Godalming was an ancient hundred in the south west of the county of Surrey, England. It corresponds to the central third of the current borough of Waverley and some parts of the current borough of Guildford.
History
File:SurreyHundreds.gifGodalming is in the south west of the hundreds of Surrey
It was formed as a hundred in Surrey sometime after 825 when Wessex annexed the "south eastern provinces" of Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Essex.
Etymology
It takes it name from the Old EnglishGodhelm Ingas meaning "the clan of Godhelm". It is supposed that Godhelm was a Saxon chieftain who first colonised this dry land, bordered by swamps and a steep valley, as he and his folk moved up the valley of the River Wey. Archæological evidence suggests the Iron Agehill fort at Hascombe had been refortified by the Romano-Britons at the end of the Roman period and this would have been the main obstacle for Godhelm and his Saxons to overcome. They would have fought the native Britons who would fight, and enslaved those that could neither fight nor run, conquering the area sometime around the end of the 6th century. Initially Godhelm Ingas would have had a quite an independent existence but the local Lord would have soon sworn fealty to a neighbouring king, be it South Saxons, East Saxons, Kentish or West Saxons depending on the politics of the time. It was not until 690 that the Godhelm Ingas were formally placed within the bounds of Surrey by treaty. Certainly the area would have been dominated by Sussex while Aelle was Bretwalda and later occupied by Wessex under Cædwalla.
Early history
Godalming Hundred continues to be one of the most densely wooded parts of England and during the Middle Ages was largely covered by the Forest of Essera – a northern lobe of the ancient and vast Forest of Andred. People survived through pig farming and the making of charcoal. During the reign of Alfred the Great a defensive burgh was built at nearby Eashing to defend the area against the Vikings in around 885. By 1086 the population of the entire hundred is thought to have been only about 600 people. Under the West Saxon local government model Godalming Hundred would have had a Hundred Reeve and a Hundred Court or moot. This moot is known to have met at the site of the present day Pepperpot in the centre of Godalming.
Domesday
In 1086 the Domesday Book states that Godalming was owned by the King and had been a royal demesne prior to the Norman Conquest. In particular of the Hundred the Domesday book states;
The King holds in demesne Godalming. King Edward held it. Then 24 hides. It never paid tax. Land for 30 ploughs. In demesne are 3 ploughs and 50 villans and 29 bordars with 19 ploughs. There are 2 slaves and 3 mills at 41 shillings and 8 pence and 25 acres (100,000 m2) meadow. Woodland: 100 pigs. During the reign of Edward was worth £25 and later: £20. Now: £30 at face value but it renders weighed and assayed £30.
Ranulf Flambard holds the church of this manor to which belong 3 hides. Wulfmer
held it from King Edward. It never paid tax. Land for 2 ploughs. In demesne is one
and 5 villans and 12 cottars with 2 ploughs. There are 15 acres (61,000 m2) meadow and Woodland at 3 pigs. There this same Ranulf holds another church which pays 12 shillings per annum.
These three hides during the reign of Edward and now: value £4. When received: £3.
The same Ranulf holds from the King Tuesley. It belongs to Godalming.
Leofwin held it from King Edward. Then and now one hide. Never taxable. Land for 1 plough and it is there with one villan and 6 cottars and one slave. During the reign of Edward had value 60 shillings and later and now: 40 shillings.
BishopOdo of Bayeux holds in demesne Rodsall. Tovi the Proud held it previously and he could go where he wished. Then it answered for 5 hides. Now for nothing. Land for 2 ploughs. There are 3 villans and 4 cottars with 1 plough and 2 acres (8,100 m2) of meadow. Woodland: at 4 pigs. During the reign of Edward and later and now: value 40 shillings.
Himself the bishop holds in demesne Farncombe. Ansgot held it during the reign of King Edward and he could go where he wished. Then it answered for 3 hides and a half.
Now for nothing. Land for 2 ploughs. There are 8 villans and 3 cottars with 2 ploughs and 15 acres (61,000 m2) of meadow. Woodland: 3 pigs. Value is and value was 24 shillings. A reeve of the king's named Lufa claims this manor and then men of the Hundred testify that he held it from the king when the king was in Wales and held it later until the bishop of Bayeux came to Kent. Himself the bishop transferred Rodsall and Farncombe to the farm of Bramley.
Land of Earl Roger. Tenant: Thorold. Thorold holds from the count Loseley. Osmund
held it from King Edward. Then it answered for 3 hides. Now for 2 hides. Land for 2 ploughs. In demesne is one plough and 7 villans and 1 cottar with 3 plough. There are 2 slaves and 4 acres (16,000 m2) of meadow. During the reign of Edward had value 40 shillings and later: 20 shillings.
Now: 60 shillings.
Walter son of Othere holds Compton. Brictsi held it from king Edward. Then it answered for 14 hides now for 11 hides. Land for 10 ploughs. In demesne are 3 ploughs and 21 villans and 8 cottars with 6 ploughs. There are 7 slaves and 7 acres (28,000 m2) of meadow. There is a church. During the reign of Edward had value £8 and later £6. Now: £9. Tenant: Gerard. Himself Walter and Gerard from him holds Peperharrow. Alward held it from king Edward. Then it answered for 5 hides. Now for 3 hides. Land for 3 ploughs. In demesne are 2 ploughs and one mill at 15 shillings and 7 acres (28,000 m2) of meadow. There are 4 villans and 3 cottars with 1 plough. TRE and later: value 30 shillings. Now: 100 shillings. Tenant: Tesselin Tesselin holds from Walter Hurtmore. Alwin held it from king Edward. Then it answered for 15 hides now for 3 hides. Land for 3 ploughs. In demesne are 2 ploughs and 3 villans and 2 cottars with 1 plough and a half. There is 1 mill at 11 shillings and 6 acres (24,000 m2) of meadow. During the reign of Edward had value 50 shillings. Later: 30 shillings. Now: 100 shillings.
