The town of Godalming lies between London and Portsmouth and is situated among some of the finest countryside in southern England. Its narrow attractive streets, lined with many ancient and historic buildings, lie above the meadows of the River Wey.

Shopping
Godalming has a good selection of shops. However, for the more serious shoppers amongst you we recommend a visit to Guildford which is only six miles away.

Attractions
Godalming is fortunate in having a wealth of historic buildings, many of which are to be found in the High Street. This is a protected area which is pedestrianised on Saturdays and well worth a visit for sightseeing and shopping at any time of the year. There are also many other sites to visit in the local area.

• Godalming Town Walk
• Hogs Back Brewery
• Winkworth Arboretum
• RHS Wisley Gardens
• Clandon House
• Denbies Vineyard
• Loseley Park

A brief history of Godalming

• The Saxon settlement of Godalming derived its name from “the family or clan of Godhelm”. Twelve hundred years later, the inhabitants of the town are still called “Godhelmians”.
• From medieval times Godalming developed as a centre for the manufacture of woollen cloth.
• Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, lodged at the Kings Arms Inn in 1698. According to records of the feast, he and his entourage had rather a lot to eat and drink.
• Godalming adapted itself quickly into an important staging post, which put the town on a direct Capital to Coast route.
• The growing prosperity of the place was showboated in 1881 when Godalming became a town of tomorrow, rigging up the world's first public electricity supply.
• General James Oglethorpe, who lived in Godalming, founded the colony of Georgia in the USA in 1732 with 120 settlers, including many ex-convicts.
• "Jack" Phillips, wireless operator on the ill-fated Titanic, who died at his post aboard the ship on the night she sank, was also born locally.