St Andrew's Church

St Andrew's Church is a late Norman/early English Church, however there are later additions. The most recent was in 1865 when the tower acquired its perpendicular top and the famous chimes. This was largely due to the efforts of J.S Utterton. 

Enter the Church via the porch on the north side and outside the entrance is the tomb of the ‘articulate peasant’ William Cobbett.  

Inside, the Church is full of local associations. There is a plaque to Augustus Toplady, who wrote the hymn ‘Rock of Ages’. He was born in West Street and baptised in 1740. 

To the left of the chancel is St George’s Chapel. Above the doorway, lies a tablet depicting Andrew Windsor, kneeling in prayer. He was the benefactor who built the almshouses in Castle Street in 1619.

The decorative oak screen at the entrance to the Chapel was carved in the late fourteenth century. The Lady Chapel, on the right of the chancel, contains several early tablets and plaques.

Towards the back of the church the ‘Vinegar Bible’ is displayed. This was presented to Farnham in 1739 by Arthur Onslow, speaker of the House of Commons from 1727 to 1761.

On the southern side of the Church there is an avenue of trees planted in 1739, which leads to the old Vicarage. Until recently this remained Church property, though it may be centuries since a vicar lived there. It is now a private dwelling. 

In the southwest corner of the Churchyard, a path leads down to Bishop’s Meadow. The few minutes’ effort to walk to the meadow will be amply rewarded. Fifteen hundred years ago the ferns in the water meadows gave Farnham its name. For more information on the church, visit St Andrew's Church website.

Farnham has a large number of churches, for a full listing visit the Places of Worship page. 

The Farnham Herald, on sale every Friday, publishes a full listing of all the churches with their service times.