Historic Buildings/Architectural Character
The character of Dorking owes much to its traditions of building. Although parts of the town have an eclectic mix of Victorian and Edwardian buildings reflecting the growth of the town following the building of the direct rail line to London in 1867, along the main commercial streets hugely different architectural styles stand cheek by jowl. It is this mixture that makes the magic of Dorking's town centre. Rooflines rise and fall, chimneys pepper the skyline, gables, parapets and dormer windows create a complex roofscape, and the modern and the ancient sit comfortably together.
This mix of buildings is also the result of the different uses typical of a small but thriving town that for centuries has provided a range of services to it local population. The town has many historic pubs and inns that benefited from the town's function as a staging post between London and the south coast. The Bull's Head and the White Horse Hotel are two notable examples of hostelries that have provided their services since medieval times. Industrial buildings are represented by the mill buildings along the Pipp Brook that skirts the northern edge of the town centre.
Dorking in the 19th century was a sought after residents for the London gentry and many fine houses were built in or close to the town. Pippbrook, now the public library, was one such example. It was built in 1856 for William Henry Forman. The richly decorated interior provides a distraction for those who come to read in the library.
Charles Rose, writing in the 1870's, wrote about the town in terms that are still appropriate today. 'Although all along the High Street time has brought its changes, in some instances by the substitution of a new house for an old one, and in more by giving an old friend a new face, its general aspect is that of a familiar acquaintance'.
