St Martha, Surrey Explained

Country:England
Type:Civil parish
Official Name:St Martha's
Map Type:Surrey
Label Position:top
Coordinates:51.22°N -0.538°W
Civil Parish:St Martha's
Population:677
Population Ref:(Civil Parish)[1]
Area Total Km2:3.44
Os Grid Reference:TQ0248
Static Image Name:Chillworth village, Surrey.jpg
Static Image Caption:Chilworth village viewed from St Martha's hill
Shire District:Guildford
Shire County:Surrey
Region:South East England
Post Town:Guildford
Postcode District:GU4
Postcode Area:GU
Dial Code:01483

St Martha is a hillside, largely wooded, small civil parish in the Guildford borough of Surrey towards the narrower part of the west half of the North Downs. It includes three homes north of St Martha's Hill, a southern knoll of the range of hills but almost all its population is south of this, in much of the village of Chilworth which is divided between St Martha's and Shalford parishes. Chilworth gunpowder works mark the southern border of the entity, and are a well-preserved, publicly accessible area of riverside former industry.

Local government

The chairman of the parish council is David Bunting.[2]

History

Of national importance in the heavily wooded valley floor where the Tillingbourne runs, is the former Gunpowder Works, a large Scheduled Ancient Monument, formed of scattered industrial remains. This was a major production centre, particularly in the Stuart period of gunpowder, first for the East India Company and later for the army and navy.

Amenities

See main article: Chilworth, Surrey and St. Martha's Hill. The principal amenities are those of Chilworth, half of which is in St Martha's. The 12th century church restored to its Norman state by Henry Woodyer is on a knoll above this - it remains as since the Middle Ages a spiritual sanctuary.

Geography

The panorama above is viewed from St Martha's Hill over all of the south of the parish and beyond, it has a dense patch of woodland which obscure some of its homes however St Martha's ceases before the background rise, which is that of the start of the Greensand Ridge. The view and landscape resemble neighbouring Newlands Corner on the Downs.

The north of the parish is more heavily wooded and has three homes on a lane leading from Guildford, White Lane, the name reflecting the chalkiness of the road.

Demography and housing

In 2001 it had a population of 667.[3]

+ 2011 Census Homes
Output area Detached Semi-detachedTerracedFlats and apartmentsCaravans/temporary/mobile homesshared between households
(Civil Parish)199 51 21 21 1 0
The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%.
+ 2011 Census Key Statistics
Output area Population Households % Owned outright % Owned with a loanhectares
(Civil Parish)677293 57.7% 28.3%344
The proportion of households in the civil parish who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The remaining % is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible % of households living rent-free).

Notes and References

  1. http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density
  2. http://www.guildford.gov.uk/guildfordweb/applications/councillors/parishes.asp Guildford Borough
  3. http://www.guildford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/5DD5404A-4491-4122-86CF-2006935E9AB8/0/POPULATION.pdf Guildford census data