| Farnham | |
|---|---|
| Market town andcivil parish | |
 Castle Street | |
 Coat of arms Motto: 'By Worth' | |
  Farnham Location withinSurrey | |
| Area | 36.52 km2 (14.10 sq mi) |
| Population | 39,488 (civil parish)[1] |
| • Density | 1,081/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU8447 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Farnham |
| Postcode district | GU9 |
| Dialling code | 01252 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°12′54″N0°47′56″W / 51.215°N 0.799°W /51.215; -0.799 | |
Farnham is amarket town andcivil parish inSurrey, England, around 36 miles (58 km) southwest ofLondon. It is in theBorough of Waverley, close to thecounty border withHampshire. The town is on the north branch of theRiver Wey, a tributary of theThames, and is at the western end of theNorth Downs. The civil parish, which includes the villages ofBadshot Lea,Hale andWrecclesham, covers 14.1 sq mi (37 km2) and had a population of 39,488 in 2011.[2]
Among the prehistoric objects from the area is awoolly mammothtusk, excavated in Badshot Lea at the start of the 21st century. The earliest evidence of human activity is from theNeolithic and, during theRoman period, tile making took place close to the town centre. The name "Farnham" is ofSaxon origin and is generally agreed to mean "meadow whereferns grow". From at least 803, the settlement was under the control of theBishops of Winchester andthe castle was built as a residence forBishop Henry de Blois in 1138.Henry VIII is thought to have spent part of his childhood under the care ofBishop Richard Foxe and is known to have lived at Farnham Castle when he was 16.
In the latemedieval period, the primary local industry was the production ofkersey, a coarse,woollen cloth. In theearly 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 growinghops and for thebrewing industry. The town began to expand in the early Victorian period, stimulated in part by the opening ofthe railway in 1849 and the arrival of thearmy in nearby Aldershot in 1855. Farnham became an Urban District in 1894, but under theLocal Government Act 1972, it became part of the Borough of Waverley. The civil parish andtown council were created in 1984.
The Farnham area has long been associated with the creative arts and withpottery making in particular. One of three campuses of theUniversity for the Creative Arts is to the west of the centre and there are numerousworks of public art on display in the town. Notable buildings in the civil parish include the ruins ofWaverley Abbey and the 18th centuryWillmer House, now the location of the Museum of Farnham. PoliticianWilliam Cobbett and writerGeorge Sturt were both born in Farnham, as wasMaud Gonne, theIrish republicansuffragette. More recent residents have included thewatercolour artist,William Herbert Allen, theFormula One driver,Mike Hawthorn, theEngland cricketer,Graham Thorpe, and theEngland rugby union captain,Jonny Wilkinson.
The oldest surviving record of Farnham is from ac. 1150 copy of ac. 688 charter, in which the settlement appears asFernham. The name is written asFearnhamme in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle fromc. 900 and asFerneham inDomesday Book. The town first appears with its modern spelling "Farnham" in 1233. The name is thought to derive from theOld English wordsfearn andham and is generally agreed to mean "homestead orenclosure whereferns grow". Alternatively the second part could derive fromhamm, meaning "river meadow".[3][4]
Show Farnham centre
Show town centre, Hale and Mount Pleasant
Show Farnham Civil ParishFarnham's history and present status are mainly the result of itsgeography; 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.[5]
Farnham lies in the valley of the North Branch of theRiver Wey, which rises nearAlton, merges with the South Branch atTilford, and joins theRiver Thames atWeybridge. The mainly east–west alignment of the ridges and valleys has influenced the development of road and rail communications. The most prominentgeological feature is thechalk of theNorth Downs which forms a ridge (theHog's Back) to the east of the town, and continues through Farnham Park to the north of the town centre, and westwards to form theHampshire Downs. The land rises to more than 180 metres (590 feet) 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 ofswallow holes in the park where thisstratum meets the chalk. The historic core of the town lies on gravel beds at an altitude of roughly 70 metres[6] (230 ft) ASL on an underlying geology ofGault Clay andUpper Greensand and the southern part of the town rises to more than 100 metres (330 feet) on theLower Greensand.
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 under3+1⁄2 miles (6 kilometres) southwest of the town centre.
The highest temperature recorded was 35.4 °C (95.7 °F),[7] in July 2006. In an 'average' year, the warmest day would reach 26.3 °C (79.3 °F),[8] with 18.1 days[9] attaining a temperature of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or higher.
