Downside, Surrey
Encyclopedia
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.
A rural community, Downside is situated in open countryside between Cobham
to the north and East Horsley to the south, the first such countryside out of London and part of the Green Belt
. Immediately to the south of the village is the M25 motorway
, where construction of a motorway service station began, despite determined local opposition, in 2011. To the north is Cobham Park
, a large country house that has been converted to apartments.
Downside has a large village green, on the northern edge of which is the Cricketers' Inn, dating from the 17th century and a Grade II listed building. Just off the green in the south east corner is a well-preserved hand-operated water pump. At the heart of the local community are the Downside Sports & Social Club, which features regular entertainment and is always open to new members, and Downside Village Hall, which hosts classes and meetings for local groups and organisations. St. Matthew's Church of England Infant School serves the Cobham and Downside area.
The village green is the setting for the Downside & Hatchford Sports Day, held annually on August Bank Holiday Monday.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the English
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...
, part of Cobham and Downside ward in the local government district 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...
. Downside Village was designated as a Conservation Area in 1979.
A rural community, Downside is situated in open countryside between Cobham
Cobham, Surrey
Cobham is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, about south-west of central London and 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...
to the north and East Horsley to the south, the first such countryside out of London and part of the 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...
. Immediately to the south of the village is 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 ...
, where construction of a motorway service station began, despite determined local opposition, in 2011. To the north is 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...
, a large country house that has been converted to apartments.
The village green is the setting for the Downside & Hatchford Sports Day, held annually on August Bank Holiday Monday.