Cobham, Surrey
Encyclopedia
Cobham is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge
in Surrey
, England
, about 20 miles (32.2 km) south-west of central London and 5 miles (8 km) north of Leatherhead
. Elmbridge has been acclaimed by the Daily Mail as the best place to live in the UK, and Cobham is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt
. Cobham Fairmile ward has a population of 4,760 whilst neighbouring Cobham and Downside has a population of 6,158.
The area is also home to the training grounds of London-based Premier League club Chelsea
and many of their players and staff live in the vicinity.
times to the Iron Age
. Cobham lay within the Saxon
administrative district of Elmbridge
hundred
.
Cobham appears in Domesday Book
as Covenham and was held by Chertsey Abbey
. Its domesday assets were: 12½ hide
s; 3 mill
s worth 13s 4d, 10 plough
s, 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) of meadow
, woodland
worth 40 hogs. It rendered altogether £14. Coveham or Covenham is thought to mean a settlement in the curve of a river.
Historically, Cobham comprised two separate communities, Street Cobham and Church Cobham. The former lay on the road to London, and the building now known as the Cobham Exchange was once a coaching inn. The community of Church Cobham grew up around St. Andrew's Church, which dates from the 12th century. Although much altered and extended in the 19th century, the church preserves a Norman
tower and is a Grade I listed building.
The arrival of the railway in the 1880s led to the expansion of the original village, which became increasingly suburbanised during the 20th century. Until the 1960s, the entrance to the High Street from River Hill to the south was very narrow. A number of historic and picturesque buildings were demolished at that time, some of them to enable the road to be widened, some to be replaced by contemporary buildings more suitable for shops. Subsequently the High Street has developed into a busy local shopping centre. Although many small shops such as greengrocers, butchers and haberdashers have disappeared, there remains a wide variety of businesses in the High Street and neighbouring streets.
, and there was a certain amount of associated aviation and motoring activity at Cobham during the last century. Leading motor engineer and car designer Reid Railton set up a manufacturing facility and built the well known Railton
road cars at the Fairmile Works from 1933-40. An example of the Railton car is displayed locally at Brooklands Museum
.
In World War II
, after the Vickers-Armstrongs aircraft factory at Brooklands was badly bombed by the Luftwaffe on 4 September 1940, with heavy loss of life and many more injured, the Vickers Experimental Department was quickly dispersed to secret premises on the Silvermere and Foxwarren Park estates along Redhill Road. Engineer and inventor Barnes Wallis
also carried out important trials catapulting models of his 'Upkeep' bouncing bomb
across Silvermere Lake around 1942 and conducted spinning trials with larger prototypes at 'Depot W46' (the largest of the three dispersed sites). Vickers had numerous other war-time dispersed depots in the local area and those in Cobham included Corbie Wood and Riseholme (in Seven Hills Road), Conway Cottage and Norwood Farm.
Despite its proximity to both Brooklands and Wisley airfields (both active until the early 1970s), Cobham saw relatively few aircraft crashes. Most notable was a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter which flew low over Brooklands apparently in trouble and crashed at Cobham on 16th March 1944; the pilot survived but little else is known of this incident.
During World War II, another well-known aircraft company, Airspeed Ltd, apparently set up an almost forgotten design office at Fairmile Manor and is believed to have designed the Ambassador
airliner there before moving back to Portsmouth in the late 1940s.
After the war, Vickers' Experimental Department continued to use two of the Redhill Road sites (now known as 'Foxwarren') and built new aircraft prototypes there such as the Viscount
airliner and Valiant
V-bomber, until it moved back to the main factory at Brooklands in the late 1950s.
In the seventies Cobham resident Mike Chambers built Huron Formula Fords and a Formula Atlantic car at the Silvermere works on the North side of the A3 and Geoff Uren prepared the BMW team saloon cars and Graham Hill
's Jaegermeister sponsored Formula 2 car.
From 1972-2011, the Cobham Bus Museum occupied a war-time aircraft hangar (used mainly by Vickers-Armstrongs as a machine shop) next to Silvermere golf course in Redhill Road. The bus museum re-opened as the London bus museum
at Brooklands Museum
on 1 August 2011 and its former premises were demolished a few weeks earlier to be replaced by a new care home.
