| St Martha's | |
|---|---|
| Civil parish | |
 Chilworth village viewed from St Martha's hill | |
  St Martha's Location withinSurrey | |
| Area | 3.44 km2 (1.33 sq mi) |
| Population | 677 (Civil Parish)[1] |
| • Density | 197/km2 (510/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TQ0248 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Guildford |
| Postcode district | GU4 |
| Dialling code | 01483 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°13′12″N0°32′17″W / 51.220°N 0.538°W /51.220; -0.538 | |
St Martha is a hillside, largely wooded, smallcivil parish in theGuildfordborough ofSurrey towards the narrower part of the west half of theNorth Downs. It includes three homes north ofSt Martha's Hill, a southern knoll of the range of hills but almost all its population is south of this, in much of the village ofChilworth which is divided between St Martha's andShalford parishes. Chilworth gunpowder works mark the southern border of the entity, and are a well-preserved, publicly accessible area of riverside former industry.
The chairman of the parish council is David Bunting.[2]
Of national importance in the heavily wooded valley floor where theTillingbourne runs, is the former Gunpowder Works, a largeScheduled Ancient Monument, formed of scattered industrial remains. This was a major production centre, particularly in theStuart period of gunpowder, first for theEast India Company and later for the army and navy.[3]
The principal amenities are those of Chilworth, half of which is in St Martha's. The 12th century church restored to its Norman state byHenry Woodyer is on a knoll above this — it remains as since theMiddle Ages a spiritual sanctuary.[4]
The panorama above is viewed from St Martha's Hill over all of the south of the parish and beyond, it has a dense patch of woodland which obscure some of its homes however St Martha's ceases before the background rise, which is that of the start of theGreensand Ridge. The view and landscape resemble neighbouringNewlands Corner on the Downs.
The north of the parish is more heavily wooded and has three homes on a lane leading from Guildford, White Lane, the name reflecting the chalkiness of the road.
In 2001 it had a population of 667.[5]
| Output area | Detached | Semi-detached | Terraced | Flats and apartments | Caravans/temporary/mobile homes | shared between households[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Civil Parish) | 199 | 51 | 21 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%.
| Output area | Population | Households | % Owned outright | % Owned with a loan | hectares[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Civil Parish) | 677 | 293 | 57.7% | 28.3% | 344[1] |
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).
