THE HEART OF GRAYSWOOD SINCE 1904

The “New Wheatsheaf Hotel” was opened in 1904 by the Surrey Public Trust Co. Ltd. Before this the old Wheatsheaf Inn had been across the road for at least 150 years at what is now a private house called Hawks Stoop. 

It was here Lord Tennyson is reputed to have sometimes joined the locals for a glass of ale having walked from his home in Blackdown.

Wheatsheafs were commonly used as pub signage in rural areas especially around farming communities. Pictures were used to differentiate pubs during times of high levels of illiteracy.

Grayswood appears as Grasewode in 1479 and 1518, Grasewood in 1537 and 1577, Grace Wood in 1568 and Greyes Wood in 1583. The "gray" element may derive from the Old French personal name "Gerard" and there may be an association with Gerardswoded, recorded in the 14th and 15th centuries near Witley, also in south west Surrey village of Grayswood is to the north of Haslemere town.