Where Is This? No.198

Published on: 24 Feb, 2016
Updated on: 24 Feb, 2016

By David Rose

Friary Street and the bear pub was correctly identified by many readers as last week’s mystery vintage picture, while the piece of public art in the quirky photo can be seen in Woodbridge Meadows, between the river and Walnut Tree Close.

Well done to all who replied and to those who gave a lot of extra details on former shops and businesses who once traded in Friary Street.

Mike Williams was one of those and he mentioned the traffic hold-up even then at that end of the town, as vehicles tried to make their way through the centre of Guildford before the gyratory system was created. Nothing new and nothing changes then!

Click here to see last week’s post and all the replies at the foot of it.

Do you recognise this village scene? Click on image to enlarge in a new window.

This week’s mystery pictures goes back a few years – to about 1910 I’d suggest. It shows a part of a village to the south of Guildford. The clue is in the name of the garage as it was still in business until comparatively recent times. Click on the picture to enlarge in a new window.

As I explained last week, quirky pictures are getting harder to find at present. But I did snap this pub sign when out photographing buildings for a new book I have been commissioned to write titled Guildford Pubs. I will be assembling it in a few months’ time and it will be published in the autumn.

Which White Hart is this? Click on image to open in a new window.

So which White Hart is this one? The clue is that it had a short-lived name change a few years ago that got the locals very angry.

If you know the answers please leave a reply in the box below. Replies will be published at about the same time next week with two more mystery pictures for you to ponder.

Responses to Where Is This? No.198

John Schluter Reply

February 24, 2016 at 11:45 pm

I think the pic is Shalford. Is the White Hart Wood Street Village?
John Lomas Reply

February 25, 2016 at 9:33 am

I believe the old photo is on Kings Road, Shalford.

The two tile-hung buildings now the Snooty Fox and Warn’s is where the David Shepherd shop is. or possibly just the gap between the two sites.

What is confusing is the apparent grave stone beyond the fence/hedge and possible war memorial, both visible between the buildings and the telegraph pole.

The White Hart is in Pirbright.
Andrew Backhurst Reply

February 25, 2016 at 11:16 am

All is remarkably similar at the shops in Shalford other than the traffic is missing!
Peter Phillips Reply

February 25, 2016 at 6:58 pm

Opposite Shalford green and White Hart, Pirbright.
Dave Middleton Reply

February 26, 2016 at 12:45 pm

The street scene is King’s Road at Shalford. Warn’s Garage is long demolished and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation has its office and gallery shop on the site now.

The White Hart is the one at Pirbright, featured very briefly in the 1960 film Two Way Stretch starring Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins, Lionel Jeffries, Irene Handl and the absolutely lovely Liz Frazer.

The nearby railway bridge at the top of Dawnay Hill and Gole Road, also featured as the location where the security van was winched up onto the railway in a net.

Many of the military vehicles in the films convoy were “borrowed” from the then Guards Depot at Pirbright Camp and driven, I believe, by serving soldiers based there.

I won’t say any more or I’ll spoil the plot for those who haven’t seen the film yet!
Mary Redgwell Reply

February 26, 2016 at 4:32 pm

I think this is Shamley Green. There was a place repairing lawnmowers.

The White Hart pub looks like the one at Witley.
Jamie Bullen Reply

February 26, 2016 at 9:29 pm

This is the Snooty Fox in Kings Road, Shalford.

The White Hart is in Pirbright, temporarily the Moorhen.
Mary Bedforth Reply

February 27, 2016 at 1:54 pm

1. Shalford

2. White Hart, The Green, Pirbright. New owners attempted to change the name to the Moorhen.
George Trask Reply

February 27, 2016 at 4:44 pm

I am pretty sure that that the photo showing Warns cycle shop is Shalford.

I think that at that time they were based on the road towards Wonersh, but later moved to a site a bit further down the Bramley Road.
Colin Reardon Reply

February 28, 2016 at 12:32 pm

The village looks like Shalford.

The White Hart is the one in Pirbright that was ridiculously called the Moorhen for a short time.

I used to live behind the Cricketers in Pirbright for a few years.
Brian Holt Reply

February 28, 2016 at 6:13 pm

King’s Road, Shalford.

The shop to the left was once Mills the grocers, now a party shop selling balloons, banners, etc.

The White Hart pub, Guildford Road, Pirbright, dates back to 17th century.

The owners wanted to change the name to the Moorhen, but there was strong objections from both the parish council and villagers.

I pass it regularly and have not seen any other name, and it is known as White Hart Corner.
Bill and Doug Staniforth Reply

March 2, 2016 at 9:48 am

Picture 1 is the village green at Shalford with Warnes garage shown.

This is now the chemist shop.

There is no reference to their speedboat activities on the shop name board only motors and cycles. We are sure the man outside the garage is a Mr M Giles

Picture 2 is the White Hart in Wood Street.
Margaret Cole Reply

March 2, 2016 at 1:06 pm

The first picture shows Warns Garage at Shalford facing the green, which is now David Shepherd Gallery.

You can still see the water fountain and horse trough opposite the station turning.

The White Hart is in Pirbright, on the corner of the green. A good pub grub location.
Chris Townsend Reply

March 2, 2016 at 7:43 pm

Warn’s Garage, founded in 1908, was at Kings Road, Shalford, until new shops were built there not long ago.

The house to the left is now a shop, but the shops further along look much the same today.

To the right of the telegraph pole is the Jubilee Fountain.

See http://shalfordvillage.co.uk/shalford-history/shalfords-jubilee-fountain-elegant-as-well-as-useful

Here is another view of Warn’s from across the common: http://www.francisfrith.com/shalford/shalford-the-common-c1955_s101006

That White Hart is at Wood Street.
Karen Evans Reply

December 30, 2020 at 7:17 pm

Warns Garage was owned and run by my great grandfather. He lived in Peasmarsh and owned two houses in James Road. My mum was the lucky granddaughter, as she got to travel in a car which was very rare in the 40s.