Godalming had a parking problem before World War Two, as there was no car park in the town. This was highlighted in
a letter to the local paper in 1939:
"Sir, - In going over some recent copies of your paper I notice the question of a car park has again arisen
in Godalming.
Up to within two years ago we did all our shopping in Godalming,
but by that time it was such a worrying business with the
car that we decided we could not put up with it. ... I
have always regretted the fact that there was no car park
... Godalming is a good shopping centre ... If people could
park their cars near the shops and cut out the hurry and
worry, it should prove indeed a blessing"[1].
Despite some earlier objections, Godalming Corporation authorised negotiations to purchase 15 and 15a High Street, as well as land
at the rear stretching to the Burys footpath, in late 1943. They signed the contracts in January the following year, intending to use
the area as a central car park for the town and also to build public conveniences[2].
After World War Two ended, whilst most members of the Council agreed a car park was needed, opinion was divided about it being placed in the
town centre[3]. In 1949 there were protests at a Council meeting as a letter had been received
from the Ministry of Town and Country Planning urging there should be no hasty action to demolish of part of Crown Court listed as being of
special architectural or historic interest. The Council planned to demolish two derelict cottages and remove the two shops they had bought
to provide an exit from the car park. They feared more delays[4] but the scheme finally went ahead.
It was not until 1950 that the Crown Court car park was opened on the land behind part of the High Street and it was
announced that, for an experimental period, parking was to be free[5]. At Christmas time
that year the Rotary Club's Christmas tree was erected in the car park. "It made a picturesque spectacle, seen through the arch
of the reconstructed 16th century Crown Court"[6]. Parking here was still free
in 1956 as were the public lavatories (on the far side of the archway, above), although the latter were not being treated overly
well[7].
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1956.
The message on the back of this car included the comment: "This
is a very nice carpark".
There was no entry to the car park through Crown Court,
but the road signs on the walls on
either side would have been ineffective because of the
poor visibility. |
The only entrance was via the one-way Great George Street, which was extremely narrow. The problem was first
highlighted in late 1951 when a lorry unloading beer at Messrs. Tyler's completely blocked Great George
Street[8]. The delivery man was prosecuted and fined, but the
difficulty remained. The street was not widened until buildings on the
eastern side of Great George Street, including the old county
branch library, were demolished to make way for a supermarket
development[9].
The car park's exit was directly into the High Street, passing
under the archway and between the 16th century cloth workers'
cottages shown here. On the back cover of the book "Memories ..."
are two good photographs, one of the buildings there before
Waitrose was built and a second showing a rare
photo of a High Street shop with the sign "New Car
Park | Building Works | Deekes and Steere" in one of
its windows[9].
That shop was demolished, as were parts of the buildings
behind it, to create the Crown Court of today. The "Crown"
had been the name of an eighteenth century inn that had closed
by 1795, according to research by John Janaway[10].
 |
Also 1956.
Looking through Crown Court towards the High Street.
On the far side of the road was a good haberdashery,
Trimwells, who sold "dressmaking and
furnishing sundries". W. T. Cullen was next door at No.97.
Neither outlet is on the High Street today. The
estate agents, Clarke Gammon, has also gone
although the business remains elsewhere in Surrey. |
In 1958 a Mr Herrington, who had a shoe repairing business at Grayswood, wanted to establish a branch in Great
George Street. He was turned down because it was considered to be industrial use, so he appealed against the
decision. There was an Inquiry against the Borough Council's refusal, but his appeal did not succeed[11].
By 1963 councillors discovered that one in five car owners were not paying the 6d. charge they were entrusted to
pay for using Godalming's car parks. The fee was made compulsory and motorists were to be fined for non-payment in
future[12].
Less than twenty years after the car park opened the Crown Court exit was closed because of traffic congestion
in the High Street. The road through the Burys was built along the route of an existing footpath and a new car park
entrance/exit was made at the same time, making access far easier[13].
Godalming was a municipal borough until 1974, after which it became part of the Borough of Waverley.
In 2022 and 2023 Waverley Borough Council sought views about re-development here, including to severely reduce
the 300 parking spaces and build 26 homes. A successful campaign by local businesses and many in the community resulted
in the plan being abandoned.
 The
Surrey History Centre has a picture of the former Crown Court building.
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