Runfold
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Runfold | |
  Runfold shown within Surrey |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| District | Waverley |
| Shire county | Surrey |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Farnham |
| Postcode district | GU10 |
| Dialling code | 01252 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | South West Surrey |
| List of places: UK • England • Surrey | |
Runfold is a village in Surrey, U.K., about 2 miles (3 kilometres) NNE of Farnham.
Runfold lies on the ancient trackway known as the Pilgrims' Way and on the former route of the A31 road, which has by-passed the village since the early 1990s. Loss of through traffic has made the village safer and quieter but has affected the village economy, with the loss of the service station, post office and "Alf's Café", a notable transport café. Two pubs remain; these are the Princess Royal which has recently expanded and now offers hotel accommodation, and the Jolly Farmer which is currently closed with its future uncertain.
The village has been seriously affected by mineral extraction, subsequent infilling of the resultant sand and gravel pits, and the heavy vehicle movements associated with that industry.
Runfold Manor is a large house in the east of the village, at the foot of the Hog's Back. Much of the contents were auctioned in 2005 when the owners decided to move away.[1] Barfield School, an independent mixed gender Primary School, is in the village; Mike Hawthorn, Britain's first Formula 1 motor racing World Champion was educated here.[2]
Runfold, along with a number of other villages in the Surrey and Sussex Weald (such as Alfold, Dunsfold, Durfold and Chiddingfold) comprise the "Fold Villages", the suffix probably relating to the clearance of forest and staking out of resultant pasture as grazing land for sheep or cattle in Saxon times.
