Cranleigh combines local history and countryside with regular market days. In the centre, the Cranleigh Heritage Trail leads to historic sites; Knowle Park lies at the heart of the village as a landscape park and nature reserve. The Downs Link follows a former railway line. When planning your stay, you can focus on history, parkland, the green route or a market day.

Park and former railway line

Knowle Park covers 60 acres and is freely open to the public. Its designation as a landscape park and nature reserve describes a natural and scenic focus in the heart of Cranleigh. A visit to the park is therefore different from visiting the historic sites in the centre: the focus here is on the landscape and protected natural environment. The Cranleigh Heritage Trail, by contrast, is a family-friendly circular walk with 15 stops covering local history.

Cranleigh provides access to the 37-mile-long Downs Link. It follows the trackbed of the former Cranleigh railway line and forms a green corridor for people and wildlife. The route therefore brings together two features: the former railway line and its function as a green corridor. Check the route details before setting out.

Local history on the Cranleigh Heritage Trail

The Cranleigh Heritage Trail is a family-friendly circular walk with 15 stops covering local history in the centre. It starts at Village Hospital Cottage at the eastern end of the High Street and runs to Stocklund Square. The cottage dates from 1446; in 1859, it became England’s first cottage hospital. Stocklund Square is located on the former approach to Cranleigh’s former railway station. The walk thus connects a building with a history as a hospital and a square whose location is linked to the former railway.

St Nicolas Church was built around 1170. The obelisk commemorates a toll road that opened through Cranleigh in the 1820s. These places add further historic points of interest to the trail: the church building and a monument to the former road. Together, they show that Cranleigh’s history can be traced through different buildings and memorials.

Market days and local produce

The Surrey Hills Artisan Market takes place in Cranleigh on the first Saturday of every month. A post dated 20 June 2023 mentions handmade and locally produced gifts, food, drinks, art and crafts; the selection may change. A farmers’ market is held every Thursday in the car park of Cranleigh Leisure Centre. The two markets differ in frequency: the Artisan Market is monthly, while the farmers’ market is weekly. Check the latest dates and what is on offer before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Sunbury-On-Thames, Dorking, Worplesdon, Ockley, Mickleham, Salfords, Ottershaw, Reigate

For the wider travel overview: Surrey.