Peper Harow
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Peper Harow is a tiny village in south-west Surrey close to the town of Godalming.
The whole village is privately owned and access is restricted. The name "Peper Harow" is very unusual and comes from Old English Pipers Hearg meaning, approximately "Pagan Temple".
Peper Harrow appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Pipereherge. It was held by Girard (Gerard) from Walter, son of Othere. Its domesday assets were: 3 hides. It had 3 ploughs, 1 mill worth 15s, 7 acres of meadow. It rendered £5.
In the graveyard of St. Nicholas's Church (dating to 1301) is an ancient yew tree which has been dated to at least 1,500 years old and is probably older still. It could stand on the site of the old pagan temple or it could even be the old pagan temple as trees were venerated in those times by the Saxons.
Cricket has long been played here, with evidence of rules and matches dating to 1727. During the Second World War, Peper Harow was used as a holding area for Canadian Forces[1] The park is occasionally used for point-to-point horse racing.[2]
[edit] Peper Harow House
Peper Harow House was built by Sir William Chambers in 1765.
Sir Lancelot 'Capability' Brown landscaped the park in 1762-3, and many fine trees remain from this time. Particularly notable are the Lebanon Cedar. The house was owned by the Midleton family until 1944 when it was sold to property developers. It, and the entire village, is now owned by a trust.
There is also an ancient bridge called Somerset Bridge which crosses the River Wey and connects Peper Harow with nearby Elstead.
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