Explore Dorking Heritage Trails

Trail Plaque Locations

St. Martin’s Church Dorking Halls

Barclays Bank Council Offices

White Horse Hotel Hamptons

The Almshouses St. Martin’s Walk local resident who was responsible for the building of The shops here represent the late 19th century large parts of fashionable London. expansion of the retail heart of the town, including At this point on the Trail you might wish to walk a the Oddfellow’s Hall build in 1894 by local architect Start few hundred metres to the Deepdene roundabout to William Shearburn. trail see one of the town’s modern wonders, a giant five- Continue along the street, past the post office. The Begin at the South door of St. Martins Church. toed ‘Dorking’ cockerel. This special breed of fowl is timber-framed building occupied by Café Rouge, the symbol of the town and was supposedly opposite the post office, probably dates back to the Take the path into the busy High Street and turn left, introduced by the Romans. 16th century. keeping an eye open for the plaque on Barclays bank erected to celebrate the second millennium. Return to the council offices a distinctive, modern, Turn into the modern shopping centre of St. Martin’s red brick building. The trail then passes Pippbrook Walk, under the projecting clock tower. A plaque on Take the pedestrian crossing to the opposite side of House, built as a private house and designed by Sir the left commemorates the visit to Dorking of Queen the road, turning left down the broad High Street. George Gilbert Scott in 1856, and into Old London Road. Elizabeth II . At the back of the centre is a path Look left above the roofs and chimneys to the North that leads into the churchyard and back to your Downs. The slopes of Denbies Vineyard, clothed with Cross with care, opposite Pippbrook Mill. This corn starting point. vines, can be seen above the roof tops and, further mill was one of several along the banks of the round, the open downland of Box Hill provides a Pippbrook stream. It fell into disuse in the 16th dramatic backdrop. You will then pass the White century but was rebuilt again in the 18th century. Horse Hotel which is over 400 years old. A narrow path beyond the Mill leads along the side of the mill pond. Continue along the High Street, turning right into Dene Street and left up Heath Hill. The road opens Turn left along a narrow bridge into Wathen Road. out onto Cotmandene. This common land provides A blue plaque on the left side of the street identifies fine views towards Box Hill and the spire of St. the birthplace of Sir Laurence Olivier, one of Martin’s. The 18th century painting of a panorama Britain’s most celebrated actors. 6 of Dorking shows ‘two-stump’ cricket being played Back into the High Street turn on Cotmandene. The painting hangs in the Long right at Hamptons . Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Past the Almshouses , follow the trail bearing left into Moores Road. The high brick walls here once enclosed the kitchen garden of Deepdene Estate, a picturesque landscape centred on Deepdene House. 5 The house was demolished in 1969 but the landscape has been restored and The Deepdene Trail created. Turn right at the petrol station. One of the many smithies in the town was situated opposite the present garage on the corner of London Road where the telephone exchange is now. Outside the Dorking Halls a bronze statue at the entrance 7 Trail to the Halls celebrates the composer Plaque Locations Ralph Vaughan Williams who lived in Dorking. Within the Halls a beautiful St. Martin’s Church bronze relief also depicts the composer. Cross Reigate Road where another Dorking Museum bronze statue can be found. This one is & Heritage Centre of Thomas Cubitt, Victorian builder and 4 United Reformed Church

Harman’s Antiques Flaxman Panel, Rose Court 1 3 Rose Hill

2 Bulls Head Start trail Robert Dyas 10 9 From the west end of St Street is one of the town’s oldest and most Martin’s Church take a route picturesque streets, which had an international 11 15 through the church gates into reputation as a quality antiques centre . Church Street. The row of neat 19th Enjoy the distinctive shop frontages of West Street 12 century cottages is dwarfed by the church before turning left onto Junction Road. This road 14 spire, one of the tallest in England. was constructed in the 19th Century to relieve traffic Turn left into North Street and you will emerge congestion in town. On the left hand side of the road 13 into the historic heart of the town at pump corner. by Rose Court is a panel from the late 18th century Turn right into West Street. Fifty metres on the by John Flaxman depicting Mercury conveying right is the entrance to the facinating Dorking Pandora to Earth . Museum and Heritage Centre . Numbers 58-61 Turn left on South Street, crossing the street near was the home of William Mullins, one of the the war memorial. South Street was widened Pilgrim Fathers. A blue plaque commemorates and the war memorial and a bandstand were him and the journey he and his family made incorporated into the scheme. By the 1930s to America on The Mayflower in 1620. however, the noise of traffic made the bandstand The Italianate Church by the local architect impractical and it was later removed. A doorway William Shearburn stands back from to the left of the memorial is the entrance to the the street . South Street caves, one of Dorking’s most popular Outside 44 West Street is another blue visitor attractions. plaque indicating the site of Dorking’s first Turn left down the hill back toward Pump Corner Methodist Chapel opened by the founder of passing Butterhill House, the entrance to Rose Hill Methodism himself, John Wesley. West and the Bulls Head Public House . The trail leads back into the High Street. Walk along the High Street to view the beautiful bow fronted- shop of Robert Dyas before heading back to cross at the pedestrian crossing and into the oasis of Kings Head Court. From there walk long the High Street and left into the churchyard to complete your trail.

breweries, a tanner’s yard and a foundry. a and yard tanner’s a breweries,

Tucked behind these main streets were the the were streets main these behind Tucked

broke their journey and dined at the Bulls Head. Head. Bulls the at dined and journey their broke

travellers between the south coast and London London and coast south the between travellers

the coaching days of the 18th century when when century 18th the of days coaching the