Gilbert son of Richere de Aigle holds Witley. Then it answered for 20 hides. Now
for 12 hides. Land for 16 ploughs. In demesne are 2 ploughs and 37 villans and 3 cottars
with 13 ploughs. There is a church and 3 acres (12,000 m2) of meadow. Woodland at 30 pigs.
During the reign of Edward and later value £15. Now: £16.
Land of Edward of Salisbury. Ranulf [Flambard] holds from Edward of Salisbury Hambledon. Azor held it from king Edward. Then it answered for 5 hides. Now for 3 hides. Land for 4 ploughs. In demesne are 2 ploughs and 8 villans and one cottar with 5 ploughs. There are 13 slaves and one mill at 30 pence and 3 acres (12,000 m2) of meadow, Woodland: 30 pigs. Value is and value always was 100 shillings.
Wulfwy Hunter holds from the king Littleton. He himself held it from king Edward. Then 2 hides but it paid no tax. Now for one virgate. Land for 1 plough. It is there in demesne with one villan one cottar with one plough. There are two acres of meadow. Value is and value was 20 shillings.
Modern era
In 1300 Godalming was granted the status of a town with a Town Warden and later a Mayor. The administration was based first in the Market House [5]. This was used at one time to house French prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars. The Market House was demolished in 1814 and a new building nicknamed the Pepperpot was built in its place. When Surrey County Council was established in 1889 the old Anglo-Saxon Hundred Court system ended and the administrative centre was moved from the Pepperpot to a new site on Bridge Street in 1908. The countryside around the town which had been part of the hundred, and other parishes once part of Farnham, became Hambledon Rural District. The Borough of Godalming was reduced in status back to simply a Town Council when Waverley borough was created in 1974.
There is much to remind a resident of the past in Godalming, but one of the most apparent is the Annual Town Meeting. On this day the Mayor leads the town councillors in procession down the High Street to the site of the old Hundred Court at the Pepperpot. The councillors on this one occasion wear distinctive long grey robes – the origins of which certainly hark back to the witan meetings of old Saxon times. This is now the only vestige of the tribal gatherings of Godhelm's people at the very beginnings of the town's long history.
Pre-Christian religious centre
Silent Pool near Albury
Christianity is thought to have come late to the area sometime after 675 when Surrey's only known sub-king Frithuwold converted and founded Chertsey Abbey. This area was one of the last in southern England to convert formally to Christianity; however the area around Godalming has been described as "one of the most religiously dominated landscapes in England"[1] and is and was a deeply pagan place.[2]
On a hill just south of Godalming town there was once a religious site dedicated to the war god Tiw at Tuesley (Old EnglishTīws leah) meaning "Tiw's Clearing".[3] Close to this site can also be found a "holy well" called Lady Well.[4] Access to both these sites is restricted by order of Ladywell Convent, a nunnery which owns the surrounding land.
Another pagan site, this time dedicated to the god Thunor is at the nearby village of Thursley. Adjacent to this village is the appropriately named "Hammer Pond".[5][6] The local parish council assert that the name Thursley (Old Englishþunres leah) means the "sacred grove of Thunor." An outcrop of sandstone on a prominence on Thursley Common was believed to have been Thor’s Stone, created by a thunderbolt thrown by the god. This stone, also called the Cricklestone, now lies almost unknown since its reputation was transferred erroneously to a block of chert (alias the Pudstone) near Pudmore pond in 1896 by the popular Victorian writer Sabine Baring-Gould in his book The Broom-squire.[7]
There still remains much mystery concerning a very ancient Yew tree at Peper Harrow or Pipers Hearg meaning "Piper's Temple"[8] whereat the tree itself may have been the actual object of worship (see: Irminsul). The tree is now contained within a church yard and surrounded by graves.
An even more ancient DruidicGrove made up of many ancient Yew trees as well as Oaks is at Newland's Corner, near Merrow.[9] Next to this grove is Silent Pool - anoher ancient "holy well" believed to have been once used for ritual offerings and until relatively recently considered "bottomless".[10][11] A third "holy well" or spring now called Bonfield or Bonville Well can be found close to the hamlet of Oxenford near Peper Harrow.
The name of Hascombe village translates as Hægtesse combe meaning "valley of the hag" and this name once referred to the location of a famous witch. This village, which is only a few miles south of Godalming, nestles in picturesque valley beneath the remains of a Romano-BritishHill fort.
Other more obscure pagan "sanctuaries" in the vicinity are said to have been at Cusanweoh (possibly at Culverwell Hill adjacent to the ruins of Waverley Abbey) and Besingahearh, now lost but thought to be near Farnham.[12][13] These sites are both mentioned in a charter signed by Caedwalla dating to 688 in which they were awarded to the church.[14]
After the Hundred converted to Christianity most of those shrines were eventually sanctified as chapels or donated to Holy Orders to supervise them. A convent still exists close to the old worship site at Tuesley where the former 'sacred spring' was appropriately renamed "Lady Well" in reference to the Virgin Mary.[15] The rough ground adjacent to the convent where the ruins of the old chapel are buried is still owned by the convent. A notice here specifically forbids public gatherings on the night of December 21. In the 11th century a new parish church was built on recently drained land by the river. The oldest part of the Church of S.S. Peter & Paul – the Anglo-Saxon chapel – still survives today and in it can be seen an ancient stone (c.820AD) decorated with pagan carvings thought to have been brought down from the original 7th Century chapel at Tuesley on the hill.[16]