The lowest temperature recorded was −14.0 °C (6.8 °F)[10] in February 1986. On average, 57.7 nights of the year will register an air frost.
Annual rainfall averages 821mm,[11] with at least 1mm of rain reported on 126.0 days.[12] All averages refer to the 1991–2020 observation period.
| Climate data for Alice Holt Lodge, elevation 115m, 1991–2020, extremes 1960- | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.0 (62.6) | 21.1 (70.0) | 25.8 (78.4) | 27.6 (81.7) | 34.2 (93.6) | 35.4 (95.7) | 35.1 (95.2) | 28.9 (84.0) | 24.0 (75.2) | 18.1 (64.6) | 14.7 (58.5) | 35.4 (95.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) | 8.2 (46.8) | 11.0 (51.8) | 14.1 (57.4) | 17.5 (63.5) | 20.3 (68.5) | 22.5 (72.5) | 21.9 (71.4) | 19.0 (66.2) | 14.8 (58.6) | 10.5 (50.9) | 8.0 (46.4) | 14.6 (58.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1.3 (34.3) | 1.3 (34.3) | 2.4 (36.3) | 3.9 (39.0) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.5 (49.1) | 11.5 (52.7) | 11.4 (52.5) | 9.2 (48.6) | 6.7 (44.1) | 3.7 (38.7) | 1.6 (34.9) | 5.8 (42.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −13.6 (7.5) | −14 (7) | −10.6 (12.9) | −6 (21) | −3.3 (26.1) | 0.5 (32.9) | 3.5 (38.3) | 3.1 (37.6) | −0.8 (30.6) | −6.0 (21.2) | −7.6 (18.3) | −12.9 (8.8) | −14 (7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 89.7 (3.53) | 63.8 (2.51) | 54.3 (2.14) | 57.5 (2.26) | 51.3 (2.02) | 51.3 (2.02) | 52.2 (2.06) | 57.7 (2.27) | 60.9 (2.40) | 92.2 (3.63) | 99.8 (3.93) | 90.6 (3.57) | 821.3 (32.34) |
| Average rainy days | 13.3 | 10.8 | 10.0 | 9.7 | 8.8 | 8.5 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 9.2 | 11.8 | 13.8 | 12.7 | 126 |
| Source 1: Meteoclimat[13] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2015/08/03/record-hot-to-record-cold-in-a-july-of-extremes/ | |||||||||||||
Farnham'shistory extends back hundreds of thousands of years to thehunter-gatherers of thePaleolithic or earlyStone Age, on the basis of stone tools such as manyHandaxes found around the town. Most of these were collected byantiquarians in the later 19th and early 20th Century.[14] Additionally prehistoric animal bones, sometimes found together with the aforementioned flint tools in deep gravel pits such as awoolly mammothtusk, excavated in Badshot Lea at the start of the 21st century.[15] The first knownsettlement in the area was in theMesolithic period, some 7,000 years ago; a cluster ofpit dwellings[15] and evidence of aflint-knapping industry from that period has been excavated a short distance to the east of the town. There was aNeolithiclong barrow at nearbyBadshot Lea, now destroyed by quarrying. This monument lay on the route of theprehistoric trackway known as theHarrow Way or Harroway, which passes through Farnham Park, and asarsen 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.[16]
Occupation of the area continued to grow through theBronze Age. Two bronze hoards have been discovered on Crooksbury Hill,[17] 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 Agebarrows occur in the area, including a triple barrow atElstead and anurnfield cemetery at Stoneyfield, near theTilford road.
Hill forts from the earlyIron Age have been identified locally at Botany Hill to the south of the town,[18] and atCaesar's Camp to the north.[19] The latter is a very large earthwork on a high promontory, served by a spring which emerges from between twoconglomerateboulders called the Jock and Jenny Stones.[20] "Soldier's Ring" earthworks on Crooksbury Hill date from the later Iron Age.[citation needed] The final era of the Iron Age, during the 1st centuryAD, found Farnham within the territory of theBelgic tribeAtrebates led byCommius, a former ally ofCaesar, 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.
During theRoman period the district became a pottery centre due to the plentiful supply ofgault clay, oak woodlands for fuel, and good communications via the Harrow Way and the nearby Roman road fromSilchester toChichester. 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 beenAlice Holt Forest, 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 propounded that Farnham is the site of the lost Roman settlement ofVindomis, although this is now believed to be atNeatham, nearAlton. Large hoards of Roman coins have been discovered some 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Farnham inWoolmer Forest and a temple has been excavated atWanborough, about 8 miles (13 km) to the east.
