The market town of Godalming is in the South West of Surrey near to Guildford.
The town has Saxon origins, the first mention as Godelmingum dates from about 900CE. By the time of the Domesday Book it was known as Godelminge. The name probably refers to the Godheim family in Old English.
The town gained a market charter in 1300 and also gained the right to hold a yearly fair. The production of woollen cloth was the major industry in the town until the 17th century. Other fabric production and leatherwork also became important to the town as did the production of paper.
On the route between London and Portsmouth, Godalming was also a popular stop off for travellers. The town was affluent enough by the 19th century for it to be larger than Guildford. In 1881 Godalming became the first town in the world to have a public electricity supply though the town had to revert back to gas lighting in 1884 until electricity returned in 1903.
The town is now an affluent commuter town, located on the London to Portsmouth railway line, the railway station opened in 1859. The parish church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul dates from the 12th century, and was built on the site of an earlier Saxon church.
