Surrey is full of churches that began in Saxon or Norman times, and Visit Surrey notes that many of its towns and villages have one. These four are open on set terms, each worth the detour, and each rewards a slow look at the fabric.
St Nicholas, Compton
On The Street in Compton, near Guildford, St Nicholas is Grade I listed and recorded in Domesday in 1086. The tower is pre-Norman, built of rough ragstone rubble. Around 1160 the nave arcades, aisles and chancel arch were added in hard chalk, and about 1180 the east end became a two-storey sanctuary.
That sanctuary is the reason to come: a rib-vaulted lower sanctuary with an upper one above. The National Churches Trust also points to a carved wooden rail, dated about 1180, which it calls the oldest wooden decorative timberwork in the country. The parish lists Norman graffiti and a small square cell thought to be an anchorite's. The blog Around British Churches describes a 12th-century knight scratched on the chancel arch.
The church is open daily, from 10am until dusk according to the parish's A Church Near You page. Toilets are outside the church. It sits a short detour from the Pilgrims' Way, so it pairs well with a walk.
St Mary's, Stoke d'Abernon
On Stoke Road, Stoke d'Abernon, near Cobham, St Mary's calls itself the oldest church in Surrey, and Surrey Live repeats the claim. The original building is dated to the 7th century. The south wall is Saxon and reuses Roman bricks, tiles and worked stone from a nearby Roman villa. The north aisle dates from about 1190, and one pillar carries a faded painted crucifix and pilgrim crosses. The square, skewed chancel was built around 1240, replacing a rounded Saxon apse.
Look for the brass of Sir John D'Abernon, who died in 1277 and is described by Weald and Downland Churches as the oldest surviving brass of its type in the country, with some blue Limoges enamel still in place. There is also a heptagonal walnut pulpit of 1620.
It is open to visitors from 2pm to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays from the start of April to the end of October, except Easter Saturday and Sunday, as the church's own site sets out. For other times, call the parish office on (01932) 866005.
St Martha's on the Hill, Chilworth
Reached from Halfpenny Lane, Chilworth, near Guildford, St Martha's stands on a hilltop at 573 feet on the North Downs Way. The Surrey Hills National Landscape says it is accessible only by foot, and the vicar's page gives limited vehicle access, so plan to walk up.
Be clear about what you will find. A 12th-century church here fell into ruin by the 18th century and was rebuilt in 1848 to 1850 by Henry Woodyer. It keeps Norman arches at the main entrance and zig-zag lancet windows on the tower, but it is heavily Victorian. The reward is the view, which on a clear day is said to take in as many as seven counties. It is Grade II listed, and appeared briefly in the 1944 film A Canterbury Tale.
Opening is on Sundays from 10am to 3pm all year, with Saturday hours that vary by season, and the hours are subject to change. The church's page has the details. The Sunday service is at 11.15am.
Old St Peter and St Paul, Albury
In Albury Park, between Albury and Shere, this flint-walled church above the River Tilling dates from Saxon and Norman times, though the nave was considerably altered from the 14th century. The estate moved parish worship to a new church built from 1839, and the old one is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.
Inside are a 15th-century St Christopher wall painting and a 13th-century door. The tower carries a shingled dome. Visit Surrey says it has appeared in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Hornblower.
The church is reached through Albury Park, a private estate, and Visit Surrey's walk says to take the left track for the Saxon church. It describes the church as open every day except Christmas Day, on a two-hour Albury and Shere circuit from Albury Heath.
Planning a day
Compton, St Martha's and Albury lie in the Guildford and Surrey Hills area, on or near the Pilgrims' Way, so they suit a day of walking and looking. Stoke d'Abernon is in the north of the county near Cobham and works as a weekend afternoon visit. Churches are free to enter, though donations are welcome, and opening can change, so check the church's own listing before setting out.