In the 7th century, Surrey passed into the hands ofKing Caedwalla of Wessex, who also conquered Kent and Sussex, and founded a monastery at Farnham in 686.[21]
It was theAnglo-Saxons who gave the town its name—Farnham and it is listed asFearnhamme in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle. They arrived in the 6th century and, in AD 688, theWest Saxon KingCaedwalla donated the district around Farnham to the Church, and to thediocese ofWinchester. A Saxon community grew up in the valley by the river. By the year 803 Farnham had passed into the ownership of theBishop of Winchester and theManor 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 anothermajor 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 byAlfred the Great's son, the futureEdward the Elder, and fled across the Thames towards Essex.[22]
Ahundred (county subdivision) was an area that had a general overlord of its lords of the manor, entitled to charge certain rents to certainintermediate lords. Parishes within Farnham hundred were:Frensham (including tything Pitfold withChurt) (partly in the hundred of Alton)Elstead, theliberty of Dockenfield, the liberty ofWaverley,Seal (now Seale) thetythings ofBadshot,Runfold, Culverlands,Tilford with Culverlands, Farnham, Runwick, Wrecklesham (nowWrecclesham), and Bourne.
In the 14th century, Farnham hundred was owned by theBishop of Winchester and was one of the wealthiest on the bishop's rolls.[23]
See also, in this context:
Farnham appears inDomesday Book of 1086 in the Hundred of Farnham[24] asFerneham, one of the five great "minster" churches in Surrey. Its Domesday assets were: 40hides; 1 church, 6mills worth £2 6s 0d, 43ploughs, 35 acres (140,000 m2) ofmeadow,woodland worth 175½hogs. It rendered £53.[25][26]
Waverley Abbey, the firstCistercianabbey inEngland, was founded in 1128 byWilliam Giffard,Bishop of Winchester about one mile (1.6 km) south of the town centre.King John visited Waverley in 1208, andHenry 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 byHenry VIII in 1536 as part of thedissolution 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 (grandson ofWilliam the Conqueror and brother ofKing Stephen) started buildingFarnham Castle 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. Three miles (five kilometres) west of the town isBarley Pound, the remains of an 11th-century precursor of Farnham Castle.
Farnham was granted its charter as a town in 1249 byWilliam de Ralegh, thenBishop of Winchester.
The Blind Bishop's Steps, a series of steps leading along Castle Street up to the Castle, were originally constructed for BishopRichard Foxe (godfather ofHenry VIII).
TheBlack Death hit Farnham in 1348, killing about 1,300 people, at that time about a third of the population.[27] 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 fashionableworsted) led by the 1640s to a seriouseconomic depression in the area.[28] Local wool merchants were, like merchants throughout the country, heavily taxed by Charles I to pay for his increasingly unpopular policies.
Against this background theEnglish Civil War began, with Farnham playing a major part. Here, support for theParliamentarians was general. The castle was considered a potential rallying point forRoyalists, resulting in the installation of a Roundheadgarrison there in 1642. As the King's forces moved southwards, takingOxford,Reading andWindsor, the garrison commander at Farnham (a noted poet), CaptainGeorge Wither, decided to evacuate the castle; the newHigh Sheriff of Surrey (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 SirWilliam Waller to Farnham to retake the castle. The defenders refused to surrender but Waller's men used apetard 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 unsuccessfulforay to recapture Winchester from the Royalists. Eight thousand Royalists underRalph Hopton (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 someskirmishing 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. Thebombardment ofBasing House was by a train of heavycannon assembled at Farnham from other areas and, in 1646, most of the garrison was removed from Farnham to form a brigade to besiegeDonnington Castle nearNewbury. The King surrendered shortly afterwards atNewark and a small garrison remained at Farnham.
In 1647, having escaped from custody atHampton Court, the King rode through Farnham at dawn on 12 November with a small party of loyal officers, en route to theIsle of Wight, where he soughtsanctuary under the protection ofColonel Robert Hammond, a Parliamentarian officer but with Royalist sympathies. The following March,Oliver Cromwell stayed at Farnham for discussions concerning the marriage of his daughter to aHampshire gentleman, although some historians have speculated that this was cover for secret negotiations with the King.
