film location
Hankley Common, Surrey (Skyfall Lodge site)
The Skyfall Lodge exterior was built and burned on this MoD heath in Surrey; the location is walkable, though only the ground remains.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Godalming
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Godalming
Godalming works well as a base: 5 minutes from Bramley, 17km from Leith Hill.
Godalming is in England, United Kingdom, with about 23,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Bramley, about 4 km away.
Godalming ( GOD-əl-ming) is a market town and civil parish in south-west Surrey, England, around 30 miles (49 km) south-west of central London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, at the confluence of the Rivers Wey and Ock. The civil parish covers 3.74 sq mi (9.7 km2) and includes the settlements of Farncombe,Read more
Binscombe and Aaron's Hill. Much of the area lies on the strata of the Lower Greensand Group and Bargate stone was quarried locally until the Second World War.
The earliest evidence of human activity is from the Paleolithic and land above the Wey floodplain at Charterhouse was first settled in the middle Iron Age. The modern town is believed to have its origins in the 6th or early 7th centuries and its name is thought to derive from that of a Saxon landowner. Kersey, a woollen cloth, dyed blue, was produced at Godalming for much of the Middle Ages, but the industry declined in the early modern period. In the 17th century, the town began to specialise in the production of knitted textiles and in the manufacture of hosiery in particular.
Throughout its history, Godalming has benefitted from its location on the main route from London to Portsmouth Dockyard. Local transport links were improved from the early 18th century with the opening of the turnpike road through the town in 1749 and the construction of the Godalming Navigation in 1764. Expansion of the settlement began in the mid-19th century, stimulated by the opening of the first railway station in 1849 and the relocation of Charterhouse School from London in 1872. The town has a claim to be the first place in the world to have a combined public and private electricity supply.
Several buildings in the town centre date from the 16th and 17th centuries. The distinctive Pepperpot was built in 1814 to replace the medieval market house and to house the council chamber. Among the notable former residents of the civil parish were Jack Phillips, the senior wireless operator on the RMS Titanic, and the mountaineer George Mallory. James Oglethorpe, the founder of the Colony of Georgia, was born in Godalming in 1696 and the town maintains a friendship with the U.S. state and the cities of Savannah and Augusta in particular.
Where to Stay in Godalming
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Godalming.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Godalming.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Godalming?
Within an hour or so of Godalming: Hankley Common, Surrey (Skyfall Lodge site) (9 km), Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Test Track) (10 km), Bourne Wood, Surrey (Gladiator opening battle) (11 km), Leith Hill (17 km).
Are there any good drives near Godalming?
The nearest famous roads are Goodwood Festival of Speed, Crystal Palace Circuit and Rhinefield Ornamental Drive.
Where is Godalming?
Godalming is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Bramley.
Road trip
Drive to Godalming
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Godalming. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 22,689
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 51.1858, -0.6149
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Godalming
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Test Track)
The famous airfield test track used by BBC Top Gear for its power laps and celebrity challenges.
10 km · about 20 min drive
film location
Bourne Wood, Surrey (Gladiator opening battle)
The Forestry England woodland near Farnham is where Gladiator's Germania battle was shot, and later Robin Hood, Thor and the Harry Potter finale.
11 km · about 20 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Leith Hill
The highest point in south-east England at 294 m, its 18th-century tower taking visitors just above the 1,000-foot mark.
17 km · about 20 min drive
cafe
David's Cafe at Box Hill
A popular roadside cafe at the base of the Box Hill zig-zag road, serving as the unofficial meeting point for the Surrey biker community.
21 km · about 25 min drive
racetrack
Brooklands
The world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit, opened 1907, where surviving sections of the towering concrete Members' Banking rear up out of the Surrey woodland. The museum holds racing cars and aircraft on the original site.
21 km · about 25 min drive
museum
Brooklands Museum
The birthplace of British motorsport and aviation, featuring the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit from 1907.
22 km · about 25 min drive
cafe
Rykas Cafe
Iconic biker and cyclist cafe at the foot of Box Hill in Surrey, a must-stop gathering point on one of England's most famous riding roads.
22 km · about 25 min drive
Driving roads near Godalming
- 17 kmLeith HillThe highest point in south-east England at 294 m, its 18th-century tower taking visitors just above the 1,000-foot mark.
- 22 kmBox HillA steep chalk escarpment above the Mole valley, the Zig Zag Road on its flank made famous by the 2012 Olympic road race.
- 36 kmGoodwood Festival of SpeedThe hillclimb course on the Goodwood estate driveway where Formula One cars, prewar Grand Prix machinery and rally legends run flat out past a country house each summer. The 1.16-mile course is estate road year-round.
- 46 kmCrystal Palace CircuitA parkland racing circuit in south London that ran until 1972 and still hosts occasional sprint events. Sections of the old track survive as park roads and footpaths, complete with original kerbing among the Victorian terraces.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Godalming.
Plan a trip around Godalming
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Godalming.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.