Cranleigh is a large village in the borough of Waverley, in the south of Surrey, England, often described as one of the biggest villages in the country rather than a town. It sits in a patchwork of rolling countryside and small wooded commons not far from Guildford, and its modern shape was set in the 19th century when the name was altered from Cranley to avoid postal confusion; the village also lost its local railway in the 1960s, a change that shifted its links more towards road and nearby rail hubs for commuters to London.
Locally the economy has roots in market gardening and nurseries but today mixes independent shops, small businesses and schools - notably a well‑known independent school - with a busy community life of sports clubs, societies and annual events such as agricultural and village shows. The surrounding countryside, bordering the wider Surrey Hills landscape, makes it popular for walkers and families seeking village amenities within easy reach of larger towns.