Wonersh

Wonersh is a village and civil parish in the Waverley district of Surrey, England and Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Wonersh contains three Conservation Areas and spans an area three to six miles SSE of Guildford. In the outer London commuter belt, the village is southwest of London. Wonersh's economy is predominantly a service sector economy. Three architecturally-listed churches are within its boundaries as are a number of notable homes such as Frank Cook's 1905 hilltop mansion, which is a hotel, business and wedding venue.HistoryEtymologyState records show the name as Wonherche, ; Ognersh and Ignersh, . The form Woghenersh, in a Charter roll of 1305, indicates the formation wogan ersce, 'at the crooked field'.Pre Roman settlementFinds have been found in the hamlet and forest of Blackheath of mesolithic (Stone Age) flint implements and near Chinthurst Hill.Dark and Middle AgesBased on foundations and core of the church, a settlement has existed in Wonersh village centre since Anglo-Saxon times.An ilex (holly) tree stood in the garden of Green Place and estimates of its age ranged up to 1200 years. This certainly appears to support the existent of an ancient settlement in the area, as the ilex is not an indigenous species.