Following therebellion 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 ofinterregnum untilrestoration 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 ofGuildford. The castle is currently owned byEnglish Heritage.
Farnham became a successful market town; the authorDaniel Defoe wrote that Farnham had the greatest corn-market after London,[29] and describes 1,100 fully laden wagons delivering wheat to the town on market day. During the 17th century, other new industries evolved:greenware pottery (a pottery, dating from 1873, still exists on the outskirts of the town),wool andcloth, the processing ofwheat into flour, and eventuallyhops, a key ingredient ofbeer. TheAnglican divine,Augustus Montague Toplady, composer of the hymnRock of Ages (1763, at Blagston) was born in Farnham in 1740[30] – a plaque now marks the building on West Street where he was born.
The radical MP, soldier, farmer, journalist and publisherWilliam Cobbett was born in Farnham in 1763, in a pub called the Jolly Farmer.[31] The pub still stands, and has since been renamed the William Cobbett.[32]
TheLondon and South Western Railway arrived in 1848 and, in 1854, neighbouringAldershot became the "Home of the British Army".[33] 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 toFarnham station and then march to Aldershot.[34] Many officers and their families chose to billet in Farnham itself. The railway was electrified by theSouthern Railway company in 1937 as far as Alton,[35] 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.
_(1).jpg)
In 1895 Farnham Urban District Council (FUDC) was formed.[36] In 1930 the council purchased Farnham Park,[37] a large park occupying much of the former castle grounds. That same year,St Joan of Arc Church was built on Waverley Lane, it was dedicated toSt Joan of Arc becauseFarnham Castle was a residence ofCardinal Henry Beaufort who presided over the saint's trial.[38] The FUDC was abolished in 1973 by the Local Government Act of the previous year.[36] 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.[39]
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) 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.[40] 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.
Farnham railway station is served bySouth Western Railway services betweenAlton andWaterloo. South Western Railway also manage the station. Services to Guildford are facilitated by a line running in that direction.[41] TheAlton Line becomes a single track between Farnham andAlton station.[42] The station formerly served as the terminus for theTongham railway until passenger services ceased in July 1937.[43]
TheA31 Farnham bypass links the town by road toWinchester, Alton andGuildford; theA325 links the town toFarnborough and to theA3 (London-Portsmouth) atGreatham. TheA287 links Farnham to theM3 atHook and the A3 atHindhead.[44]
Farnham is served by several bus routes, the majority of bus services originate from Aldershot bus station and are run byStagecoach.[45] TheWaverley Hoppa provides demand-responsive transport for travel between Farnham and the surrounding villages.[46]
The nearest airport for business passengers isFarnborough Airport. The nearest major airport isLondon Heathrow Airport which is 31 miles (50 km) by road.[47]Gatwick Airport andSouthampton Airport are each about 43 miles (69 km) away by main roads.
Farnham is the western starting point of theNorth Downs WayNational 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 asSt. 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 theSouth Downs National Park.
National Cycle Route 22 passes through Farnham, connecting it to Guildford,East Surrey,Isle of Wight and theNew Forest.[48]
Farnham is amarket town[49] 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) andPullingers (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 many national retailers and grocery markets.
Castle Street's market stalls have been replaced by semi-permanent "orangery" style buildings. Once a month afarmers' market is held in the central car park where produce from farms in Farnham and the surrounding area is sold.[50] The Farnham Maltings hosts a monthly market selling arts, crafts, antiques and bric-a-brac[51] with specialist fairs and festivals held there on a less regular basis.[52]
Farnham Library moved to its current site in the grounds of Vernon House in April 1990.[53] Refurbished in November 2005, it is a communitylending library service run bySurrey County Council. The library is housed in the historic Vernon House at whichKing Charles I slept on his way to his trial and execution in London in 1649, commemorated by a plaque on the building wall.[54] The library features public gardens with sculptures provided by local artists andUCA students.[citation needed]
TheMuseum of Farnham is located atWillmer House, 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.[55][better source needed]
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.[citation needed]
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.
