Cranleigh
Cranleigh maps (2 available)
Map of Surrey
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
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Cranleigh books (24 available)
- 8 photos on Cranleigh appear in 4 Frith books - View photos of Cranleigh
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Cranleigh and Surrey
Cranleigh memories
Read and share memories of Cranleigh and Surrey inspired by Frith photos
Mercer in Cranleigh
The low building to the right was the shop of George Mercer - Bootmaker, the building on it's right with the large chimney was the home of my Great Grandfather Henry Mercer who expanded into 2 then 3 of the cottages as his family grew ( 10 children). Henry worked on the opposite side of the common at the woodyard.
The man in foreground with the horse is probably Mr Stemp, groundsman for both Cranleigh School and Cranleigh Cricket Club. My Grandfather Albert (Jack) Mercer later took over his job and moved from the common to a tied cottage "Barnside" near Cranleigh School lower fields. The war memorial in Cranleigh includes the name E.A. Mercer, son of Henry Mercer (Edward Allan ...read more here
Contributed by Alan Mercer
Temporary school
Cranleigh (Junior) School was hit by a V1 rocket at 9 am on a Sunday morning during the Second World War. The following day we started using the Village Hall for lessons. I remember sitting cross-legged on the floor as there was insufficient seating. Had the rocket fallen 24 hours later, the death toll would have been very high indeed.
Contributed by Gerry Warrington
Surrey memories
Mercer in Cranleigh
The low building to the right was the shop of George Mercer - Bootmaker, the building on it's right with the large chimney was the home of my Great Grandfather Henry Mercer who expanded into 2 then 3 of the cottages as his family grew ( 10 children). Henry worked on the opposite side of the common at the woodyard.
The man in foreground with the horse is probably Mr Stemp, groundsman for both Cranleigh School and Cranleigh Cricket Club. My Grandfather Albert (Jack) Mercer later took over his job and moved from the common to a tied cottage "Barnside" near Cranleigh School lower fields. The war memorial in Cranleigh includes the name E.A. Mercer, son of Henry Mercer (Edward Allan ...read more here
A memory of Cranleigh contributed by Alan Mercer
Temporary school
Cranleigh (Junior) School was hit by a V1 rocket at 9 am on a Sunday morning during the Second World War. The following day we started using the Village Hall for lessons. I remember sitting cross-legged on the floor as there was insufficient seating. Had the rocket fallen 24 hours later, the death toll would have been very high indeed.
A memory of Cranleigh contributed by Gerry Warrington
Extracts From Cranleigh & Surrey books
There is some debate over the meaning of the name of Cranleigh. Is it taken from the notion that the lord of the manor once bred cranes or herons for his table? Or that cranberries once grew nearby? 'Leah' is, however, a Saxon name for a clearing in a wood. Cromwell Cottage on the right gets its name as Cromwell's men were stationed there when he was in the area in 1657.
An extract from from"Villages of Surrey Photographic Memories".
The village of Cranley originally took its name from the craneries at Baynards and Vachery to the south, but it was renamed Cranleigh in 1867 at the instigation of the Post Office because of confusion with the town of Crawley in neighbouring Sussex. The Onslow Arms, whose signboard stands at the roadside (centre), is an obeisance to the Onslow family who made their first home here. Oliver Cromwell stayed here in 1657 with Sir Richard Onslow, with some of his retainers billeted at the 15th-century Cromwell Cottage.
An extract from from"Surrey Revisited Photographic Memories".
Here we see Cranleigh’s old village hall at Rowlands Corner, with its attendant shops. It is now the British Legion building, and a new ‘village’ hall has been built in the centre of town. Cranleigh (formerly Cranley) was once a centre of the Wealden iron industry, but has grown quickly in the 20th century.
An extract from from"Surrey Photographic Memories".
The village's name was originally spelt Cranley. The volume of mail soared after the railway came in 1865, and so as not to confuse it with Crawley, the Post Office soon had the name changed to the spelling used today. Collins the butchers (left) slaughtered its own animals on the premises. The shop also sold a wide range of groceries.
An extract from from"Villages of Surrey Photographic Memories".
Village boys stand at the edge of the pond in Horseshoe Lane, which was used for washing carts - note the floating board. The buildings behind comprise Brown’s butcher’s shop and slaughter house, long since adapted to domestic uses.
An extract from from"Surrey Photographic Memories".