Godalming's claims to fame

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Godalming's claims to fame

Thursday, 21 July 2011 10:00

Godalming Town Hall, known as the Pepperpot

The town of Godalming is situated at the most southerly point of navigation on the UK's Inland Waterway system. This is its claim to fame for boaters but is there anything else .....?

It is now a commuter town and the High Street was almost empty of people when we walked in from our mooring beyond the Wharf.

C16th building on the High Street

Godalming was once a "paper town" and Surrey was the leading UK manufacturer of brown paper packaging (tied up with string tra la ...). The River Wey carried rags to paper mills for pulping and the finished product to London. Later high grade paper was also manufactured. The waterway, mills and Godalming thrived from the 1700s to the 1800s and the last mill closed down in 1928. Government stores and ammunition were also carried to Godalming for onward passage to Portsmouth arsenal.

The Kings Arms Royal Hotel

Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, visited Godalming and stayed here in 1698. I wonder why?

The Church of St Pater and St Paul has an unusual C13th tall leaded spire that can be seen form the Riverside walk and at the end of Church Street.

St Pater and St Paul

Finally, and the last claim to fame I know from just walking around the town, the wireless operator on the Titanic came from Farncombe, Godalming. He died at his post and there is a lovely memorial garden in remembrance of John George (Jack) Phillips. Built in 1913, it is a cloistered garden which was designed by Gertrude Jekyll.