Discover Farnham, Surrey

Farnham, Surrey, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lion_and_Lamb_Yard_Entrance_-_geograph.org.uk_-_746109.jpg
Author: Colin Smith


Farnham is a town in Waverley district, on the west side of Surrey, England. Located about 67 km (42 mi) to the southwest of London, Farnharm has a population of about 39,000 people (2012 estimate).

Traces of human presence in Farnham indicate that the area has been inhabited for thousands of years, going back to the Paleolithic period. Remnants of pit dwellings from this period has been discovered. There is also a prehistoric trackway, called the Harrow Way, that passes through Farnham Park, providing proof that the area has been worked.

The availability of gault clay led to the Farnham area becoming a center for pottery during the Roman period. Kilns dating to AD 100 have been discovered here. The main pottery center in the area is at Alice Holt Forest.

Farnham got its name during the Anglo-Saxon period. In its earliest incarnation, it was listed as Fearnhamme in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. After Norman Conquest, the town was listed as Ferneham in the Domesday Book of 1086. In 1138, Henry de Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror, started work on Farnham Castle. Henry de Blois was also the Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey and Bishop of Winchester. He built Farnham Castle to provide accommodation for the Bishops of Winchester, who had to travel frequently between Winchester and London, and Farnham happened to be approximately midway between the two towns. The castle became a residence of the Bishops of Winchester for over 800 years.

Castle Street, Farnham: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spring_in_Castle_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_384040.jpg
Author: Colin Smith


The Black Death in 1348 shaved a third of the town's population. By the 17th century, the area was suffering from serious economic depression, compounded by heavy taxes by King Charles I. Thus when the English Civil War erupted, Farnham threw its support to the Parliamentarians.

Farnham was again flourishing in the late 18th and 19th centuries. It has the most profitable corn market in the country after London. The town also became a center for greenware pottery, wool and textile, and for processing flour and hops. A railway line was built to connect Farnham with London in 1848. This was the start of Farnham's evolution into a commuter town.

Today Farnham remains a market town. The main streets in town are West Street, The Borough and East Street. Major retail chains of shops and bookstores are represented here including Sainsbury's, Waterstone's, WH Smith, and Boots.

Entrance to Farnham Castle: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Farnham_Castle_1.jpg
Author: SuzanneKn

Visiting Farnham

The fastest way to reach Farnham from London by road is to take the M3 motorway to Junction 4, then continue south on the A331 road. When it joins the A31 road, head west till you reach Farnham.

Places of Interest in Farnham

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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