England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Woking St Peter

The Parish

The parish of Woking lies in northwestern Surrey roughly 6 miles north of the county town of Guildford. The original settlement of the parish, today's Old Woking, sits on the A247 road which connects the modern town of Woking with the A25 road linking Guildford with Leatherhead. Woking shows a rather up-and-down history, Old Woking was a substantial settlement in Domesday times, large enough to be countable amongst the largest 20% by population, through medieval times it was a market town although its proximity to Guildford suppressed it somewhat, today Woking is Surrey's largest town with a population of 100,000+. When the railway arrived in 1838 and created a station in the middle of a common 2 miles from Old Woking nobody could predict the suburban growth this would create largely fuelled by commuting into London. The result is one which Pevsner calls Surrey's "least attractive town", one which lead Nairn to describe it as full of "mean and joyless public buildings, offices and chapels", a commuter settlement entire. Thankfully Old Woking has been only marginally impacted and retains something of its historic personality, a site for Royals and Lords to create the country retreats beside the peacefully flowing River Wey. At the time of this transcript much of the extensive parish was still common heathland with arable farming in more fertile areas and pastures alongside the Wey, some of Old Woking's market town features still remained but that status had been lost, a paper manufactory & brewery supported a few. Modern developments came in abundance, the first to arrive being the Basingstoke Canal and Wey Navigation canals, the creation of railway line to Southampton & Portsmouth from the capital, which branch in modern Woking, has already been noted. Todays' Woking has grown such as to be contiguous in a corridor 2 miles broad and extending northeastwards through Weybridge, Esher and Surbiton in an unbroken stream of modern development right to London, itself. Woking is drained northeastwards by the Wey which joins the Thames at Weybridge for its journey through the capital to the North Sea. Old Woking is sited at around 20 metres above the sea with its modern iteration some 10 metres higher, heights of around 45 metres are reached between Woking and Guildford in gentle terrain. Woking parish covered around 10,000 acres of this area of the county making it one of the most extensive in its county, by the end of this transcript period the population had already risen to around 2,500 parishioners, the volume of marriages recorded, however, indicate an average population of closer to 1,500 during this period. As already mentioned Domesday Woking was a wealthy and populated manor, held directly by King William its assets reflected that wealth, 21 ploughs, meadows and woodland plus a mill all contributed to a substantial manor.

The Church

Whilst many modern churches decorate the entirety of modern Woking, St Peter's church in Old Woking sits peacefully to the east of the A247 and almost on the banks of the Wey, it is accessed by the dead-end lane of Church Street. The church has ancient origins from the Norman 12th century period, its magnificent relic is the western doorway complete with strap work showing Saxon motifs, traces of 12th century masonry remain within the northern wall of the nave. Both the chancel and tower base are a little later and both date from the 13th century in the Early English Gothic style, the chancel shows lancet windows to both northern and southern sides confirming that dating. Whilst the basal stage of the tower is also 13th century, 15th century additions added the top-stages we see today, the 19th century head-mould over the clock, however, incurs Pevsner's ire as inappropriate. The 15th century Perpendicular work is continued in both the southern arcade and aisle whilst the early work is completed by a Tudor brickwork porch. Two phases of restoration are noted, a general refresh of 1887 whilst the second of 1892 merely added a vestry. Whilst Church Street is used by locals for parking, the church sits opposite the Church Centre with ample parking. A neat lychgate forms the northern entrance to a churchyard which is open & uncluttered with no significant obstacles for the photographer.