Church Road Woldingham Surrey
(01883) 652192

A church at the site of St Agatha's, about half a mile south of the village centre, was first mentioned in 1270 and is presumed to have been dedicated to the same saint. The existing yew tree at St Agatha's certainly dates from before 1270. It is believed that a parson's house or cottage once stood adjacent to the church.

During the Reformation, church goods included a chalice of silver, a pyx of latten, cruets of tin, two alter cloths and various vestments of fustian and silk. All that was kept were a chalice (presumably a cheaper replacement), a cope, a vestment for use as a communion cloth table, two linen cloths and some bells. The rest were sold. Sadly, by 1677, according to John Evelyn, St Agatha's had fallen into disrepair.

In 1809, Manning and Bray described it as follows: "It stands in a wood distant from any house, and consists of one room about 10 yards long and 7 yards wide".

Those are largely the dimensions of St Agatha's today, one of the smallest churches in England and the third highest in Surrey, on top of the North Downs, at some 240 metres (or 790 feet) above sea level.

The earlier church was replaced in 1832 by Mr G F Jones, owner of nearby Upper Court Manor, and restored largely to its present condition by Sir Walpole Greenwell in 1889. St Agatha's has a country churchyard set in an area of outstanding natural beauty where residents of Woldingham have been laid to rest for many centuries.

For further information on St Agatha's, click on 'About the Church' under 'Related Pages' below.

Communion services are held every Sunday at 9.00am in the Rite of 1662.


 

Croft Road Woldingham Croydon
(01883) 652192

A church in Woldingham was first mentioned in 1270; that church being then, as now, St Agatha's, about half a mile south of the village green. With the growth of the village's population in Victorian times, a new, larger, wooden church dedicated to St Paul, was built in 1905 on the site of the current village hall.

However, as Woldingham continued to grow in the 1920s and 1930s, Mr Alexander Shaw, later Lord Craigmyle, in memory of his father-in-law, the Earl of Inchcape, decided to donate a new St Paul's to the village.

The church was designed by Sir Herbert Baker in a medieval style and built of flint and stone in 1933. The lettering "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace" behind the alter is set in agates donated by the Nizam of Hyderabad. The colourful, stained-glass windows were designed by Douglas Strachan and H Hendrie.

In 2007, a new church room, in total harmony with the style of the existing building, was added to St Paul's.

For further information about St Paul's, click on 'About the Church' under 'Related Pages' below.

In recent years, St Paul's has been blessed to see a growing attendance of new worshippers, particularly amongst young families moving to the village.

All Christians, as well as non-Christians, are welcome to visit St Paul's.
 

Upper Court Road, Woldingham, CR3 7BE
(01883) 653330
woldingham.com/clubsocieties/villageclub

Very smart and friendly club which acts as the village local. A beer and music festival is held each year in the garden. Good home-cooked food is sold Friday evening (7-9.30pm) and Sunday lunchtime (12-3.30pm) plus other times by arrangemen...