, whose name is taken from a family who settled there at time of the Norman conquest
in 1066.
The local newspaper was the Cobham News & Mail until it closed and was incorporated into the Surrey Advertiser.
Cobham is also covered by the Elmbridge Guardian, the Surrey Herald and the Surrey Comet newspapers.
Chelsea F.C.
's training ground
is nearby, close to Cobham and Stoke d'Abernon railway station, and Cobham's exclusive private estates are home to many of Chelsea's players.
; the picturesque Church Stile House; and two fine houses overlooking the River Mole
: Ham Manor and Cedar House, the latter owned by the National Trust
.
Across the river from the church, the estate of Cobham Park
was the home of John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier
, who was made Commander-in-Chief of the army in 1757. The present house was completed in 1873 to a design by Edward Middleton Barry
: it has now been divided into apartments. At the other end of the town, beside the A3, Painshill Park
is a fine 18th century landscape garden, restored from dereliction since 1980. Painshill House dates from the 18th century and has also been divided into apartments.
Two other large houses on the outskirts of Cobham have been taken over by schools: Heywood is now the American Community School
, and Burwood House is now Notre Dame School.
The River Mole
provides a setting for Cobham's best-known landmark which is the red brick water mill, constructed in 1822 and once part of a much larger complex. It stands on the site of earlier mills dating back to the Middle Ages
. The mill was in use until 1928 when it became uneconomical to continue operating.
In 1953 the main part of the mill was demolished by Surrey County Council
to alleviate traffic congestion on Mill Road. The remaining building was restored to full working order by the Cobham Mill Preservation Trust, and is now open to the public from 2pm to 5pm on the second Sunday of each month between April and October.
. There are three independent schools: Notre Dame; ACS (The American Community Schools) Cobham International
and Reed's School.
is nearby and Silvermere golf course is located in Redhill Road on the North side of the A3. Cobham has three football clubs: Cobham Football Club, Cobham United Football Club and Cobham Town FC (formed 2007). There is Cobham Rugby Football Club
and Cobham Village Club along with a branch of the Royal British Legion. Cobham Players is the only group regularly presenting plays, musicals, pantomimes and other entertainments in Cobham.
Walton Firs Activity Centre lies just off the A3 in Cobham and covers 28 acres. It takes its name from Colonel Walton who dealt with the purchase of the site in 1939. It was used by a Royal Artillery Anti-Aircraft Battery during World War II
and in peace time returned to use a Scout camp site. During the 1990s some 3,000 additional trees were planted and more recently an all-weather barn and an artificial, but realistic, caving complex have been added.
is Conservative
Dominic Raab
in the Esher and Walton
constituency. Dominic succeeded Ian Taylor who stood down for the 2010 General Election. In local government Cobham is part of Elmbridge
Borough Council and Surrey County Council
. Divided into two wards, Cobham Fairmile
and Cobham & Downside
for Elmbridge voting, there are five councillors, all Conservative. For Surrey County voting, Cobham is paired with Stoke d'Abernon
.
Cobham, with its many old buildings, conservation areas and housing development pressures has a very active Heritage Trust, re-formed in 2007, and a lower-profile Residents Association. Unlike neighbouring areas in Elmbridge, Residents and amenity groups do not contest local elections in Cobham, although occasionally independents have stood without success, most recently in a 2007 by-election. The only non-Conservative elected was a Liberal/Focus councillor, Mike King in 1984 in the Fairmile ward, which includes some high density social and private housing beside the A3
, as well as more upmarket private estates. Cobham and Downside ward includes the village centre, private estates off the A245 Stoke Road, semi-rural Downside
and into Hatchford south of the M25
.
For the 2009 Surrey County election, the local Conservatives have selected Elmbridge councillor and former Parliamentary candidate John V. C. Butcher in preference to Dorothy Mitchell who has served the area since 1983.
Another of the Cobham & Downside members on Elmbridge
, Mike Bennison since 2005 also represents the next 3 stops up the line to London Oxshott
Claygate
and Hinchley Wood
on Surrey County Council
.
