Wonersh
Encyclopedia
Wonersh is a small Surrey
village in England
. Wonersh is about 3 miles SSE of Guildford
on the B2128 road from Guildford, Shalford
to Cranleigh
. Neighbouring villages include Bramley
, Shamley Green
and Blackheath
.
times.
Until recently an ilex (holly) tree stood in the garden of Green Place and estimates of its age ranged up to 1200 years. This certainly appears to support the existent of an ancient settlement in the area, as the ilex is not an indigenous species. Indeed the name Wonersh has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon language and loosely translated means "hamlet in the winding stubble field". Furthermore, Wonersh was mentioned in the Domesday Book
.
In 1993, the Wonersh History Society, was formed to preserve and build on a quantity of historical material and notes gathered over many years by the late Anthony Fanshaw. Much of this archive is now being transferred to the Society's computer data base and will be available.
church is called St John the Baptist and dates back to Norman
times and has a bell tower
. The parish of Wonersh is joined with Blackheath
and lies within the Guildford
diocese.
There is also an United Reformed
church which overlooks the village common. There is a college (St John's Seminary
) for the training of Roman Catholic priests. Its Latin motto is ("the hope of the harvest is in the seed").
Wonersh has a village shop and post office
which is owned by a village co-operative. There is also a small art gallery next door. There is an active scout
group in the village.
There is a pub/restaurant named the Grantley Arms. They serve bar meals and have a separate restaurant, which is often used for functions. Both the shop and the pub are situated in the centre of the village by the 'pepper pot'.
The surgery is situated in the centre of Wonersh village opposite the post office. The purpose-built right-hand part of the surgery was opened in 1972 and extended in 1982. The practice covers an area of approximately 45 miles².
and stoolball
. The sports club have built a pavilion there with a bar, meeting room and changing facilities.
Wonersh Bowling Club is situated in the heart of the village at the end of a lane behind the Memorial Hall. It has a view of the 395-foot Chinthurst Hill. The club was founded in 1925 by J.M. Courage, F.H. Cook, R.H. Haslam and F. Rogerson. The club is affiliated to both the English and Surrey Bowling Associations.
The bowling green, comprising six full sized rinks, is maintained by a team of groundsmen who are, themselves, active bowling members of the club. The pavilion has, in addition to the usual changing rooms and dining area, a kitchen and fully licenced bar. The bowling season runs from the beginning of April through to the end of September.
s. The Wonersh Players have been in existence since 1982, always performing at the Wonersh Memorial Hall, usually during the February half term holiday, with rehearsals starting the previous October. They are an easy-going, like-minded group of friends who enjoy putting on a show, but don't take it too seriously. The quality of the costumes and scenery are second to none, and the scripts are both traditional and innovative.
A social club named Wonersh Village Club, which was founded about 110 years ago. It provides a venue for playing snooker
, billiards
, darts
and all manner of card games.
There is a lively Wonersh U3A and a Gardening Club mentioned in the Parish Magazine.
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
village in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Wonersh is about 3 miles SSE of Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
on the B2128 road from Guildford, Shalford
Shalford, Surrey
Shalford is a village in Surrey, England, situated on the busy A281 Horsham road immediately south of Guildford. It has a railway station which is between Guildford and Dorking on the North Downs Line....
to Cranleigh
Cranleigh
Cranleigh is a large village, self-proclaimed the largest in England, and is situated 8 miles south east of Godalming in Surrey. It lies to the east of the A281 which links Guildford with Horsham; neighbouring villages include: Ewhurst, Alfold and Hascombe....
. Neighbouring villages include Bramley
Bramley, Surrey
Bramley is a village and civil parish about three miles south of Guildford in the Borough of Waverley in Surrey, south east England. With a population of c.3,300 most of the parish lies in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is evidence of iron age settlement in the area,...
