Witley

Coordinates: 51°08′59″N 0°38′48″W / 51.1497°N 0.6468°W / 51.1497; -0.6468

Witley
Witley  Witley shown within Surrey
Population	4,088 [1]
OS grid reference	SU947398
District	Waverley
Shire county	Surrey
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Godalming
Postcode district	GU8
Dialling code	01428
Police	Surrey
Fire	Surrey
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	South West Surrey
List of places: UK • England • Surrey

Witley, in Surrey, England is a village 2 miles (3 km) south west of Godalming. The village lies just east of the A3 that runs from Guildford to Petersfield. Witley together with the neighbouring area of Hambledon have a population of about 4,000. Neighbouring villages include Milford, Chiddingfold and Grayswood.

Witley appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Witlei. Its domesday assets were held by Gislebert (Gilbert), son of Richere de L'Aigle. It rendered: 12 hides; 1 church, 15 ploughs, 3 acres (12,000 m²) of meadow, woodland worth 30 hogs. It rendered £16.^[2]

Witley has a parish council consisting of 16 unpaid councillors from Witley and neighbouring Milford.^[3] Amongst their tasks is the management of Witley Recreation Ground and 43 allotments.

Witley Common, which belongs to the National Trust, lies to the west of the village.^[4]

Historical sites

• All Saints Church [1], with its surviving Saxon stonework, demonstrates that the village has existed since at least Saxon times. The church building was transformed by the Normans and enlarged into a cruciform shape towards the end of the 12th century, when its tower was also erected. The church contains an inscribed stone, set in the chancel wall, bearing the name of the Duke of Clarence (see below), this is believed to be part of an unfinished memorial to one of his bailiffs.
• Witley Park, the home of Whitaker Wright, was built in the 1890s at a cost of £1.85 million. It was one of the most lavish private residences in the world. The grounds included a series of three interconnecting lakes and an underwater 'billiards' room. The main building burnt to the ground in 1953. Today the grounds and remaining buildings are a private family home.
• Old Cottage and Step Cottage, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, are close to the church.
• White Hart, the village pub, is mostly Elizabethan and is said to stand on the site of a Saxon inn.
• Witley Infants School, opposite the church, is a fine example of a 19th century school constructed in 1836, one year before Queen Victoria was crowned.
• King Edward's School is a private school located near the village
• At Bannicle or Bannack Hill there was an Admiralty telegraph station which was built in 1822 as part of a semaphore line between the Admiralty in London and Portsmouth. It was about 30 yards east of Hill House, but no trace of the station remains.^[5] William Cobbett in Rural Rides referred to the station when travelling through the hills of Hambledon. "On one of these hills is one of those precious jobs, called semaphores. For what reason this pretty name is given to a sort of Telegraph house, stuck up at public expense upon a high hill; for what reason this outlandish name is given to the thing, I must leave the reader to guess; but as to the thing itself; I know that it means this; a pretence for giving a good sum of public away every year..."^[6]

Transport

• The village is served by Witley railway station, although those living in the northern part of the village are closer to Milford station. Both stations are located on the Portsmouth Direct Line railway.
• The Hoppa community bus serves Witley with its "Shoppa Hoppa" and "Hospital Hoppa".

Notable people

• Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence (1338 - 1368), brother of Edward IV, was lord of the manor of Witley. Other occupants of the manor included Godwin, Earl of Wessex, father of King Harold; Peter of Savoy; and Edward I's wife, Queen Margaret, who supplied oaks from the village to make shingles for the roof of the king's hall at Westminster.
• David Lloyd George (1863 - 1945), British Prime Minister, had a house called Timbers, which he would visit whenever he needed to escape from the stress of high office.
• Terry Scott (1927 - 1994), comedian, known notably for the BBC domestic sitcom Terry and June with June Whitfield, lived in the village.
• Myles Birket Foster (1825 - 1899), artist, is buried in the churchyard.
• Whitaker Wright (1846 - 1904), mining entrepreneur, was found guilty of fraud at the Royal Courts of Justice and committed suicide shortly afterwards. He is buried in the churchyard beneath an imposing marble slab.
• George Eliot (1819 - 1880), English novelist, spent her final years in the village.
• Gertrude Mary Tuckwell (1861 - 1951), trade unionist, social reformer and author, lived the last years of her life in Little Woodlands, Combe Lane.
• James John Joicey (1871-1932) Amateur entomologist and owner of the Hill Museum.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Witley

• Photo gallery by Witley Parish Council

v d e Towns, villages and hamlets in the Waverley District of Surrey, England Alfold · Alford Crossways · Badshot Lea · Blackheath · Bowlhead Green · Bramley · Brook · Busbridge · Chiddingfold · Churt · Compton · Cranleigh · Dippenhall · Dockenfield · Dunsfold · Eashing · Elstead · Enton · Ewhurst · Farncombe · Farnham · Frensham · Godalming · Grayswood · Hale · Hambledon · Hascombe · Haslemere · Heath End · Hindhead · Hurtmore · Hydestile · Lower Bourne · Loxhill · Milford · Norney · North Munstead · Peper Harow · Puttenham · Ramsnest Common · Rowledge · Rowly · Runwick · Shackleford · Shamley Green · Shottermill · Thorncombe Street · Thursley · Tilford · Tuesley · Wheelerstreet · Witley · Wonersh · Wormley · Wrecclesham