Claygate
Encyclopedia
Claygate is a village in the English
county of Surrey
, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) south west of London
and within the Metropolitan Green Belt
.
It is primarily a residential area but with offices, farms and two shopping areas with a supermarket, five pubs and numerous restaurants. There are a number of schools and churches of several denominations and a wide range of social and sporting clubs and societies.
, Claygate is surrounded by woodlands and open countryside, including Claygate Common, Princes Covert, Winney Hill, Surbiton Golf Course, Telegraph Hill, Littleworth Common and Arbrook Common. Much of the intervening farmland is used for grazing ponies, but there are two active farms. The Rythe
is a small river running through Claygate, and as an important drainage channel has been implicated in issues of flooding in the village. A major flood alleviation scheme was initiated in 2002.
Many of Claygate's residents commute to the capital using the direct train service from Claygate railway station
; the journey to central London
takes 29 minutes. Claygate is also very close to the M25
and Kingston-upon-Thames. Constrained by the green belt, this has resulted in Claygate being subject to extensive in-fill and back-garden development.
Claygate is in the Parliamentary constituency of Esher and Walton
, which is seen as a relatively safe seat for the Conservative Party
. Local government is administered by Elmbridge Borough Council
and Claygate has three representative seats on the council.
. The village lies at the start of the broad belt of clay deposits around London - it was, literally, the "GATE-way" to the "CLAY". The Claygate Beds, the youngest layers of the London Clay
, take their name from Claygate. Claygate's relative isolation has been attributed to historical conditions when through roads became impassible in wet weather because of the clay.
Claygate appears in Domesday Book
as Claigate. It was held by Westminster Abbey
. Its domesday assets were: ½ hide
; 2 plough
s, 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of meadow
, woodland
worth 1 hog. It rendered £2 10s 0d.
For many centuries Claygate was a largely agricultural area, and part of the parish of Thames Ditton
. Significant commercial development began in the late nineteenth century with the coming of the railway. In 1885 a branch known as the New Guildford Line between Guildford
(the county town of Surrey) and London passed through Claygate, ensuring its rapid growth over the following years. There was significant house-building particularly during the 1930s and 1960s.
Claygate is dominated on one side by Ruxley Towers, a Victorian
edifice constructed by Lord Foley
who owned a considerable amount of land in the 19th Century. On the other side on Telegraph Hill is a semaphore station built in 1822 to transmit messages between the Admiralty
and Portsmouth
.
In about 1822 the Claygate Pearmain
apple was discovered by John Braddick, growing in a hedge at Claygate.
Claygate School was established in Elm Road in 1885. The old school was closed shortly after its centenary and the Firs, formerly just the middle school, became the new single site. The original school building has been redeveloped as a Youth Centre and the Community Centre and Capelfield surgery were built on part of the site.
The biggest employer in Claygate is the retail sector and there is a large and diverse selection of shops and restaurants, with two main centres known as "The Parade" and "The Old Village". The village has a very active Chamber of Commerce which funds the annual Christmas decorations in the parade and supports the Claygate Flower Show. The Parade is the larger shopping area, being adjacent to Claygate railway station and extending to shops in St Leonards Road and Hare Lane. Claygate has its own supermarket, a Post Office, two newsagents, four estate agents and a number of specialist shops. Many of the shops in Claygate are family-run, independent businesses with long histories. One of the oldest is likely to be "The Game Larder", which opened in the early 1960s as a butcher's shop called R.E. Grimes.
Claygate has five public houses, and one of the annual village traditions is a Boxing Day
tour of all the pubs by Morris Dancers
.
As well as the pubs, there are several restaurants in Claygate. In the "Old Village" there is a range of popular restaurants representing wide selection of international cuisine. In "The Parade" there are two fast food eateries a Chinese restaurant and a Tandoori restaurant still run by the same family since 1974, there is also a kebab shop and a fish and chip shop.
Claygate is served by the K3 Bus
to Esher, Kingston and Roehampton Vale, operated by London Transport
. Most properties have the Esher 01372 code, but properties right on the village boundary have been assigned the London telephone code.
Local newspapers covering Claygate include The Surrey Advertiser, The Surrey Comet and The Herald, and two freely distributed newspapers, The Informer and The Guardian. Claygate is in the editorial area of BBC Surrey
, although its proximity to London means most of the capital's radio stations can be heard.
There are several small farms in Claygate, the most known being Horringdon Farm, at the end of Vale road. Many of the farms are riding centres.
The Anglican church is "Holy Trinity", built in 1840, which is of architectural significance for having two spires. There is also a First Church of Christ Scientist. The Catholic community is served by the "Church of the Holy Name" in Arbrook Lane, Esher, with over 600 worshipping families.
There are a large number of local clubs, community groups and sports teams. One of the biggest annual events is the Claygate Flower Show which takes place on the Recreation Ground in late July each year.
The most popular monthly newspaper covering Claygate is 'Living Within'.