Farnham Hospital is directly north east of the town.[56] It was once the main hospital in the area, includingaccident and emergency services, but that role is now taken byFrimley Park Hospital.[57]Farnham once had a second hospital which was at the end of Bardsley Drive, on the site which is now Lynton Close.[58]
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 and theWest Street Cemetery.[59]
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 theNormans and updated over the years as thePalace of the Bishops of Winchester. The former Bishops' Palace of the castle is now a training and conference centre,[60] which also manages the keep, recently made more accessible by a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant.[61] The keep is open to the public, and organised tours of the palace are held weekly.[62]
Many of the places mentioned in the books ofGeorge Sturt can be seen, and Waverley Abbey, the firstCistercian Abbey in England, is open to the public. Farnham borders theSurrey Hills National Landscape and theNorth Downs Way long-distance path starts here.Alice Holt Forest is nearby, as areFrensham Ponds and manyheaths anddownland scenery. TheRural Life Living Museum is nearby at Tilford, and the town is a suitable tourist base for Winchester, theMid-Hants Railway and canal trips on theBasingstoke Canal andWey Navigation.
Farnham has a strong association with the creative arts.[63][64]Farnham School of Art opened in 1866 and was associated with theArts and Crafts movement when architects such asEdwin Lutyens andHarold Falkner, painters such asGeorge Watts andW. H. Allen, potters such asMary Watts and landscape gardeners such asGertrude 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.
Farnham Maltings has diverse concerts includingopera,folk andacoustic music gigs, band evenings andstand up comedy nights, as well as shows and workshops for younger people. There is acinema run every Wednesday at the Maltings. The Maltings hosts an "Acoustic Fridays" evening once a month. A regularblues 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 theFarnham Beer Exhibition, an annual event that started in 1977, known as “Farnham Beerex”.[65] 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 charitableservice organisations, the FarnhamLions Club and The Hedgehogs.[66] Castle Street is closed for the evening, with bands playing on a stage in the street, abeer tent,barbecue, and sideshows. A procession ofcarnival floats,marching bands,tableaux,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 theLion Dance each year as part of the parade, the restaurant closed in February 2019.[67] There is also a smaller Hale Carnival which takes place in the village ofHale in the North of Farnham. This is usually held on the first Saturday of July.[68]
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.[69] IllustratorPauline Baynes spent much of her childhood in Farnham and trained at the Farnham School of Art.[70] A popular fantasy artist,Josephine Wall, was born and educated in the town.[71]
Since Roman times thewealden clay of the area has been exploited for pottery and brickmaking. Pottery continued on a small-scale commercial basis until the closure ofFarnham Pottery at Wrecclesham in 1998, when it passed to the Farnham Buildings Preservation Trust. Farnham Pottery, in addition to utility wares, became famous during theArts and Crafts movement for their decorative wares, either hand-thrown or moulded and decorated in a variety of coloured glazes, particularly "Farnham Greenware".[72] There was close co-operation between the pottery andFarnham School of Art (now a campus ofUniversity for the Creative Arts).
The Castle Theatre in Castle Street was replaced by theRedgrave Theatre in 1974 which, itself, closed down in 1998 due to the decline of repertory theatre in England.[73] 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.[74]
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, includingRock Choir, amongst others.[citation needed]
The New Ashgate Gallery is a non-profit, educational charity based in Farnham. It specialises incontemporary art andcraft, 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[75] was the first provincial gallery to showcase both local and international artists.[76] Architect Paul Archer designed a quarter-million pound redevelopment for the Gallery that was finished in 2004.[77] The gallery organises established platforms to present new work through exhibitions projects such as theSurrey 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 callRising Stars touring exhibition that provides information, guidance, networking and exhibition opportunities to emerging and graduating artists from the UK and internationally.[78]
It was in Farnham, whilst living at Black Lake Cottage, a remote woodland retreat near Tilford, thatJ. M. Barrie was inspired to writePeter Pan.[79]
Bourne Wood
The nearbyBourne Wood is a popular film location appearing inGladiator,Thor: The Dark World andWonder Woman.
Farnham has a broad mix ofstate,religious andprivate schools. There are eight infant schools, nine primary/junior schools, three secondary schools and two schools for pupils with special educational needs.[80]There are also four independent schools in the Farnham area.[81]
Farnham College (part ofGuildford College) provides further education. TheUniversity for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester or UCA (a merger of the localSurrey Institute of Art & Design, University College andKent Institute of Art & Design) provides higher education.
