Godalming

Godalming is an ancient English market town sitting on the River Wey, in Surrey, England.

Godalming has existed since Saxon times. It was a wool manufacturing and trading center in medieval times, later followed by a substantial pioneering phase in tanning, leatherworking and related industries.

Notably, the town was reportedly the first to be connected to electricity much of which was provided by the German company Siemens.

There are still light industries in the town, which also houses the UK headquarters of the World Wide Fund for Nature, formerly the World Wildlife Fund.

Get in

By train

1 Godalming train station. (updated Dec 2023)

Godalming is served by South Western Railway on the London Waterloo to Portsmouth Line. There is a relatively frequent service throughout the day. Journey time is around 45 minutes to Waterloo on the stopping service. Godalming is two stations from Guildford, where you can get an express to Waterloo in around 30 minutes.

• From Guildford – 2 stations away – you can get a direct train to Gatwick Airport in about 50 min.
• From Woking – 4 stations away – you can get a bus to Heathrow Airport (50 min), and a direct train to Southampton Airport Parkway station (50 min).

Get around

The town centre is about five minutes walk from the railway station. Although the town is not large, many of the suburbs are on surrounding hills.

There is a limited bus service around the town, with the large majority of services run by Stagecoach. Service 46 serves Charterbouse, Hurtmore, Farncombe and Binscombe. 70, 71 and 92 serve Meadrow, with 92 running to Eashing Lane, and 70 and 71 continuing through to Milford. Compass runs service 42, which serves Catteshall, Farncombe, Binscombe, Busbridge and Winkworth.

There is a taxi rank at the railway station.

See

• 1 Godalming Museum, 109a Godalming High Street. Summer: Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, winter 10AM-4PM. Local museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions. Free entry.  
• 2 Winkworth Arboretum, Hascombe Road, Godalming, GU8 4AD (3 miles south-east of town centre, on 42 bus route), ☏ +44 1483 208477, winkwortharboretum@nationaltrust.org.uk. Every day, hours vary by season. National Trust property with substantial collections of trees and shrubs, and attractive flowers in spring, set around lakes. £5.90.  
• 3 Oakhurst Cottage, Hambledon, GU8 4HF (5 miles south of Godalming), ☏ +44 1483 208936, oakhurstcottage@nationaltrust.org.uk.  

Do

• 1 Farncombe Boat House, Catteshall Road (one mile east of town centre, on 42 bus route). Hours vary by season, boat hire is not available during winter. Rowing boats are available for hire on the River Wey, narrow boats are also available by the day. Also has a café. (updated Mar 2020)
• Godalming Navigation, pleasant walk along towpath extends from the town centre up to Guildford and beyond. Parallels 70, 71 and 92 bus routes, which allow easy return journeys. The path starts by the parish church and runs through parkland, then fields and countryside.

Learn

• 1 Charterhouse School. famed private boarding school for 13 to 18 year olds. Although the site is not normally open for visitors, you may have seen it as a film location including in the BBC series Bodyguards. (updated Mar 2020)

Eat

There are various small restaurants in and around the High Street.

Drink

There is a wide range of pubs in and around the High Street.

Sleep

• 1 Heath House, Roke Ln, GU8 5PY, ☏ +44 1483 416961. Situated in a quiet lane, surrounded by beautiful countryside. 2 doubles, 1 twin. Rated 5 stars. From £60. 
• 2 Crown Inn, The Green, Chiddingfold GU8 4TX, ☏ +44 1428 682255. 15th century country inn with 8 rooms, mind your head on the old beams. B&B double £100. (updated Aug 2020)
• 3 The Merry Harriers, Hambledon Rd GU8 4DR, ☏ +44 1428 682883. 16th century country inn with rooms and llamas. B&B double £110. (updated May 2021)

Go next

Routes through Godalming

London ← Guildford ←

NE  SW

→ Haslemere → Portsmouth