Previous celebrity residents of Claygate include Terry Jones
and Michael Aspel
. For many years Claygate has had a number of celebrities switch on its Christmas lights. These have included Cliff Richard
, Gloria Hunniford
, Tony Stamp and Roger Valentine from The Bill
and Bernie Nolan to name a few.
Ronnie Wood, Guitarist of the Rolling Stones lives at the highest point of Claygate, Ruxley Heights in Ruxley Tower. He can quite often be seen being driven around in his Bentley.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) south west of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and within the Metropolitan Green Belt
Metropolitan Green Belt
The Metropolitan Green Belt is a statutory green belt around London, England. It includes designated parts of Greater London and the surrounding counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey in the South East and East of England regions.-History:The...
.
It is primarily a residential area but with offices, farms and two shopping areas with a supermarket, five pubs and numerous restaurants. There are a number of schools and churches of several denominations and a wide range of social and sporting clubs and societies.
Character
Claygate has its own parish council. Apart from a street overlap to EsherEsher
Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the Greater London Urban Area, largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross....
, Claygate is surrounded by woodlands and open countryside, including Claygate Common, Princes Covert, Winney Hill, Surbiton Golf Course, Telegraph Hill, Littleworth Common and Arbrook Common. Much of the intervening farmland is used for grazing ponies, but there are two active farms. The Rythe
The Rythe
The Rythe is a river in the county of Surrey, England. It is a tributary of the River Thames which it joins at Thames Ditton on the reach above Teddington Lock....
is a small river running through Claygate, and as an important drainage channel has been implicated in issues of flooding in the village. A major flood alleviation scheme was initiated in 2002.
Many of Claygate's residents commute to the capital using the direct train service from Claygate railway station
Claygate railway station
Claygate railway station serves the village of Claygate, in Surrey, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains. It is situated on the New Guildford Line, and is served by trains from London Waterloo to Guildford via Cobham.-Services:South West Trains...
; the journey to central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
takes 29 minutes. Claygate is also very close to the M25
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
and Kingston-upon-Thames. Constrained by the green belt, this has resulted in Claygate being subject to extensive in-fill and back-garden development.
Claygate is in the Parliamentary constituency of Esher and Walton
Esher and Walton
Esher and Walton is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, which is seen as a relatively safe seat for the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. Local government is administered by Elmbridge Borough Council
Elmbridge
Elmbridge is a local government district and borough in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Esher. The district has only one civil parish, which is Claygate...
and Claygate has three representative seats on the council.
Etymology and history
Claygate took its name from the clay pits that used to be in the village, providing bricks for a large surrounding area including most of Hampton Court PalaceHampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
. The village lies at the start of the broad belt of clay deposits around London - it was, literally, the "GATE-way" to the "CLAY". The Claygate Beds, the youngest layers of the London Clay
London Clay
The London Clay Formation is a marine geological formation of Ypresian age which crops out in the southeast of England. The London Clay is well known for the fossils it contains. The fossils from the Lower Eocene indicate a moderately warm climate, the flora being tropical or subtropical...
, take their name from Claygate. Claygate's relative isolation has been attributed to historical conditions when through roads became impassible in wet weather because of the clay.
Claygate appears in Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Claigate. It was held by Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. Its domesday assets were: ½ hide
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
; 2 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s, 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
, woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
worth 1 hog. It rendered £2 10s 0d.
For many centuries Claygate was a largely agricultural area, and part of the parish of Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a village in Surrey, England, bordering Greater London. It is situated 12.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross between the towns of Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Esher and East Molesey...
. Significant commercial development began in the late nineteenth century with the coming of the railway. In 1885 a branch known as the New Guildford Line between Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
(the county town of Surrey) and London passed through Claygate, ensuring its rapid growth over the following years. There was significant house-building particularly during the 1930s and 1960s.
Claygate is dominated on one side by Ruxley Towers, a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
edifice constructed by Lord Foley
Henry Thomas Foley, 5th Baron Foley
Henry Thomas Foley, 5th Baron Foley , was a British peer.Foley was the son of Thomas Henry Foley, 4th Baron Foley, and Lady Mary Charlotte Howard, the daughter of Henry Charles Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk. When his father died in 1869, he inherited his title and wealth.In 1872, Foley purchased a...
who owned a considerable amount of land in the 19th Century. On the other side on Telegraph Hill is a semaphore station built in 1822 to transmit messages between the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
and Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
.
In about 1822 the Claygate Pearmain
Claygate Pearmain
Claygate Pearmain is a cultivar of apple. It was found at Claygate, Surrey in England in about 1822.The apple was found by John Braddick, growing in a hedge at Claygate. Braddick also discovered the 'Braddick Nonpareil' at about the same time and place...
apple was discovered by John Braddick, growing in a hedge at Claygate.
Claygate School was established in Elm Road in 1885. The old school was closed shortly after its centenary and the Firs, formerly just the middle school, became the new single site. The original school building has been redeveloped as a Youth Centre and the Community Centre and Capelfield surgery were built on part of the site.
