WOKING'S HISTORY DISTRICT BY DISTRICT
Heathside, Mount Hermon and Hook Heath
As the name suggests, ‘Heathside’ was historically on the side of the heath - and as a tithing of Woking included all of the area to the north of the Hoe Stream and east of White Rose Lane. There were a number of old farms and cottages in the area, some of which have survived, such as the Old Cottage and Ramwick Cottage in Park Road and the 16th century White Rose Farm and Barn in White Rose Lane.
Other old farms have been lost, such as Oldfield Farm (opposite the White Rose Lane entrance to Woking Park) and Heathside Farm (where Heathfield Road joins Heathside Road). These went in the late Victorian period as the local farmers of the area realised that they could ‘cash in’ on the growth of the new town of Woking - fields of new houses were more profitable than any crop they could grow!
One such development was the Hockering Estate, which was laid out in 1904-5 by the Smallpiece family (who came from Hockering, Norfolk) and then developed by W.G. Tarrant (who acquired the property in 1911). The previous year, he had bought the ‘Roundhill Estate’ from the Dowager Countess of Lovelace. On the two adjoining areas he marked out the plots for 20 properties (19 of which still survive) - all built to Tarrant’s exacting standards and none on plots of less than half an acre in size.
The Mount Hermon Estate to the west of Guildford Road was laid out on land formerly belonging to Cross Lanes Farm - a 16th century farmhouse that still stands in Guildford Road. The western end of Mount Hermon Road was, however, once part of another property - Bedford Farm (where Wych Hill Waye is now), whilst the land to the north of Mount Hermon Road was developed in the 1890s as ‘The York Estate’ on land that belonged to Oaks Farm in Goldsworth Road.
To the east of Guildford Road the ‘Hillview Estate’ was developed in the late 1880s and early ‘90s by the Suburban Land Company, who gave part of their land to Woking Council to lay out the ‘Mount Hermon Recreation Ground’ - now known as ‘Woking Park’.
Because of its close proximity to the town and station, much of this area was designated in the 1950s and 60s as suitable for high-density housing and many of the old Victorian properties were demolished to make way for flats and houses. But in the West Hill Road area the ‘Mount Hermon Conservation Area’ has helped to preserve some of the former Victorian and Edwardian splendour.
Part of Hook Heath (at Fishers Hill) has also been designated a ‘conservation area’, helping to preserve many of the large houses that made Hook Heath one of Woking’s most expensive areas. Here the Necropolis Company took full advantage of the fine views across to the North Downs to lay out an estate of the highest standard (and value). The building of the Woking Golf Course in 1892 helped to add to the area’s desirability and, with the Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club the area still retains its sporting links!
It was perhaps the Golf Course that attracted one of Woking’s most eminent former citizens - the Hon. Gerald Balfour MP, whose brother Arthur James Balfour (the Conservative Prime Minister between 1902 and 1905) died at ‘Fishers Hill’ in 1930.
Dame Ethel Smyth, a composer and prominent suffragette (she composed the suffragette’s march) also lived on Hook Heath and apparently taught Emmeline Pankhurst to throw stones on Woking Golf Course!
The pages on The Railway, Brookwood Cemetery & The Necropolis and Famous People deal with more information about the area in relation to those subjects.
Booklets.
The Woking Community Play Association’s book ‘Changing Woking - 1900-1929’ contains a wealth of information on the Heathside, Mount Hermon and Hook Heath area.
Booklets on ‘The Coming of the Railway’, ‘Famous People from Woking’s Past’ and ‘Heritage Notes on Hook Heath and Star Hill’ are also available - please see the list of publication on the HERITAGE WALKS page.
