Knaphill is a village with ancient roots, nestled in between the urban area of Woking to the east and Farnborough to the west. To the western border of Knaphill cuts the A322, a major road which connects Knaphill to Guildford and Hartley Wintney. The area is fairly affluent, with house prices going up to over £1 million. It has a fairly large population for a village, at over 8,300. It’s a desirable area for those willing to commute, due to the proximity of the Brookwood Rail station, on the southern border of Knaphill.

Knaphill has ancient origins and was first recorded in 1225 as ‘La Cnappe’, which most likely means ‘the top of the hill’. Evidence suggests it was at one point owned by Westminster Abbey, although sources on this are contradictory. What is clear, however, is that the area developed largely from the 1850’s as a result of the construction of the Brookwood Hospital. Designed by Charles Henry Howell, the Brookwood Hospital was the most prominent mental health hospital for the entire western portion of Surrey. Brookwood Hospital’s history is long and storied; involving a variety of local businesses in its maintenance and upkeep. The hospital had its own dairy farm, cobbler’s workshop, a chapel, and even a grand ballroom! It was a key employer for the local area, and thus developed Knaphill in response. Many older residents of the area have deep connections to the hospital, and it remains, even after dissolution, a core part of the Knaphill identity.

However, the hospital closed in 1994. Some of the original hospital buildings were completely rennovated into residential housing, aptly named the Florence Court, after Florence Nightingale. Most of the grounds have been redeveloped into other buildings and structures servicing the local area. However, the local community has a strong attachment to the village identity, and are often resistant to new planning permissions that aim to restructure the vernacular of Knaphill. Although a large swathe of planning permissions were passed in the 2010s, and there is still room for expansion and development!