A Tudor Freehouse in the Surrey Hills
The Withies Inn takes its name from the willow trees, “withies” in old English, that once lined the lane leading to this 16th-century freehouse in the village of Compton, between Guildford and Godalming. The building has been sympathetically modernised over the years to house a first-class restaurant and seven luxury en-suite bedrooms, but it retains the low ceilings, timber beams, and intimate scale of its Tudor origins.
As a freehouse, The Withies is independent and not tied to any brewery or pub group, giving it the freedom to source whatever it likes for the bar and kitchen. That independence shows in a menu and wine list that feel personal rather than formulaic.
The Restaurant and Garden
The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily, with a menu that changes through the seasons. Sunday roasts are a weekly fixture, and afternoon tea is served in the garden when the weather allows. Group bookings are well catered for, with options ranging from set menus to finger buffets and dedicated afternoon tea packages. The garden itself is something of a local secret, described by regulars as a “fairytale garden,” and it provides a sheltered, atmospheric setting for warm-weather dining.
The Rooms
The luxury en-suite bedrooms are arranged across the building, including suites and doubles. Each room looks out over the garden and is furnished to a high standard with quality linens and modern bathrooms. Breakfast is included for overnight guests. The combination of characterful accommodation, good food, and a quiet village setting makes The Withies a natural base for exploring the western Surrey Hills.
Compton and Surrounds
Compton is one of those Surrey villages that repays a closer look. The Church of St Nicholas, parts of which date to the late Saxon period, contains a rare double-level sanctuary, one of only a handful in England. A short walk from the village brings you to Watts Gallery: Artists’ Village, a gallery and chapel complex built by the Victorian painter and sculptor G.F. Watts and his wife Mary, which includes the gallery, the Arts and Crafts-style Watts Chapel, and a tea shop set in beautifully maintained grounds.
The Hog’s Back, the dramatic chalk ridge carrying the A31 between Guildford and Farnham, runs along the northern edge of the parish, offering far-reaching views across the Weald. The North Downs Way national trail passes close by, and Loseley Park, the Elizabethan manor house famous for its ice cream, sits just to the north-east. Guildford town centre is a ten-minute drive, with its castle, cobbled High Street, cathedral, and mainline station providing a direct service to London Waterloo in around 35 minutes.