. This road links to the M25 motorway
at Junction 10, immediately to the south of Cobham.
Cobham & Stoke d'Abernon railway station
, opened in 1885, is on the "New Guildford Line" from London Waterloo with journey times around 40 minutes.
Police Station.
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...
in 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...
, England
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...
, about 20 miles (32.2 km) south-west of central London and 5 miles (8 km) north of Leatherhead
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
. Elmbridge has been acclaimed by the Daily Mail as the best place to live in the UK, and Cobham is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt
London commuter belt
The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding London, England from which it is practical to commute to work in the capital. It is alternatively known as the Greater South East, the London metropolitan area or the Southeast metropolitan area...
. Cobham Fairmile ward has a population of 4,760 whilst neighbouring Cobham and Downside has a population of 6,158.
The area is also home to the training grounds of London-based Premier League club Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and many of their players and staff live in the vicinity.
History
Cobham is an ancient settlement whose origins can be traced back through RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times to the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. Cobham lay within the Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
administrative district of Elmbridge
Elmbridge (hundred)
Elmbridge Hundred or the Hundred of Elmbridge was an ancient hundred in the north of the county of Surrey, England. The majority of its area forms the borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, with the remainder now forming part of Greater London....
hundred
Hundred (division)
A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
.
Cobham 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 Covenham and was held by Chertsey Abbey
Chertsey Abbey
Chertsey Abbey, dedicated to St Peter, was a Benedictine monastery located at Chertsey in the English county of Surrey.It was founded by Saint Erkenwald, later Bishop of London, in 666 AD and he became the first abbot. In the 9th century it was sacked by the Danes and refounded from Abingdon Abbey...
. Its domesday assets were: 12½ 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...
s; 3 mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
s worth 13s 4d, 10 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, 1 acres (4,046.9 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 40 hogs. It rendered altogether £14. Coveham or Covenham is thought to mean a settlement in the curve of a river.
Historically, Cobham comprised two separate communities, Street Cobham and Church Cobham. The former lay on the road to London, and the building now known as the Cobham Exchange was once a coaching inn. The community of Church Cobham grew up around St. Andrew's Church, which dates from the 12th century. Although much altered and extended in the 19th century, the church preserves a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
tower and is a Grade I listed building.
The arrival of the railway in the 1880s led to the expansion of the original village, which became increasingly suburbanised during the 20th century. Until the 1960s, the entrance to the High Street from River Hill to the south was very narrow. A number of historic and picturesque buildings were demolished at that time, some of them to enable the road to be widened, some to be replaced by contemporary buildings more suitable for shops. Subsequently the High Street has developed into a busy local shopping centre. Although many small shops such as greengrocers, butchers and haberdashers have disappeared, there remains a wide variety of businesses in the High Street and neighbouring streets.
Aviation and motor industries
Cobham is not far from BrooklandsBrooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
, and there was a certain amount of associated aviation and motoring activity at Cobham during the last century. Leading motor engineer and car designer Reid Railton set up a manufacturing facility and built the well known Railton
Railton (car)
Railton was a British car maker based in Cobham, Surrey between 1933 and 1940. There was an attempt to revive the marque by a new company between 1989 and 1994 in Alcester, Warwickshire....
road cars at the Fairmile Works from 1933-40. An example of the Railton car is displayed locally at Brooklands Museum
Brooklands Museum
Brooklands Museum is an independent charitable trust, established in 1987, whose aim is to conserve, protect and interpret the unique heritage of the Brooklands site. It is located south of Weybridge, Surrey and was first opened regularly in 1991 on of the original 1907 motor-racing circuit...
