Dorking, Surrey Family History Guide
Dorking is an Ancient Parish and a market town in the county of Surrey.
Parish church: St Martin
Parish registers begin:
- Parish registers: 1538
- Bishop’s Transcripts: 1692
Nonconformists include: Countess of Huntingdon Methodist, Free Church of England, Independent/Congregational, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Society of Friends/Quaker, and Wesleyan Methodist.
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales 1895
Dorking, a town and a parish in Surrey. The town stands. on Stane Street and the Pip Brook, near the river Mole, with stations on the L. B. & S.C.R. and S.E.R., 25 miles from London and 12 E of Guildford.
It was anciently called Darking, but Dorking is now the universal pronunciation. The most probable derivation of the word Dorking is from the Celtic Darach, an oak. It has brilliant environs, of hill and wood and mansions, around a sandy valley, and is a fine centre for tourists desiring to see the best scenery of the county.
It comprises three chief streets, wide, well-paved, and clean, and presents a pleasant, cheerful appearance. There is a spacious public hall in West Street.
The parish church of St Martin was erected in 1873, and is a. fine structure in the Decorated style. The old church, which existed till 1837, was a cruciform structure. The chancel now belongs to the new fabric, and was rebuilt some years since. The church contains epitaphs to the memory of Tucker, the author of the “Light of Nature,” and of Markland, the distinguished scholar of Milton Court. The churchyard is crossed by Stane Street, and has yielded many ancient coins.
St Paul’s Church was built in 1857, and enlarged in 1869, and is in the Early Decorated style.
There are Congregational, Baptist, and Wesleyan chapels, a Society of Friends’ meeting-house, a Roman Catholic church, a workhouse, an almshouse. and other charities.
The town has a head post office, two banks, a volunteer drill hall, a cottage hospital, and four chief inns. Markets are held on Thursdays. The chief trade is in flour, corn, lime, and poultry. The lime has high repute, and is made plenteously in the neighbourhood both from limestone and from chalk. The poultry is a peculiar well-known breed, said to be of Roman origin, either white-or speckled, and distinguished by five claws and fine flavour.
Mason, the author of “Self-Knowledge,” and Dr Kippis were Congregational ministers in the town; and Malthus, the political economist, was born at the Rookery, a seat in the vicinity.
The parish comprises 10,049 acres, of which 62 are water. Population, 10,961. The manor belonged anciently to the Crown, was given by the Conqueror to Earl Fitzwarren, and passed to the Fitzalans, the Mowbrays, and the Howards. Deepdene, Denbies, and other seats possess much interest, but are separately noticed. An ancient circular, double-ditched camp is at Anstiebury. Remains of Stane Street, 2 miles long, are toward Ockley; and many stone arrow-heads and Saxon coins have been found.
The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Winchester; net value, £541 with residence. The chapelries of Westcott and Holmwood,, and the vicarage of St Paul, are separate benefices; value of St Paul, £350 with residence, Dorman’s Land, a place near the north verge of Sussex, 3¼ miles from East Grinstead, under which it has a post, money order, and telegraph office.
Source: The Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales 1895 by Brabner, John Henry Fryden
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
DORKING, a town, a parish, a sub-district, and a district in Surrey. The town stands on Stane-street and the Pip-brook, near the river Mole, adjacent to the Reading branch of the Southeastern railway, 12 miles E of Guildford.
It was anciently, and is still popularly, called Darking; and it took that name from occupying the site of a primitive Saxon “mark” or settlement. It has brilliant environs, of hill and wood and mansions, around a sandy valley; and is a fine centre for tourists, desiring to see the best scenery of the county.
It comprises three chief streets, wide, well-paved, and clean; and presents a pleasant cheerful appearance. The town hall was old, and has disappeared.
The parish church is a tasteless edifice of 1837; and has an old tower with a new spire. The previous church was a cruciform flint structure; and the chancel of it still stands, distinct from the new church, has a large perpendicular east window, and contains the ashes of Tucker, the author of the “Light of Nature,” and Markland, the editor of Euripides. The churchyard is crossed by Stane-street; has yielded many ancient coins; and contains the ashes of Hoole, the translator of Tasso and Ariosto.
