Haslemere is in the south-west comer of Surrey, near the border with Hampshire and Sussex, in some of the most picturesque countryside in the south of England. It is in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The settlement's early history is associated with Chiddingfold and Godalming, only in 1868 did it become a separate parish. The church of St. Bartholomew was rebuilt in 1871 and in the north aisle is the memorial window to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the Victorian poet who lived near Haslemere, by Edward Bume-Jones.
Tennyson Memorial Window
Image: Richard Purkiss
By the 16th century iron foundries had replaced the earlier glass production in importance, and the nearby names of Hammer and Hammer Bottom recall this. However, iron declined in turn and Haslemere slipped back to village status. The railway was built in 1859 and by the beginning of the 20th century Haslemere was an established fashionable place to live with ready access to London.
The historic centre saw new developments and some gradual rebuilding, and there is a large element of Victorian property in the town which in its scale and materials contributes to the local character. Many buildings of greater antiquity remain and Haslemere is one of Surrey's best small historic towns.
Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection
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