.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, after the Vickers-Armstrongs aircraft factory at Brooklands was badly bombed by the Luftwaffe on 4 September 1940, with heavy loss of life and many more injured, the Vickers Experimental Department was quickly dispersed to secret premises on the Silvermere and Foxwarren Park estates along Redhill Road. Engineer and inventor Barnes Wallis
Barnes Wallis
Sir Barnes Neville Wallis, CBE FRS, RDI, FRAeS , was an English scientist, engineer and inventor. He is best known for inventing the bouncing bomb used by the RAF in Operation Chastise to attack the dams of the Ruhr Valley during World War II...
also carried out important trials catapulting models of his 'Upkeep' bouncing bomb
Bouncing bomb
A bouncing bomb is a bomb designed specifically to bounce to a target across water in a calculated manner, in order to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets, and to allow both the bomb's speed on arrival at the target and the timing of its detonation to be pre-determined...
across Silvermere Lake around 1942 and conducted spinning trials with larger prototypes at 'Depot W46' (the largest of the three dispersed sites). Vickers had numerous other war-time dispersed depots in the local area and those in Cobham included Corbie Wood and Riseholme (in Seven Hills Road), Conway Cottage and Norwood Farm.
Despite its proximity to both Brooklands and Wisley airfields (both active until the early 1970s), Cobham saw relatively few aircraft crashes. Most notable was a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter which flew low over Brooklands apparently in trouble and crashed at Cobham on 16th March 1944; the pilot survived but little else is known of this incident.
During World War II, another well-known aircraft company, Airspeed Ltd, apparently set up an almost forgotten design office at Fairmile Manor and is believed to have designed the Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
airliner there before moving back to Portsmouth in the late 1940s.
After the war, Vickers' Experimental Department continued to use two of the Redhill Road sites (now known as 'Foxwarren') and built new aircraft prototypes there such as the Viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
airliner and Valiant
Vickers Valiant
The Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant was a British four-jet bomber, once part of the Royal Air Force's V bomber nuclear force in the 1950s and 1960s...
V-bomber, until it moved back to the main factory at Brooklands in the late 1950s.
In the seventies Cobham resident Mike Chambers built Huron Formula Fords and a Formula Atlantic car at the Silvermere works on the North side of the A3 and Geoff Uren prepared the BMW team saloon cars and Graham Hill
Graham Hill
Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...
's Jaegermeister sponsored Formula 2 car.
From 1972-2011, the Cobham Bus Museum occupied a war-time aircraft hangar (used mainly by Vickers-Armstrongs as a machine shop) next to Silvermere golf course in Redhill Road. The bus museum re-opened as the London bus museum
London Bus Museum
The London Bus Museum is a museum operated by the London Bus Preservation Trust.Based at Cobham, Surrey from its opening in 1972, the museum was relocated to Brooklands Museum during the spring and summer of 2011. The new site opened on 1 August 2011...
at Brooklands Museum
Brooklands Museum
Brooklands Museum is an independent charitable trust, established in 1987, whose aim is to conserve, protect and interpret the unique heritage of the Brooklands site. It is located south of Weybridge, Surrey and was first opened regularly in 1991 on of the original 1907 motor-racing circuit...
on 1 August 2011 and its former premises were demolished a few weeks earlier to be replaced by a new care home.
Local area
On the outskirts of Cobham is Stoke d'AbernonStoke d'Abernon
Stoke d'Abernon is a small village situated between Cobham and Leatherhead in the county of Surrey. The census area Oxshott and Stoke d'Abernon has a population of 6,100.-History:...
, whose name is taken from a family who settled there at time of the Norman conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066.
The local newspaper was the Cobham News & Mail until it closed and was incorporated into the Surrey Advertiser.
Cobham is also covered by the Elmbridge Guardian, the Surrey Herald and the Surrey Comet newspapers.
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
's training ground
Cobham Training Centre
The Cobham Training Centre is the state of the art training ground of Chelsea Football Club located in Stoke d'Abernon near Cobham, Surrey. The Chelsea first team have trained at Cobham since 2005, but it was not officially opened until 2007.-History:...
is nearby, close to Cobham and Stoke d'Abernon railway station, and Cobham's exclusive private estates are home to many of Chelsea's players.
Landmarks
At the heart of Cobham is the Church Cobham Conservation Area, which was designated in 1973 and includes fourteen statutory listed buildings. Amongst these are Pyports, once the home of Vernon LushingtonVernon Lushington
Vernon Lushington QC, , was a Positivist, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Second Secretary to the Admiralty, and was associated with the Pre-Raphaelites....
