On the A25, halfway to Dorking, from Guildford, The Compasses Inn – not to be confused with The Compasses, Egham – is sandwiched by the road and the River Tillingbourne and is still hosting bands.
In the late 80s / early 90s it was run by Muriel & Roger Quilter. We know The Flying Tigers were at the pub in ’89 and on 15 December that year Los Dildos appeared at The Compasses Inn, followed by the Rockit Men the next night. 1989 was wrapped up by Inside Out on 30 December.
On 2 August 1990, Backlash, supported by Big Wednesday, played at the Inn followed two weeks later, on 14 August, by Three Times The Crow. The next year, Jinn House took a stop there on 26 July ’91 and we are aware that Spliff Riff appeared there in the early 90’s.
Fun fact: The inn was registered in 1829 as God Encompasses. It was reportedly so frequently mispronounced as Goat Encompasses, that this became its name. At some point the goat and the ‘En’ were dropped.
Gallery:
16 December 1989: Gig List (from unknown local rag) puts Rockit Men at The Compasses, Gomsall. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
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