St. Paul’s church was built in 1857, and enlarged in 1869; and is in the early decorated style.
There are Independent, Quaker, and Wesleyan chapels, two national schools, a British school, a workhouse, an alms-house with £41, and other charities with £305.
The town has a head post office, a railway st. with telegraph, two banking offices, and four chief inns; and is a seat of sessions and a polling-place. Markets are held on Thursdays; and a fair on the day before Ascension-day.
The chief trade is in flour, corn, lime, and poultry. The lime has high repute; and is made plenteously, in the neighbourhood, both from limestone and from chalk. The poultry is a peculiar well-known breed, said to be of Roman origin, either white or partridge coloured, and distinguished by five claws and fine flavour.
Mason, the author of “Self-Knowledge,” was an Independent minister in the town; and Malthus, the political economist, was born at the Rookery, a seat in the vicinity. Pop. of the town, 4,061. Houses, 785.
The parish comprises 10,020 acres. Real property, £34,316. Pop., 6,997. Houses, 1,348. The property is much subdivided. The manor belonged anciently to the Crown; was given, by the Conqueror, to Earl Fitzwarren; and passed to the Fitzalans, the Mowbrays, and the Howards. Deepdene, Denbies, and other seats possess much interest, but are separately noticed. An ancient circular, double-ditched camp is at Anstiebury. Remains of Stane-street, 2 miles long, are toward Ockley; and many stone arrow-heads and Saxon coins have been found.
The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Winchester. Value, £480. Patron, the Duke of Norfolk. The chapelries of St. Paul, Westcott, and Holmwood, are separate benefices. Value of St. Paul, £250. Patron, John Labouchere, Esq.
The sub-district contains the parishes of Dorking, Effingham, and Mickleham. Acres, 16,017. Pop., 8,351. Houses, 1,600.
The district comprehends also the sub-district of Capel, containing the parishes of Capel, Abinger, Wotton, Ockley, and Newdigate. Acres, 40,006. Poor-rates in 1862, £6,647. Pop. in 1841, 10,978; in 1861, 12,445. Houses, 2,347.
Marriages in 1860, 72; births, 373, of which 16 were illegitimate; deaths, 210, of which 84 were at ages under 5 years, and 5 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 700; births, 3,338; deaths, 2,062.
The places of worship in 1851 were 11 of the Church of England, with 3,658 sittings; 4 of Independents, with 268 s.; 2 of Quakers, with 300 s.; 4 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 340 s.; and 2 undefined, with 300 s.
The schools were 16 public day schools, with 1,001 scholars; 17 private day schools, with 350 s.; and 11 Sunday schools, with 563 s.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Parish Registers
Marriage Allegations
The following people from Surrey have been recorded in the Hampshire Allegations for Marriage Licences granted by the Bishop of Winchester 1689 to 1837.
BILBEE, Francis, of Dorking, co. Surrey, waggoner, & Sarah White, of Petersfield, 1 Apl., 1711.
Eads, John, of Headley, mason, 30, w., & Mary Swain, of Dorking, co. Surrey, 21, sp., at H., 25 Sep., 1781.
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Directories
Kelly’s Directory of the Leather Trades 1880
DORKING
Market day Thursday
Boot & Shoe Makers Warehouses & Dealers
Ansell William South street
Boorer John Church street
Boorer William West street
Cole Henry High street
Curry Walter High street
Dinnage Henry Hampstead rd
Frost George Hampstead road
Herrington Charles South st
Lee Frederick Butter hill
Miller Edward East street
Penfold Charles Church street
Saddler Thomas South street
Sawyers Benjamin West cottage
Sayers James Hampstead lane
Coach & Carriage Builder
Walker Israel East street
Currier
Cole Henry High street
Fellmonger
Shepherd James 2 Mint gardens
Leather Seller
Cole Henry High street
Saddlers & Harness Makers
Edwards William South street
Smith George William High st
White Henry West street
Wickings George East street
Maps
OS Grid Reference: TQ1654349527 (all-numeric format: 516543 149527)
Administration
- County: Surrey
- Civil Registration District: Dorking
- Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Surrey
- Diocese: Winchester
- Rural Deanery: Stoke
- Poor Law Union: Dorking
- Hundred: Wotton
- Province: Canterbury