; the picturesque Church Stile House; and two fine houses overlooking the River Mole
River Mole, Surrey
The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. It rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north west through Surrey for to the Thames near Hampton Court Palace. The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley...
: Ham Manor and Cedar House, the latter owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
Across the river from the church, the estate of Cobham Park
Cobham Park
Cobham Park is a former country house, situated to the north of Downside, Surrey, England which was formerly the seat of John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier. It was later the home of Harvey Christian Combe, who was Lord Mayor of London and a partner in the Combe Delafield and Co...
was the home of John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier
John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier
Field Marshal John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier, KB, PC was a French-born British soldier.He was born to a Huguenot family of Castres in the south of France, and who emigrated to England at the close of the 17th century...
, who was made Commander-in-Chief of the army in 1757. The present house was completed in 1873 to a design by Edward Middleton Barry
Edward Middleton Barry
Edward Middleton Barry was an English architect of the 19th century.-Biography:Edward Barry was the third son of Sir Charles Barry, born in his father's house, 27 Foley Place, London. In infancy he was delicate, and was placed under the care of a confidential servant at Blackheath...
: it has now been divided into apartments. At the other end of the town, beside the A3, Painshill Park
Painshill Park
Painshill Park , near Cobham, Surrey, England, is one of the finest remaining examples of an 18th century English landscape park. It was designed and created between 1738 and 1773 by the Hon. Charles Hamilton .Painshill Park is owned by Elmbridge Borough Council and managed by the Painshill Park...
is a fine 18th century landscape garden, restored from dereliction since 1980. Painshill House dates from the 18th century and has also been divided into apartments.
Two other large houses on the outskirts of Cobham have been taken over by schools: Heywood is now the American Community School
ACS International Schools
ACS International Schools is a group of three schools based in England and one in Qatar. Until 2005, the organisation was known as American Community Schools. The four campuses are located in Cobham and Egham in Surrey and in the London Borough of Hillingdon and Doha, Qatar which is due to open in...
, and Burwood House is now Notre Dame School.
Cobham Mill
River Mole, Surrey
The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. It rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north west through Surrey for to the Thames near Hampton Court Palace. The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley...
provides a setting for Cobham's best-known landmark which is the red brick water mill, constructed in 1822 and once part of a much larger complex. It stands on the site of earlier mills dating back to the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The mill was in use until 1928 when it became uneconomical to continue operating.
In 1953 the main part of the mill was demolished by Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England. The council is composed of 80 elected councillors.The council is controlled by the Conservative party.The leader of the council is David Hodge....
to alleviate traffic congestion on Mill Road. The remaining building was restored to full working order by the Cobham Mill Preservation Trust, and is now open to the public from 2pm to 5pm on the second Sunday of each month between April and October.
Education
The primary school is called St Andrew's. There is no state secondary school. The two main local prep schools are Parkside School and Feltonfleet SchoolFeltonfleet School
Feltonfleet School is a preparatory school for boys and Girls from 3 to 13 years old, based in Cobham, Surrey-'Routefinder': 'Routefinder' is a unique tool on the Feltonfleet School website that was originally compiled by the Friends of Feltonfleet to enable parents to reach another school that...
. There are three independent schools: Notre Dame; ACS (The American Community Schools) Cobham International
ACS International Schools
ACS International Schools is a group of three schools based in England and one in Qatar. Until 2005, the organisation was known as American Community Schools. The four campuses are located in Cobham and Egham in Surrey and in the London Borough of Hillingdon and Doha, Qatar which is due to open in...
and Reed's School.
Local leisure & entertainment
Painshill ParkPainshill Park
Painshill Park , near Cobham, Surrey, England, is one of the finest remaining examples of an 18th century English landscape park. It was designed and created between 1738 and 1773 by the Hon. Charles Hamilton .Painshill Park is owned by Elmbridge Borough Council and managed by the Painshill Park...
is nearby and Silvermere golf course is located in Redhill Road on the North side of the A3. Cobham has three football clubs: Cobham Football Club, Cobham United Football Club and Cobham Town FC (formed 2007). There is Cobham Rugby Football Club
Cobham RFC
Cobham Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, located in the town of Cobham, Surrey, who play in the London Division of the RFU in the 2010-2011 Season. Cobham RFC is based at the Old Surbitonians Memorial Ground in Cobham. Cobham RFC is affiliated to the English RFU via the Surrey RFU...
and Cobham Village Club along with a branch of the Royal British Legion. Cobham Players is the only group regularly presenting plays, musicals, pantomimes and other entertainments in Cobham.
