Where Is This? No.110

Published on: 22 May, 2014
Updated on: 22 May, 2014

By David Rose

Shalford railway station and the collision between two goods trains on April 11, 1944, was featured in last week’s vintage photos.

One of the trains was made up of fuel tankers and the spillage led to a fire. Ray Springer commented on how the heat of the blaze caused the steel members of the bridge to buckle. Stand on the bridge today and you can still see that.

Click here to see last week’s post and the replies that give further details, including correct replies naming the site of the war memorial in the quirky photo being at Fox Corner on the A322 Bagshot Road near the junction with Berry Lane.

As well as the usual speedboat wisecrack, the Stanniforth brothers also mention Bridley Manor in their reply. Evidently, it was the owner of the manor at the end of the First World War who paid for the memorial.

Here are this week’s pair of images.

A bridge over the River Wey, but in which village can it be found?

The vintage picture is another wartime one, note the unexploded bomb sign, but the wire waste bin looks rather modern.

It is a village that has the River Wey in its upper reaches running through it – so beyond Godalming at least. There are a number of villages in that area with bridges looking somewhat similar, but can you name which one this is?

The village has a rather fine institute / pavilion designed by Luytens. The petrol station in the background may also be a clue.

I do not know anything of this bomb incident, perhaps someone has done some research.

I also have vague memories of a story about an ancient sword being found in the river here – perhaps about 40 years ago. Does anyone remember that and has some details?

Nice brickwork on which building in Guildford?

The quirky photo is one that was suggested to me by regular follower of this column, Chris Townsend. (You can add a reply if you add some details – I am sure she will!).

Once a parish hall, then in more recent times a school of something…. but now converted into flats with the lovely brickwork and decorations preserved. Near Guildford town centre, but where?

If you think you know the answers, and may be able to add some extra details, please leave a reply in the box below. The answers, along with the next pair of images, will be published about the same time next week.

Responses to Where Is This? No.110

Alan Cooper Reply

May 22, 2014 at 1:34 am

Is this the old St Nicolas Hall in Millmead Terrace, where I sat most of my Royal School of Music exams in early 1960s.
Bernard Parke Reply

May 22, 2014 at 4:18 am

1) Elstead

2) The Old St Nicolas Hall
John Lomas Reply

May 22, 2014 at 1:13 pm

This is the bridge at Tilford, looking just north of east of the pillbox (machine gun post?) visible between the bridge and the cottages. It is still there if you look on StreetView and appears to now have an agricultural use.
Frank Phillipson Reply

May 23, 2014 at 12:09 am

The UXB is next to Tilford Bridge to the east of the Barley Mow pub. It certainly isn’t wartime with the road work paraffin lamps. Checking on the police records I have the are no UXB reports for that location up to the end of 1959 when the records for UXBs stop. I would think that the photo might therefore be in the early 1960s?
By the closeness of the men to the mound of turf I would think the bomb might be an incendiary dropped by the Luftwaffe or possibly something like a hand grenade left over from the military in the area.
There appears to be no bomb(s) recorded on the bomb census map as being dropped in that location but the odd incendiary bomb might have escaped detection.
Ray Springer Reply

May 23, 2014 at 10:08 am

The bridge is at Tilford.
The building is in Millmead Terrace and was Bellairs Playhouse, the home of the Guildford School of Acting (GSA) It has been St Nicolas Parish Hall and a working men’s club which are visible writing on the decorative brickwork on this marvellous building. It has now been converted into luxury flats.
The GSA is now in its specially designed rather bland building on the the University of Surrey campus.
John Lomas Reply

May 23, 2014 at 11:58 am

St Nicholas parish hall became the location for the Guildford School of Acting
Brian Holt Reply

May 26, 2014 at 4:51 pm

The Bridge is in Elstead, the only one with a garage at the end of it.

In the 14th century, the now scheduled ancient monument bridge was built over the River Wey. Today this old bridge, strengthened by Surrey County Council in 1993, takes westward traffic, eastward traffic takes the new bridge alongside.

Elstead Mill, now a pub and restaurant, was occupied by Oliver Cromwell’s “roundhead” army during the English Civil War but subsequently burnt down.

The present structure is therefore supported by its architecture listed as dating to the 17th century. It was rebuilt after the fire, and was a paper mill and later a woollen mill and this is recalled in the names of The Woolpack and Golden Fleece public houses.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Elstead was known for the quality and quantity of carrots grown there, with daily shipments by train from nearby Milford station up to London’s Covent Garden Market during the growing season. This is attributed to the light sandy soils in the village which are excellent for carrot growing.

The second photo is the former St Nicolas’ Parish Hall in Buryfields, built in 1885, and has served the town well in many ways.

It was once a favourite venue for local dances. Its link with local theatre goes back to 1932 when
Claud Powell and Dorothy Owen formed the Guildford Repertory Company at the hall. Where a young Michael Redgrave took part in productions.
Chris Townsend Reply

May 27, 2014 at 4:16 pm

The vintage picture is of the medieval packhorse bridge, by the village green at Tilford, one of two such bridges there over the River Wey, and scheduled Ancient Monuments.

The quirky photo is of the former St. Nicolas Parish Hall on Millmead Terrace. It was home to both Guildford Repertory Theatre (1934 – 1941) and for many years the County School of Music. From about 1930 a Miss F.M. Macreight ran Quarry House School there. Latterly the hall was occupied by Guildford School of Acting when it was known as the Bellairs Playhouse.
Peter Holt Reply

May 27, 2014 at 5:26 pm

Update to my last reply. The bridge is in Tilford. The village shop and garage can be seen in the background.

I have not lived in Guildford for over 38 years so my memorey is a bit rusty.
Doug and Bill Stanniforth Reply

May 28, 2014 at 10:59 am

The first picture is the delightful village of Tilford. As kids we used to play in the river and get our ice creams at the garage.
The sign is about a UXB probably left by a German E boat.

No idea about the parish hall but its probablly somewhere in Guildford.
Carol Norris Reply

May 28, 2014 at 6:05 pm

Picture 2 : Bellairs Apartments, Millmead Terrace.
Formerley : Guildford School of Acting; Bellairs Studio of Dance and Drama; County School of Music; St Nicolas Church Hall. Earlier still, I believe the Hall was used for amateur theatre and Michael Redgrave once performed there – no doubt someone will confirm whether or not this is correct.