Leatherhead
From Open Encyclopedia
Leatherhead is a medium-sized town in Surrey, England, on the River Mole, Surrey. It is thought to be of Saxon origin.
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History
The origins of the town of Leatherhead appear to be Anglo-Saxon. Although there is no mention of the town in the Domesday Book (See Below). The early town population appears to have grown up on the east side of the River Mole.
A market serving the developing agricultural economy developed at this crossroads and in 1248 Henry III granted to Leatherhead a weekly market and annual fair. The town survived an extensive fire in 1392, when the town was largely rebuilt. In common with many similar medieval towns it had a market house and set of stocks, probably located at the junction of Bridge Street, North Street and High Street.
In the Elizabethan and Stuart periods the town was associated with several notable people. Edmund Tilney, Master of the Revels to Queen Elizabeth I lived in the Mansion house (A local Wetherspoons Pub is now named after him). Sir Thomas Bludworth of Thorncroft was Lord Mayor of London during the disastrous fire of 1666.
The Town was chosen to have a Private Shool built in the 1800's by a group of Clergymen. St Johns School was built in the latter half of the 1800's. Seeing many famous pupils, (See Below).
Once having several industries in the town, including Ronson's Lighters, and Goblin Vacuum Cleaners. Both were used as ammunitions plants in World War II. Most of the plants pulled out of the town in the late 70's early 80's. With the town moving to a more office place life style.
Located in the centre of the County of Surrey and at a junction of north-south and east-west communications, the town was a focus for passenger transport throughout its history. From the construction of the bridge over the River Mole in the early medieval period, to the days of the Swan Hotel that for 300 years provided services to horse driven coaches, to the building of the M25 motorway, travel and transport has continued to dominate the form and function of Leatherhead.
Town Centre
It has a small and 1980s pedestrianised town centre, which despite containing a brand-new supermarket and many specialist shops has recently been voted amongst the worst in the United Kingdom.
The Parish Church is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Schools include St Johns School, All Saints CofE First School, Woodville Middle School and Therfield Secondary School.
There is a local football team and it is home to a small steam train enthusiast group. The Mill Pond is popular local walking spot and close by are Headley Heath, Oxshott woods, Box Hill and Bookham Common.
The towns Leisure Centre was built in the 1960's, and was extended in the 1980's with the Mole Barn. As of 2006 plans have been drawn up by Mole Valley, District Council to build a new modern centre on the site.
It also has a theatre, once named after Dame Sybil Thorndike, which is also used as a cinema and for art exhibitions. The theatre is now owned by a religious group called the Pioneer People, and is now just called The Theatre.
Bocketts Farm off Young Street which includes rare breeds and a petting zoo.
To the West of the Town is Stane Street an old Roman Road, though most is now built over or rual footpaths. This is leading From London to Dorking and so on to Chichester.
Hawks Hill is said to be the site of an old Saxon Burial ground.
Leatherhead's Royal School for the Blind (Now SeeAbility), was once the work-place for Paul Heaton, but he was fired after encouraging residents to try cycling! Most of the School is now sold off as Private Flats.
North Leatherhead or Leatherhead Common
Is the area over the Kingston Road bridge. Its known for having Therfield Secondary School, and All Saints CofE First School, aswell as the bulk of the town's Council Housing. Bordered to the north by Leatherhead Golf Course, Ashtead Common, and M25 motorway and to the south, by the British Rail system.
There is a Social club, the North Leatherhead Community Association or NLCA. Which is based in the old All Saints School, next to the Kingston Road Playing Grounds.
There are two large stores in the area, B&Q Hardware and Tesco Supermarkets.
Local Pubs and Social Clubs
Pubs
Royal Oak, The Plough, The Penny Black, The Edmund Tilney, Dukes Head, The Running Horse, and The Bell (Fetcham's only Pub)
Clubs
NLCA or North Leatherhead Community Association, Leatherhead and District Social Club, Leatherhead Royal British Legion Club, Constitutional Club (Former Conservative Club), and Fetcham Sports and Social Club (Fetcham's only Social Club)
Local Area
The Villages of Fetcham and Ashtead are often looked at as part of Leatherhead more so for Postal reasons with Royal Mail.
5 miles north of Leatherhead is Chessington World of Adventures, one of The Tussauds Group premier UK theme parks.
In Great Bookham Polesden Lacey, a stately home situated in the south of that village. Where King George VI spent his honeymoon.
Transport
The town was once served by 2 Railway stations. One was closed when the railway system was merged at nationalisation and Leatherhead became a juction station, though not in name. The station that closed was supposed to have been joined with the line from Chessington South railway station, but due to a hundreds of years old protection order on Ashtead Common to the north or Leatherhead, these plans were dropped. though in the early 21st Century plans were drawn up for a tunnel to be built. The only line now leads to two of London's major Railway Stations to the north. Victoria Station, and Waterloo Station, and to the south, Dorking and Horsham, and south coast. The branch line leads to Guildford and from there Portsmouth.
The main London to Worthing road the A24 road (Great Britain) also runs though the town and makes up part of the towns large bypass.
In the 1980's The town was joined to the UK Motorway system when the M25 motorway was built through the town, and Leatherhead became Junction 9.
Local Taxi firms serve the town.
Famous Residents. Past and Presant.
- Michael Caine
- Marc Bolan, who went to school in Leatherhead
- Kevin Williams, the "Home Doctor".
- Ray Allen - ventriloquist best known for Lord Charles
- Francis Rossi, Front man Status Quo (band) Went to School in Leatherhead.
- Bobby G, Singer Bucks Fizz (band). Born in Epsom lived, raised, schooled, and worked in Leatherhead.
- Max Bygraves, Singer, host Family Fortunes.
- Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Opera Singer.
Towns claims to fame
Leatherhead is mentioned in the original H. G. Wells book The War of the Worlds.
Day Ten (roughly) was when Leatherhead (where the narrator sent his wife for safety) was destroyed by a Martian, killing everyone. Fortunately, his wife made it out before the attack and they were reunited after the Martian's destruction.
The Town Centre has recently been voted amongst the worst in the United Kingdom, on a BBC TV Show.
Edmund Tilney, Master of the Revels to Queen Elizabeth I, lived in the Mansion house. The Master of the Revels was in effect the offical censor of the time. All of William Shakespeare's work would have passed his eyes before going public. In the movie, Shakespeare in Love, he is portraid by the actor Simon Callow. (A local Wetherspoons Pub is now named after him).
Surrey Sound Recording Studio's. Many bands recorded here, including Rick Astley and Bros.