Walton Firs Activity Centre lies just off the A3 in Cobham and covers 28 acres. It takes its name from Colonel Walton who dealt with the purchase of the site in 1939. It was used by a Royal Artillery Anti-Aircraft Battery during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in peace time returned to use a Scout camp site. During the 1990s some 3,000 additional trees were planted and more recently an all-weather barn and an artificial, but realistic, caving complex have been added.
Local politics
The Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Conservative
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...
Dominic Raab
Dominic Raab
Dominic Rennie Raab is a British Conservative politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Esher and Walton in Surrey and is a former international business lawyer.-Biography:...
in the 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:...
constituency. Dominic succeeded Ian Taylor who stood down for the 2010 General Election. In local government Cobham is part of Elmbridge
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...
Borough Council and Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England. The council is composed of 80 elected councillors.The council is controlled by the Conservative party.The leader of the council is David Hodge....
. Divided into two wards, Cobham Fairmile
and Cobham & Downside
for Elmbridge voting, there are five councillors, all Conservative. For Surrey County voting, Cobham is paired with Stoke d'Abernon
Stoke d'Abernon
Stoke d'Abernon is a small village situated between Cobham and Leatherhead in the county of Surrey. The census area Oxshott and Stoke d'Abernon has a population of 6,100.-History:...
.
Cobham, with its many old buildings, conservation areas and housing development pressures has a very active Heritage Trust, re-formed in 2007, and a lower-profile Residents Association. Unlike neighbouring areas in Elmbridge, Residents and amenity groups do not contest local elections in Cobham, although occasionally independents have stood without success, most recently in a 2007 by-election. The only non-Conservative elected was a Liberal/Focus councillor, Mike King in 1984 in the Fairmile ward, which includes some high density social and private housing beside the A3
A3 road
The A3, known as the Portsmouth Road for much of its length, is a dual carriageway, or expressway, which follows the historic route between London and Portsmouth passing close to Kingston upon Thames, Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield. For much of its length, it is classified as a trunk road...
, as well as more upmarket private estates. Cobham and Downside ward includes the village centre, private estates off the A245 Stoke Road, semi-rural Downside
Downside, Surrey
Downside is a small village in the English county of Surrey, part of Cobham and Downside ward in the local government district of Elmbridge. Downside Village was designated as a Conservation Area in 1979....
and into Hatchford south of 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 ...
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For the 2009 Surrey County election, the local Conservatives have selected Elmbridge councillor and former Parliamentary candidate John V. C. Butcher in preference to Dorothy Mitchell who has served the area since 1983.
Another of the Cobham & Downside members on Elmbridge
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...
, Mike Bennison since 2005 also represents the next 3 stops up the line to London Oxshott
Oxshott
Oxshott is a village in Surrey, England with a growing population of around 6,100. Neighbouring settlements include: Chessington, Claygate and Cobham. It is situated in fields and woodlands between Esher and Leatherhead on the A244, five minutes by car from both the A3 and the M25 London Orbital...
Claygate
Claygate
Claygate is a village in the English county of Surrey, approximately 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...
and Hinchley Wood
Hinchley Wood
Hinchley Wood is a residential community approximately south-west of London, England. At the 2001 census it consisted of 1,429 households with a population of 3,674. It developed largely because of the railway line which passes through the area, and many of its residents are commuters to London. ...
on Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England. The council is composed of 80 elected councillors.The council is controlled by the Conservative party.The leader of the council is David Hodge....
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Road and rail links
To the north and west of the town is the A3 trunk road, a major arterial route from London to PortsmouthPortsmouth
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...
. This road links to the M25 motorway
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 ...
at Junction 10, immediately to the south of Cobham.
- The A307A307 roadThe A307 road is a link road running through SW London and NW Surrey, which is primary at the start but for the most part is now more local in character...