, Shamley Green
Shamley Green
Shamley Green is a small village in the county of Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include Wonersh, Chilworth, Farncombe and Bramley. Nearby railway stations include Chilworth railway station and Farncombe railway station . Although Shalford Station is in fact closer as the route to...
and Blackheath
Blackheath, Surrey
Blackheath is a village in Surrey near Guildford, often called Blackheath Village in order to distinguish it from Blackheath in south east London.The settlement appears in the Domesday Book as Blacheatfeld...
.
History
Although little evidence has been discovered locally, it is believed that a settlement has existed in Wonersh since Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
times.
Until recently an ilex (holly) tree stood in the garden of Green Place and estimates of its age ranged up to 1200 years. This certainly appears to support the existent of an ancient settlement in the area, as the ilex is not an indigenous species. Indeed the name Wonersh has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon language and loosely translated means "hamlet in the winding stubble field". Furthermore, Wonersh was mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
.
In 1993, the Wonersh History Society, was formed to preserve and build on a quantity of historical material and notes gathered over many years by the late Anthony Fanshaw. Much of this archive is now being transferred to the Society's computer data base and will be available.
Today
The Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
church is called St John the Baptist and dates back to Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
times and has a bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. The parish of Wonersh is joined with Blackheath
Blackheath, Surrey
Blackheath is a village in Surrey near Guildford, often called Blackheath Village in order to distinguish it from Blackheath in south east London.The settlement appears in the Domesday Book as Blacheatfeld...
and lies within the Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
diocese.
There is also an United Reformed
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
church which overlooks the village common. There is a college (St John's Seminary
St. John's Seminary (Wonersh)
St. John's Seminary in Wonersh, Guildford, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, United Kingdom, is the principal seminary for the Archdiocese of Southwark, and the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton...
) for the training of Roman Catholic priests. Its Latin motto is ("the hope of the harvest is in the seed").
Wonersh has a village shop and post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
which is owned by a village co-operative. There is also a small art gallery next door. There is an active scout
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
group in the village.
There is a pub/restaurant named the Grantley Arms. They serve bar meals and have a separate restaurant, which is often used for functions. Both the shop and the pub are situated in the centre of the village by the 'pepper pot'.
The surgery is situated in the centre of Wonersh village opposite the post office. The purpose-built right-hand part of the surgery was opened in 1972 and extended in 1982. The practice covers an area of approximately 45 miles².
Sports
There is a village green where local teams play football, cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and stoolball
Stoolball
Stoolball is a sport that dates back to at least the 15th century, originating in Sussex, southern England. It may be an ancestor of cricket , baseball, and rounders...
. The sports club have built a pavilion there with a bar, meeting room and changing facilities.
Wonersh Bowling Club is situated in the heart of the village at the end of a lane behind the Memorial Hall. It has a view of the 395-foot Chinthurst Hill. The club was founded in 1925 by J.M. Courage, F.H. Cook, R.H. Haslam and F. Rogerson. The club is affiliated to both the English and Surrey Bowling Associations.
The bowling green, comprising six full sized rinks, is maintained by a team of groundsmen who are, themselves, active bowling members of the club. The pavilion has, in addition to the usual changing rooms and dining area, a kitchen and fully licenced bar. The bowling season runs from the beginning of April through to the end of September.
Societies
There is a well established amateur dramatic society called the Wonersh Players that write, produce and perform their own pantomimePantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s. The Wonersh Players have been in existence since 1982, always performing at the Wonersh Memorial Hall, usually during the February half term holiday, with rehearsals starting the previous October. They are an easy-going, like-minded group of friends who enjoy putting on a show, but don't take it too seriously. The quality of the costumes and scenery are second to none, and the scripts are both traditional and innovative.
A social club named Wonersh Village Club, which was founded about 110 years ago. It provides a venue for playing snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
, billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
, darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
and all manner of card games.
There is a lively Wonersh U3A and a Gardening Club mentioned in the Parish Magazine.
Notable people
- William Howard Seth-Smith IIIWilliam Howard Seth-Smith IIIWilliam Howard Seth Smith was a British architect. He is best known for his contributions to churches and schools in the Surrey area.-Biography:...
(1852-1928) -architect, born in the hamlet of Tangley