First in the world for electric light
A waterwheel at Westbrook Mill on the River Wey powered the generator that lit Godalming's streets in 1881, a scheme that only lasted a few years before the town reverted to gas, with electricity not returning for good until the early twentieth century. A plaque on a lamp post near the town's old Pepperpot town hall marks roughly where that first light shone.
A market town with older housing at its core
Godalming's town centre includes a good number of older buildings around the pedestrianised High Street, with Charterhouse School standing on a hill just outside the town. Housing close to the centre tends to be older and denser than the newer estates on Godalming's edges.
Same council as Cranleigh
Godalming falls within Waverley Borough Council, putting it under the same planning authority as Cranleigh itself, a few miles to the south-east.
Frequently asked questions
Is Godalming really the birthplace of public electric lighting?+
It's widely credited as the first town in the world to have its streets lit by a public electricity supply, in 1881, though the original scheme was short-lived.
Which council covers Godalming?+
Waverley Borough Council, the same authority that covers Cranleigh.
Nearby areas
Services
Useful local links
- Waverley Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Cranleigh and most of the surrounding villages, including Ewhurst, Alfold, Dunsfold, Bramley and Wonersh.
- Guildford Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Guildford, Shere, Peaslake and Chilworth, a separate borough from Waverley.
- Mole Valley District Council – Do I need Planning Permission? — The planning authority covering Ockley, Walliswood, Okewood Hill and part of Holmbury St Mary, a separate district from Waverley.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.
- Planning Portal – Outbuildings — National guidance on permitted development rules for garden buildings and outbuildings, including height and coverage limits.
- Surrey Hills National Landscape — The designated landscape covering many of the villages around Cranleigh, including Ewhurst, Peaslake, Hascombe and Shere.