 16,500 people live in the town centre (as distinct from the town centre conservation area), while the remaining inhabitants live in the suburbs and villages within the town's administrative boundaries.
The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%.
The proportion of households in the civil parish who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The remaining % is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible % of households living rent-free).
Politics
Farnham is represented by councillors at a county, district and town level. Farnham is represented at Surrey County Council by three councillors from three county council wards: Farnham Central, Farnham North and Farnham South. As of the 2021 election, all three of the sitting county councillors are members of the Farnham Residents party.
As the town with the largest population in Waverley (district), Waverley, Farnham has nine wards, and is represented by eighteen councillors at Waverley Borough Council. As of the 2019 election, 15 councillors represent the Farnham Residents party, two represent the Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrats, and one represents the Conservative Party (UK), Conservatives.
The current Member of Parliament is Jeremy Hunt (politician), Jeremy Hunt (Conservative).
Media
The ''Farnham Herald'' is the only newspaper exclusively for Farnham; published by Tindle Newspaper Group. It was established by E.W. Langham in 1892 and bought by the Tindle newspaper group in 1967. Farnham is also covered by ''Ash & Farnham News & Mail'', which is published by Trinity Mirror.
The local TV stations are BBC South & ITV Meridian, received from the Hannington & Midhurst transmitters. BBC London & ITV London are also received, from the Crystal Palace transmitter. Farnham is covered on BBC radio by BBC Surrey (which covers Surrey & North-East Hampshire on 104.6FM).
Farnham is served by local social media groups including Facebook 'Farnham Rants' which raises money for charity. Also 'I Love Farnham - the original Farnham Facebook Group'
Notable people
In addition to those mentioned in the text above, notable people born in Farnham include William Willett, campaigner for daylight saving time (1856); George Sturt
George Sturt (18 June 1863–4 February 1927), who also wrote under the pseudonym George Bourne, was an English writer on rural crafts and affairs. He was born and grew up in Farnham, Surrey, the son of Ellen née Smith (1829–1890) and Fra ...
, writer and social historian (1863); and Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne MacBride ( ga, Maud Nic Ghoinn Bean Mhic Giolla Bhríghde; 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an English-born Irish republican revolutionary, suffragette and actress. Of Anglo-Irish descent, she was won over to Irish nationalism ...
, feminist and activist in Ireland, Irish politics (1866). The prominent missionary to Canada John West (missionary), John West (1778-1845) was born in Farnham. The composer and guitarist Johann Abraham Nüske, John Abraham Nuske (1796–1865) was a "Printed Books and Music Seller" on West Street for at least 20 years during the mid-19th century.
John Verney (author), decorated war hero, artist and architectural conservationist lived at Runwick House from 1944 to 1976, outside Farnham.
Anthony Faramus, actor, author, hunt saboteur and concentration camp survivor lived in the town.
John Henry Knight (inventor), John Henry Knight (1847–1917), who built the first United Kingdom, British motor car and designed a number of innovative digging machines for use in hop fields, was born and brought up at Weybourne, Surrey, Weybourne on the outskirts of the town.
The Rev. John Macleod Campbell Crum, writer of the hymn ''Now the Green Blade Riseth'', was Rector of Farnham from 1913 to 1928, and his daughter Margaret Crum, Margaret was born in the town in 1921.
Actor Jim Sturgess was raised in Farnham (1981-).
The British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, known for compiling the controversial Steele dossier, lives in Farnham with his family.
Notable sportspeople
Cricketer William Beldham, "Silver Billy" Beldham (1766-1862) was born on the outskirts of town, in Wrecclesham
Wrecclesham is a village on the southern outskirts of the large town of Farnham in Surrey, England. Its local government district is the Borough of Waverley.
History
It was once in the estate of Henry of Westminster and Blois the powerful 13th ...
. He played in Farnham Cricket Club's first match, against Odiham, when he was 16 years old.
Graham Thorpe
Graham Paul Thorpe, (born 1 August 1969) is a former English cricketer who played for England internationally and Surrey domestically. A left-handed middle-order batsman and slip fielder, he appeared in 100 Test matches.
Early life
Thorpe was ...
(1969-) England cricket captain, was born in Farnham and played at the Farnham cricket ground.
Mike Hawthorn
John Michael Hawthorn (10 April 1929 – 22 January 1959) was a British racing driver. He became the United Kingdom's first Formula One World Champion driver in 1958, whereupon he announced his retirement, having been profoundly affected by the ...
(1929-1959), driving for Ferrari, became the first British Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
World Champion in 1958. His family moved to Farnham when he was two years old, so his father could be nearer to Brooklands race track.
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter Wilkinson, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 25 May 1979) is an English former rugby union player. A Fly-half (rugby union), fly-half, he played for Newcastle Falcons and RC Toulonnais, Toulon and represente ...
(1979-) England's world-cup-winning kicker and former captain was born in Frimley and grew up in Farnham. Jonny, alongside England scrum half Peter Richards (rugby player), Peter Richards (1978-) who was not born in Farnham, played for Farnham Rugby Football Club at mini level.
Joel Freeland (born 1987), international basketball player and NBA player for the Portland Trail Blazers, worked in Farnham as a shelf-stacker for a supermarket.
Tom Pollitt (1900–1979), first-class cricketer and Royal Air Force officer.
Gilbert White (British Army officer), Gilbert White (1912–1977), first-class cricketer and British Army officer.
Fran Wilson (born 1991), England Women's Cricket Player was born in Farnham
Lottie Woad (born 2004) amateur golfer
See also
*List of places of worship in Waverley (borough)
References
External links
Farnham Town Council
{{authority control
Farnham,
Market towns in Surrey
Towns in Surrey