TOWN & COUNTRY: Farnham & Frensham

From the magic of arts and crafts creativity to the elegance of beautiful Georgian architecture, the market town of Farnham is quite the picture. Visit and you’ll find a fascinating town with so much to explore. One that’s surrounded by beautiful countryside full of icon sites too

- James Knighton

Known as England’s craft town, there are many corners of Farnham that are picture perfect and the Georgian streets and stunning architecture have inspired generations.

From Farnham Pottery’s preservation of ancient skills to New Ashgate Gallery’s celebration of contemporary art and craft, there’s creativity everywhere you look in this West Surrey market town.

A former brewery with a history that goes further back than its beer making days, Farnham Maltings acts as the town’s cultural hub today, standing proudly alongside the River Wey. Purchased from the Courage brewery in the 1960s, it is a vibrant arts centre with theatre companies, a museum, exhibitions and even knitting fairs. In fact, Unravel, a three-day festival of knitting, takes place from Friday February 21 to Sunday February 23 this year. You may also want to check out the Maltings’ Monthly Market, which attracts around 200 stalls on the first Saturday of every month. It’s said to be one of the oldest and largest markets of its sort in Surrey.

In the centre of town, Farnham Castle dominates from its perch at the top of the aptly named Castle Street. A castle of two halves, the impressive keep was founded in 1138 by Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester and brother of King Stephen. It’s managed by English Heritage, is free to enter and has fantastic views over the town in one direction and Farnham Park in the other. The remaining areas of the castle are privately-owned and run as a wedding and events venue, but they still make for hugely impressive viewing,