A river crossing between two towns
The village grew up either side of the Wey at a point where the main road between Farnham and Godalming crosses the river, giving Elstead a settled, crossing-point character rather than that of a single-street village.
A name recorded in the twelfth century
Elstead's earliest known written record appears in the 1128 foundation charter of Waverley Abbey, where the village was set down as 'Helestede', making it one of the older documented names in this part of Surrey.
Hamlets within the parish
The civil parish also takes in Charleshill and Elstead Common, two smaller, wooded hamlets set slightly apart from the main village centre.
Council
Waverley Borough Council, which also administers Godalming, is responsible for planning matters across Elstead and its parish.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Elstead sit between Godalming and Farnham?+
Roughly midway, on the B3001, with the village built either side of the River Wey where it's crossed by the main road linking the two towns.
Which council covers Elstead?+
Elstead falls under Waverley Borough Council, the same body that handles planning across Godalming a few miles down the road.
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.