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Dorking Museum Archives and Library

St Martin’s Church.
A. E. Davidson

Dorking is an old town with a great amount of history which is reflected in  the Museum’s extensive and wide ranging archive of documents and photographs.

Anyone interested in local history will find that our collections shed light on the growth of Dorking and its people and cover most aspects and periods of Dorking’s history from the 18th century onwards. We also hold transcripts of parish registers, some manorial records and indexes to monumental inscriptions.

We are currently in the process of digitising some of our most popular records which will make these far more accessible for everyone.

Dorking Museum Archive

The archive holds material of many different types and formats including maps, tithe plans, architects drawings, property sales particulars, photographs, photographic slides and postcards.

If you are looking for a specific subject or document then please use the search button box to browse through the index to our catalogue. This is a temporary index while we work on developing it into a full catalogue. 

Using the Search Facility

If your search finds an item of interest, it may well be part of a larger record. This will certainly be the case if the Index Reference identified in your result contains the character “/” or ends in “ctd“. For example, if your search finds an item with an Index Reference of S650 ctd, then carry out a new search with just S650 for your search term. This will place your original result in its full context and provide additional information relating to the record.

It can be helpful to simplify your search terms. For example, the village of Westhumble may also be referred to as West Humble in some older documents. In this case, a search for Humble will locate records containing both variations.

For any enquiries, or to book an appointment to use our research room – send an email to: archives@dorkingmuseum.org.uk or fill in our online enquiry form.

If you have found any documents you’d like to look at in our online index – please cut and paste the entries into an e mail and send to archives@dorkingmuseum.org.uk.

Archive Donations

If you wish to donate an item to the Museum archives please see our guidance on donations of material by clicking this link

Museum Library

The Museum library comprises a varied collection which can be of great help with local history and family research. We have extensive sections on the history of Dorking, the surrounding villages and Surrey as a whole, plus a variety of works of memoir and biography and a very useful section of reference books which can be of great help with your research. Our collection of local directories, parish magazines and guidebooks are a vital resource and we also have a complete set of the Surrey Archaeological Collections.

Please see the full library catalogue here.

Enquiry Service

Research Charges

Research pass   : in person research including using your own camera:£10.00
Research by an archivist
Each 30 minutes£15.00
Supply of Digital Images – If large amounts of digital material are required – a price will be discussed.£2.00 per image
Supply of Paper Images
Photocopy50p for A4
75p for A3

These charges apply to our normal response time of completing orders within 28 days.

Supply:                                    

  • Collection in person – free,
  • Posted –  Royal Mail 1st Class postage charges

Reproduction Charges

Reproduction of items in scholarly, non-profit making publications
Up to 1000 print-run  £30.00 cover page£10.00 inner page
Above 1000 print-run£50.00 cover page£25.00 inner page
For-profit print-runs£90.00 cover page£40.00 inner page
Newspapers / magazines National & International publications
£100.00 cover page£60.00 inner page
Commercial posters/advertising/merchandise (per image, per use)£200.00
Websites
Educational websites (not for profit)£20.00
Commercial websites£70.00
Broadcasting (per image, per use)
Regional broadcast (1 transmission)£65.00
Single country broadcast (1 transmission)£100.00
World broadcast (1 transmission)£130.00
Five-year use/multiple transmission£250.00
Displays and Exhibitions (up to A3 size) (per image, per use)
Free entry (non-profit) exhibitions£30.00 permanent£10.00 temporary
Commercial (charged entry) exhibitions£100.00 permanent£50.00 temporary

Other Local History Societies, History Centres and Resources

Surrey History Centrehttps://www.surreycc.gov.uk/culture-and-leisure/history-centre
Surrey LiDARhttps://surreylidar.org.uk/wp_sur/wp/
Betchworth Archiveshttps://www.betchworth-pc.gov.uk/betchworth-village-archives/
Brockham Historyhttp://www.brockhamhistory.org/           
Capel History Grouphttp://www.capelvillage.co.uk/clubs-societies/history-group/
Dorking Local History Grouphttps://dlhg.org.uk/
Holmwood Historyhttps://www.holmwoodhistory.co.uk/
Leigh Historyhttps://leigh-surrey.org.uk/directory/history/
Mickleham & Westhumble History Grouphttp://www.micklehamwesthumblehistory.co.uk/community/mickleham-westhumble-local-history-group-13483/home/
Newdigate Local History Societyhttps://nlhs.org.uk/
Ockley Historyhttps://www.ockley.org.uk/history
Okewoodhill Churchhttps://friendsofokewoodchurch.org/
Walliswood Village Hallhttps://www.walliswoodvillagehall.org/local-history
Westcott History Societyhttps://www.westcotthistory.org.uk/
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