Commerce and services
Claygate has five public houses, and one of the annual village traditions is a Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
tour of all the pubs by Morris Dancers
Morris dance
Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...
.
As well as the pubs, there are several restaurants in Claygate. In the "Old Village" there is a range of popular restaurants representing wide selection of international cuisine. In "The Parade" there are two fast food eateries a Chinese restaurant and a Tandoori restaurant still run by the same family since 1974, there is also a kebab shop and a fish and chip shop.
Claygate is served by the K3 Bus
London Buses route K3
London Buses route K3 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to London United.-History:...
to Esher, Kingston and Roehampton Vale, operated by London Transport
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
. Most properties have the Esher 01372 code, but properties right on the village boundary have been assigned the London telephone code.
Local newspapers covering Claygate include The Surrey Advertiser, The Surrey Comet and The Herald, and two freely distributed newspapers, The Informer and The Guardian. Claygate is in the editorial area of BBC Surrey
BBC Surrey
BBC Surrey is the BBC Local Radio service covering the English county of Surrey, along with North-East Hampshire and the northern fringes of West Sussex including Crawley, East Grinstead and Gatwick Airport...
, although its proximity to London means most of the capital's radio stations can be heard.
There are several small farms in Claygate, the most known being Horringdon Farm, at the end of Vale road. Many of the farms are riding centres.
Community
There are a large number of local clubs, community groups and sports teams. One of the biggest annual events is the Claygate Flower Show which takes place on the Recreation Ground in late July each year.
The most popular monthly newspaper covering Claygate is 'Living Within'.
In the media
Filming carried out in Claygate include:- The Loneliness of the Long Distance RunnerThe Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" is a short story by Alan Sillitoe which was set in Irvine Beach, and published in 1959 as part of a short story collection of the same name. The work focuses on Colin, a poor Nottingham teenager from a dismal home in a blue-collar area, who has bleak...
(Tony Richardson 1961) starring Tom CourtenayTom CourtenaySir Thomas Daniel "Tom" Courtenay is an English actor who came to prominence in the early 1960s with a succession of films including The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner , Billy Liar , and Dr. Zhivago . Since the mid-1960s he has been known primarily for his work in the theatre...
, set at Ruxley Towers (Ruxton Towers in the film) and showing much of the surrounding countryside before the construction of the Esher By-pass. - The BBC TV situation comedy Wyatt's WatchdogsWyatt's WatchdogsWyatt's Watchdogs was a 30 minute BBC1 situation comedy that starred Brian Wilde and Trevor Bannister. Created and written by Miles Tredinnick, the six episode series was transmitted in the autumn of 1988...
which starred Brian WildeBrian WildeBrian George Wilde was an English actor, best known for his roles in television comedy, including Mr Barrowclough in Porridge and "Foggy" Dewhurst in Last of the Summer Wine...
and Trevor BannisterTrevor BannisterTrevor Gordon Bannister was an English actor best known for playing the womanising junior salesman Mr. Lucas in the sitcom Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1979, and for his role as Toby Mulberry Smith in the longest-running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine, from 2003 until it ended its run in 2010...
and was about a Neighbourhood Watch group. - Never the Twain (1981) which used the Greek Vine frontage as the shop fronts. It starred Windsor DaviesWindsor DaviesWindsor Davies is a British actor, well known for playing the part of Battery Sergeant Major Williams in the 1970s/1980s British sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum.-Early life and career:...
and Donald SindenDonald SindenSir Donald Alfred Sinden CBE is an English actor of theatre, film and television.-Personal life:Sinden was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, on 9 October 1923. The son of Alfred Edward Sinden and his wife Mabel Agnes , he grew up in the Sussex village of Ditchling, where their home doubled as the...
as two grumpy antique shop owners. - A sketch for The Two RonniesThe Two RonniesThe Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:...
- A shampoo commercial
- A clip from Men Behaving BadlyMen Behaving BadlyMen Behaving Badly is a British comedy that was created and written by Simon Nye. It follows the lives of Gary Strang and his flatmates, Dermot Povey and Tony Smart It was first broadcast on ITV in 1992...
. - Ronnie Wood Famous Rolling Stones guitarist moved in to Ruxley towers in 2009.
Previous celebrity residents of Claygate include Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
and Michael Aspel
Michael Aspel
Michael Terence Aspel, OBE is an English television presenter, known for his reserved demeanour and rich speaking voice. He has been a high-profile TV personality in the United Kingdom since the 1960s, presenting programmes such as Crackerjack, Aspel and Company, This is Your Life, Strange But...
. For many years Claygate has had a number of celebrities switch on its Christmas lights. These have included Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, Gloria Hunniford
Gloria Hunniford
Gloria Hunniford is a Northern Irish TV and radio presenter, and formerly a singer.-Biography:...
, Tony Stamp and Roger Valentine from The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
and Bernie Nolan to name a few.
Ronnie Wood, Guitarist of the Rolling Stones lives at the highest point of Claygate, Ruxley Heights in Ruxley Tower. He can quite often be seen being driven around in his Bentley.