The area includes some of the top state schools (academies) in the country includingSouth 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.[82][83][84]
Farnham Grammar School was created some time before 1585 (when a donation by a Richard Searle was recorded[85] "to the maintenance of the school in Farnham").[86] 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.[86] In 1973 this campus became aSixth Form College and was renamed Farnham College.[85]
There are various sporting facilities in Farnham of which the localleisure centre is one. The centre is run byDC Leisure on behalf of Waverley borough council.[87] 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.[88]
The town is represented in the non-league football pyramid byFarnham Town F.C., who compete in the premier division of theCombined Counties League.[89] There is a second football club, Farnham United FC which has several youth teams as well one adult team, Farnham United.[90]
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 inHolt Pound.[91] The current ground is at the edge of Farnham Park near the former moat of the castle.[91]
Farnham RUFC is based in Wilkinson Way. Farnham Archers have a ground inElstead.
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.[92]Floorball hockey is regularly played by the adult team Southern Vipers FBC.[93]
Farnham has a publicgolf course which is next to the cricket ground directly behindFarnham Castle. It was designed by SirHenry Cotton.[94] It is a nine-hole, par-three golf course.[94]
A horse named Farnham took part in the1850 Grand National but was largely unregarded by the public and finished outside the first four.
Carlin Motorsport are based in the town.
In 1901, the population of Farnham was about 14,000. Since the end of theSecond 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 centreconservation area), while the remaining inhabitants live in the suburbs and villages within the town's administrative boundaries.
| Output area | Detached | Semi-detached | Terraced | Flats and apartments | Caravans/temporary/mobile homes | shared between households[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Civil parish) | 6,689 | 4,299 | 2,568 | 2,467 | 20 | 7 |
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) | 39,488 | 16,050 | 37.0% | 37.6% | 3,652 |
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).
Farnham is represented by councillors at a county, district and town level. Farnham is represented atSurrey County Council by three councillors from three county council wards: Farnham Central, Farnham North and Farnham South.[95] As of the 2021 election, all three of the sitting county councillors are members of the Farnham Residents party.[96]
As the town with the largest population inWaverley,[97] 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 theLiberal Democrats, and one represents theConservatives.[98]
TheFarnham Herald is the only newspaper exclusively for Farnham; published byTindle Newspaper Group. It was established by E.W. Langham in 1892 and bought by the Tindle newspaper group in 1967.[99] Farnham is also covered byAsh & Farnham News & Mail, which is published byTrinity Mirror.[100]
%2c_Gostrey_Meadow%2c_Farnham%2c_Surrey.jpg)
Until the late 17th century, Gostrey Meadow was part of a larger area of land owned by the Bush Hotel. The estate became progressively fragmented as building plots were sold and by 1900, the meadow was being used as an illegal rubbish dump. The 4-acre (1.6 ha) site was purchased by the UDC in 1909 and repurposed as a public park.[101] The area was landscaped and the ground flattened.[102] The drinking fountain was installed in 1911 and, the following year, the public shelter and wooden bridge over the Wey were opened.[103] The war memorial at the east end of the meadow was designed by the architect, W. C. Watson, inPortland stone and was dedicated in April 1921.[104]
The area now known as Farnham Park was created forBishop William of Wykeham in 1376 and was initially known as the New or Little Park. Like the larger Old or Great Park to the west, it was used as adeer park for Farnham Castle. By 1690, the Great Park was being used as farmland, but the Little Park was used for intended purpose until the late 18th century. UnderBishop Brownlow North in the early 19th century, the park was landscaped with the addition of walkways and planting of new trees.[105] 295 acres (119 ha) were offered for sale to the borough in 1928 and the purchase was completed in July the following year.[106]
The 55 ha (140-acre) Tice's Meadow at Badshot Lea was previously a former quarry, operated byHanson plc. Sand and gravel extraction ended in 2010 and the site was redeveloped as a community nature reserve. A formal opening ceremony took place in May 2018, following the installation of two new footbridges over the River Blackwater.[107] Tice's Meadow was purchased by Surrey County Council in 2021, supported by funding from five other local councils.[108] The reserve features areas of open water, exposed gravel islands, seedbeds and woodlands. It provides a habitat for bird species, includingreed warblers andsand martins,[109] and has been designated aSite of Nature Conservation Interest.[110] In November 2022, the Tice's Meadow Bird Group was given a National Biodiversity Network award for its work in surveying and recording bird species at the site.[111]
 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Farnham" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(August 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
In addition to those mentioned in the text above, notable people born in Farnham include:
Notable Farnham residents include:
Nearest Settlements | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