Saturday 10.00 -16.00. 10.00 Saturday

Passing along South Street, picture in your mind mind your in picture Street, South along Passing

from Thursday to to Thursday from

boarded up. boarded The museum is open open is museum The

to such an extent that the shops had to be be to had shops the that extent an such to

located in West Street. West in located

centuries, are still relevant today. relevant still are centuries,

played in the streets of the town disrupting them them disrupting town the of streets the in played

there is the Dorking Museum and Heritage Centre Centre Heritage and Museum Dorking the is there

or just regular visitors to Dorking over the the over Dorking to visitors regular just or

Tuesday football matches. These games were were games These matches. football Tuesday

further information on the history of the town town the of history the on information further

brought poets, musicians, writers, philosophers, philosophers, writers, musicians, poets, brought

until it was suppressed in 1902, was the Shrove Shrove the was 1902, in suppressed was it until

to the busy and vibrant town it is today. For For today. is it town vibrant and busy the to

In this special corner of England the reasons that that reasons the England of corner special this In

A tradition dating from the early 19th century, century, 19th early the from dating tradition A

how Dorking has evolved from a mediaeval village village mediaeval a from evolved has Dorking how

of fowl that took its name from the town. the from name its took that fowl of down the street. the down The Heritage Trail provides an opportunity to see see to opportunity an provides Trail Heritage The

a breed breed a , Dorking’ ‘The famously most food, for

or the Fair Day when horses were raced up and and up raced were horses when Day Fair the or

market was granted a Royal Charter. Royal a granted was market

Yet some others came because of its reputation reputation its of because came others some Yet

1830 when crowds fought with police and cavalry, cavalry, and police with fought crowds when 1830

sounds heard over 700 years ago when the town’s town’s the when ago years 700 over heard sounds

labourer riots that took place in High Street in in Street High in place took that riots labourer

town within the same distance of London’. of distance same the within town cries of the modern traders hark back to the the to back hark traders modern the of cries

with the veneer of a quiet English town: the farm farm the town: English quiet a of veneer the with

variety of pleasant rambles it offers by any other other any by offers it rambles pleasant of variety town holds a bustling Friday market. The sales sales The market. Friday bustling a holds town

Imagine also past events that now seem at odds odds at seem now that events past also Imagine

‘unmatched number and and number ‘unmatched the enjoyed others Yet drink. Although no longer in the High Street, the the Street, High the in longer no Although drink.

clinching deals in the public houses. public the in deals clinching people and visitors enjoy a wide range of food and and food of range wide a enjoy visitors and people . . breezy’ and fresh ‘air the is it others For

still line the High Street today and traders traders and today Street High the line still a fine selection of restaurants and cafés, both local local both cafés, and restaurants of selection fine a

heights and picturesque commons.’ picturesque and heights street markets with cattle tied to the railings that that railings the to tied cattle with markets street With over a dozen town centre public houses and and houses public centre town dozen a over With

‘Most beautifully surrounded with wooded wooded with surrounded beautifully ‘Most As you walk along them it is possible to imagine imagine to possible is it them along walk you As

times gone by. gone times

For some it is the landscape setting; setting; landscape the is it some For and commerce. and as important to the town’s economy as it was in in was it as economy town’s the to important as

these streets have been the centre of trade trade of centre the been have streets these selection of goods and services. Hospitality is still still is Hospitality services. and goods of selection have sung its praises with enthusiasm. with praises its sung have

town and of this Heritage Trail. For generations generations For Trail. Heritage this of and town independent retailers offering an individual individual an offering retailers independent South coast and then as a resort town, visitors visitors town, resort a as then and coast South

and West Street forming the backbone of the the of backbone the forming Street West and names the town has a large number of of number large a has town the names First as a staging post between London and the the and London between post staging a as First

and commerce. As well as many High Street Street High many as well As commerce. and Street South Street, High of streets principal a winning combination for many generations. generations. many for combination winning a

Dorking today is still the focus of local business business local of focus the still is today Dorking the shows Dorking of map the at glance A

attractive town and good local food has been has food local good and town attractive

The Town Today Town The Town Market A Dorking’s reputation for fine scenery, an an scenery, fine for reputation Dorking’s

Dorking.

attracted to the qualities of of qualities the to attracted

of generations of earlier visitors visitors earlier of generations of

footsteps the in following are

today trails the taking Those

Dorking ...a town with traditions with town ...a Explore

Explore Explore Heritage Dorking find out more... Dorking Trails

A Remarkable Town Dorking lies at the heart of the Surrey Hills, a visitdorking.com nationally important landscape. Dorking’s official website, packed with To the north, visible down many of the town information on Dorking and its surrounding centre streets, are the chalk hills of the North villages and countryside. Downs. To the south, the Greensand Hills visitleatherhead.com provided a prestigious location for the Victorian The official website for Dorking’s sister town to and Edwardian expansion of Dorking. the north, connected by the Mole Gap Trail. This picturesque setting and the varied architecture, streets and public spaces, reflecting surreyhills.org the history of Dorking from Roman times to The official website for the Surrey Hills Area of present day, provide the raw material for the Outstanding Natural Beauty. Dorking Heritage Trail. nationaltrail.co.uk/north-downs-way A walk around Dorking is an opportunity to step This website contains information about one of back in time and explore the eventful past of this the iconic national trails that runs from Farnham historic market town. to Dover, through Dorking. visitsurrey.com The official website for Surrey Tourism. It contains information on the whole of Surrey and has accredited accommodation listings. Getting online in Dorking. You can access all of the websites at the library in St Martins Walk or there is Wifi access at the Café in Dorking Halls.

Front cover photo: © John Miller. Other photos © John Miller, © Squiggle, Two easy to walk trails around the © Rod Shaw, MVDC, and © Simon Matthews, illustration by David Wright. Produced by MVDC ©2015. Graphic Design: Squiggle. historic market town of Dorking.