, Portsmouth Road starts in Cobham and runs northwards to the adjoining town of EsherEsherEsher 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....
. This is also known as the "old A3" - The A245 runs through the centre of the town and leads to LeatherheadLeatherheadLeatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
in the South East and ByfleetByfleetByfleet is an inland island village forming a suburb of Woking in Surrey, England. It is in the east of the borough between the River Wey and the River Mole, and is within the M25 motorway....
to the west.
Cobham & Stoke d'Abernon railway station
Cobham & Stoke D'Abernon railway station
Cobham & Stoke D'Abernon railway station is situated in the village of Stoke d'Abernon in Surrey, England. It also serves the nearby town of Cobham. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains...
, opened in 1885, is on the "New Guildford Line" from London Waterloo with journey times around 40 minutes.
Police and fire services
Nowadays, Cobham Police Station is only used for minor issues; everything else is handled from 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....
Police Station.
- Surrey Fire & Rescue Service, called Painshill Fire Station has a full time crew together with:
- 1 x Water Tender Ladder,
- 1 x Incident Command Unit,
- 1 x Forward Command Vehicle
Notable people
- Gerrard WinstanleyGerrard WinstanleyGerrard Winstanley was an English Protestant religious reformer and political activist during the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell...
, (1609-1676), reformer, lived in Cobham from 1643 and was churchwarden in 1667-8. - John Ligonier, 1st Earl LigonierJohn Ligonier, 1st Earl LigonierField Marshal John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier, KB, PC was a French-born British soldier.He was born to a Huguenot family of Castres in the south of France, and who emigrated to England at the close of the 17th century...
, (1680-1770), Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, lived at Cobham Park. - Admiral Sir Graham MooreGraham MooreAdmiral Sir Graham Moore, GCB, GCMG was a British sailor and a career officer in the Royal Navy. He was the younger brother of General Sir John Moore.-Naval career:...
, (1764–1843), naval officer, lived at Brook Farm in Cobham and is buried in St. Andrew's churchyard. - General Sir Thomas BrothertonThomas William BrothertonSir Thomas William Brotherton , was a general.Brotherton entered the 2nd or Coldstream Guards as ensign in 1800, was promoted lieutenant and captain in 1801, and transferred to the 3rd or Scots Fusilier Guards in 1803. With the guards he served under Abercromby in Egypt in 1801, and in Hanover...
, (1785-1868), died nearby at Upper Court and is buried in St. Andrew's churchyard. - Lieutenant-General Lord Henry PercyLord Henry PercyLieutenant-General Lord Henry Hugh Manvers Percy VC KCB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:Lord Henry, fourth child and third son of George...
VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
KCBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, (1817-1877), soldier and MP, was born at Burwood House (now Notre Dame School). - Matthew ArnoldMatthew ArnoldMatthew Arnold was a British poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the famed headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold, literary professor, and William Delafield Arnold, novelist and colonial administrator...
, (1822-1888), poet, lived in Cobham from 1873 to 1888. - Vernon LushingtonVernon LushingtonVernon Lushington QC, , was a Positivist, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Second Secretary to the Admiralty, and was associated with the Pre-Raphaelites....
, (1832-1912), lawyer and patron to the arts, lived at Pyports in Cobham. - Fred StedmanFred StedmanFred Stedman was an English cricketer. A wicket-keeper and tail-end batsman, his first-class career extended from 1899 to 1912...
, (1870–1918), Surrey county cricketer, was born in Cobham. - Malcolm ArbuthnotMalcolm ArbuthnotMalcolm Arbuthnot was a pictorialist photographer and artist....
, (1877–1967), pictorialist, photographer and artist, was born in Cobham. - Sir Thomas Sopwith, (1888–1989), aviation pioneer and industrialist who founded the Sopwith Aviation, H G Hawker Engineering, Hawker AircraftHawker AircraftHawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.-History:...
and Hawker Siddeley aircraft companies, lived at Compton House, Cobham in the 1920s. - Sir Felix AylmerFelix AylmerSir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television.-Early life and career:...
