Gomshall

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gomshall






Statistics
Population:
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	[1]
Administration
District:	Shere
Shire county:	Surrey
Region:	South East England
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Surrey
Historic county:	Surrey
Services
Police force:	Surrey Police
Fire and rescue:	{{{Fire}}}
Ambulance:	South East Coast
Post office and telephone
Post town:	Guildford
Postal district:	GU5
Dialling code:	01483
Politics
UK Parliament:	Mole Valley
European Parliament:	South East England

The village of Gomshall is bissected by the A25 running west to Guildford and east to Dorking. Neighbouring villages include Shere, Albury, Abinger Hammer and Sutton Abinger. The North Downs Way is just north of the village.

Gomshall is part of Shere parish council.^[1]

The River Tillingbourne runs through Gomshall and there is Gomshall railway station.

Gomshall is within the much larger Tillingbourne ward and the total population of that is 5,216.^[2]

[edit] History

The Manor of Gumesele was a saxon feudal landholding which originally included the present day Gomshall.^[3] In Norman times, Gumesele was a manor held by King Harold. In 1154, Henry II divided the Manor of Gumesele into three: West Gomshall, East Gomshall and Somersbury. In 1240, West Gomshall was granted to the Cistercian Abbey of Netley in Hampshire and became known as Gomshall Netley. East Gomshall was granted to the Abbey of St Mary Graces, Tower Hill, London in 1376 and became known as Gomshall Towerhill.

For the 1380 Poll Tax, Gomshall had 267 names registered. The occupations written beside the names show land-holders and the usual country crafts but also a high proportion of skills relating to the wool trade; there were spinners and weavers, fullers and pelterers and many tailors. At this time one of the Gomshall manors was held by the Abbey of Netley near Southampton.^[4] The Gomshall manors also came to the Brays after the dissolution of the monateries in the 16th century and there has been Bray ownership until this day.