Farnborough Heritage Trails

Our self-guided walking trails app helps to trace the history of Farnborough. Each trail features buildings of interest, illustrated by historic and modern images with accompanying text to add to the enjoyment of the journey. Prominent people who have shaped the town feature heavily.

The history of the town spans more than a millennium and has grown from a tiny hamlet with a population of 13 recorded in the Domesday Book to over 65,000 in the 2021 census. Despite the rapid expansion of the last 170 years, that core element is still evident today from many local family names and businesses which can be traced back through the generations.

The ‘Birthplace of Aviation’ is the general perception whenever Farnborough is mentioned but this would not have transpired if the Army had not moved the Balloon School across from Aldershot in 1905. This marked the beginning of an era of experimental flying and research that took Britain to the forefront of aviation development and ensured Farnborough’s place in history.

The Farnborough Street Trail outlines the history of the original village. Along the way there will be evidence of the early pottery industry, the arrival of the railway, the first recorded school, and a visit to the site of an infamous bare knuckle fight that lasted over 2 hours! To discover more about Farnborough’s aviation heritage, take the Aviation Trail which will show the progression from the earliest recorded flight in this country, through the development of world famous research facilities, and noting some prominent contributors on the way.