, (1889-1979), actor, lived at Painshill House, Cobham in the 1970s. - Harold B. HudsonHarold B. Hudson-Websites:...
, (1898-1982), World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
flying ace, was born in Cobham. - John AddisonJohn AddisonJohn Mervyn Addison was a British composer best known for his film scores.Addison was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire and at the age of sixteen entered the Royal College of Music. He studied composition with Gordon Jacob, oboe with Léon Goossens, and clarinet with Frederick Thurston. ...
, (1920-1998), composer, was born in Cobham. - Kenneth McAlpineKenneth McAlpineKenneth McAlpine is a British former racing driver from England. He was born in Cobham, Surrey. He participated in 7 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 19, 1952...
(born 1920), racing driver, was born in Cobham. - Nick JonesNick Jones (entrepreneur)Nicholas Keith Arthur Jones is an English entrepreneur. He is the owner of the Babington House hotel and health club and founder and chief executive of Soho House UK Ltd, which specialises in luxury private members’ club venues with restaurants, cinemas, health spas and bedrooms, with some aspects...
, (born 1963), entrepreneur, owner of Babington HouseBabington HouseBabington House is a Grade II* listed manor house, located in the village of Babington, between Radstock and Frome, in the county of Somerset, EnglandConverted to a private members club and hotel by Nick Jones, it is currently owned by Soho House Ltd...
and husband of Kirsty YoungKirsty YoungKirsty Jackson Young is a Scottish television presenter and radio presenter. She is the main presenter of Crimewatch and Desert Island Discs. She is married to millionaire club owner Nick Jones.- Career :...
, grew up in Cobham. - Aaron EckhartAaron EckhartAaron Edward Eckhart is an American film and stage actor. Born in California, he moved to England at the age of 13, when his father relocated the family. Several years later, he began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Sydney, Australia, for his high school senior year...
, (born 1968), American actor and co-star of the Dark Knight, lived in Cobham and attended the American Community School.
Nearest places
- Stoke D'AbernonStoke d'AbernonStoke d'Abernon is a small village situated between Cobham and Leatherhead in the county of Surrey. The census area Oxshott and Stoke d'Abernon has a population of 6,100.-History:...
- OxshottOxshottOxshott is a village in Surrey, England with a growing population of around 6,100. Neighbouring settlements include: Chessington, Claygate and Cobham. It is situated in fields and woodlands between Esher and Leatherhead on the A244, five minutes by car from both the A3 and the M25 London Orbital...
- EsherEsherEsher 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....
- LeatherheadLeatherheadLeatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
- HershamHershamHersham is a village in Surrey, within the M25 boundary. It is within easy reach of Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The main A3 London to Portsmouth road runs through its boundaries...
- WeybridgeWeybridgeWeybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
- Walton-on-ThamesWalton-on-ThamesWalton-on-Thames is a town in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey in South East England. The town is located south west of Charing Cross and is between the towns of Weybridge and Molesey. It is situated on the River Thames between Sunbury Lock and Shepperton Lock.- History :The name "Walton" is...
- EffinghamEffinghamEffingham is an English village in the Borough of Guildford in Surrey, bordering Mole Valley. There is a railway station at Effingham Junction , at the point where a branch of the Sutton & Mole Valley Line joins the New Guildford Line - these are both routes between London Waterloo and Guildford.-...
- ByfleetByfleetByfleet is an inland island village forming a suburb of Woking in Surrey, England. It is in the east of the borough between the River Wey and the River Mole, and is within the M25 motorway....
- East Horsley
- West HorsleyWest HorsleyWest Horsley is a small village between Guildford and Leatherhead in Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include East Horsley, Ockham, West Clandon and East Clandon. It lies on the A246, and south of the M25 and the A3. The Sheepleas Woods are located in the extreme south of the village, and...
External links
- Aerial photographs of Cobham
- Cobham Bus Museum
- http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com
- Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust
- Cobham Park
- Official website for Cobham Rugby Football Club
- Official website for Cobham Sports Association incorporating Cobham Rugby, Cobham Tennis and Cobham Cricket
- Official website for Cobham Football Club
- Cobham Players
- Horsley Football Club