[3] Worship took place in another building within the grounds for more than a century until the mid-1970s, when the old chapel—which has been listed at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance—was returned to religious use.

[4] In terms of religion, industrial workers in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries often tended towards Nonconformism rather than Anglican or Roman Catholic worship,[5] and this was the case in Godalming: during the reign of King Charles II in the late 17th century, well over 1,000 of the 3,000 residents were Nonconformists, although there were no dedicated places of worship at that time (people gathered in conventicles).

Small groups identifying as Baptist but with no organised structure met in various places in the Godalming area from the 17th century, helped by regular visits from prominent preacher Matthew Caffyn of Horsham in Sussex.

By the second half of the 18th century, meetings regularly took place at the house of William Evershed, who lived between Godalming and Eashing.

Evershed merely leased this cottage:[10] he owned land and a house in Billingshurst near Horsham, and in 1754 he founded a General Baptist chapel there which soon became Unitarian.

(It continues in use as Billingshurst Unitarian Chapel,[11] and descendants of the Evershed family maintained a 260 year connection with it.

[12] In the late 18th century, the congregation who met at Evershed's house decided to build a permanent chapel in Godalming.

Evershed's at Eashing, Godalming, it was agreed that a more convenient Place of Public Worship may conduce much to the ease and prosperity of this chapel.

[13][15] This situation was reversed in 1975[13] or 1976[15] when the 1870 building reverted to its original role as a schoolroom and meeting room and worship again took place in the old chapel.

A site was found on Bridge Road near the town centre and "a fine new British school" was built.

[22] It is one of several current and former places of worship in Godalming with listed status: St Edmund's Roman Catholic Church,[23] the Quaker meeting house on Mill Street,[24] the former Salvation Army Hall on Mint Street (originally Congregational, and later Methodist)[25] and the later Congregational church on Bridge Street (also no longer in religious use)[26] are all Grade II-listed, and St Peter and St Paul's parish church has Grade I status.

[13][15][19] Inside, the original pews and benches have been moved to the walls to give an open worship space which takes up the rightmost two bays of the chapel.