Gunpowder on the Tillingbourne
Chilworth's gunpowder mills trace back to 1625, when the East India Company set up works on the river here, using barges to bring raw materials in and take finished barrels away long before any road network existed.
From working mills to ancient monument
Production carried on at Chilworth into the modern era before the site finally closed, and the scattered remains of more than a hundred buildings are now protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Split between two parishes
The village itself is divided between the civil parishes of St Martha's and Shalford, both of which fall under Guildford Borough Council rather than Waverley.
Frequently asked questions
What were the Chilworth gunpowder mills?+
A set of works on the River Tillingbourne dating back to 1625, once used by the East India Company, now preserved as a Scheduled Ancient Monument after production ended.
Which council covers Chilworth?+
Guildford Borough Council, since the village sits within the St Martha's and Shalford parishes rather than Waverley.
Nearby areas
Services
Useful local links
- Waverley Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Godalming and most of the surrounding villages.
- Guildford Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Guildford and the villages to its west and south, a different borough from Waverley.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.
- Planning Portal – Outbuildings — National guidance on permitted development rules for garden buildings and outbuildings, including height and coverage limits.