Epsom and Ewell
Encyclopedia
Epsom and Ewell is a local government district
with borough
status in Surrey
, England
, covering the town of Epsom
and the village of Ewell
. The borough was formed as an urban district
in 1894, and was known as Epsom until 1934. It was made a municipal borough
in 1937. The district was considered for inclusion in Greater London in 1965 but was left unaltered by the London Government Act 1963
and the Local Government Act 1972
in 1974. However, despite being outside modern Greater London
the borough was in the Metropolitan Police District
until it was transferred to Surrey Police
in 2000. In the May 2011 elections, the borough was held by the Epsom and Ewell Residents Association with 26 seats, Liberal Democrats
with 6 seats and both the Labour and Conservatives
with 3 seats.
and Ewell
lie on the spring line
on the north face of the North Downs
where pervious chalk
meets impervious London clay
and a series of springs form. In Ewell the springs which form the Hogsmill
River are evident, those in Epsom less so. The springs attracted prehistoric people and remains have been found, mostly in Ewell and particularly near the Hogsmill. In Roman
times the road now known as Stane Street, from London to Chichester
, passed through Epsom and Ewell. Roman remains have been found in Ewell suggesting a sizeable settlement. Epsom and Ewell have Saxon
names: Ewell takes its name from the spring in the centre of the village and Epsom, or Ebbisham, is the enclosure of Ebbi. A Saxon cemetery in The Grove in Ewell was excavated in the 1930s.
In medieval
times the area was covered by three manors: Cuddington
, which was owned by the Codington family; Epsom, which belonged to Chertsey Abbey; and Ewell, associated with Merton Priory
. In 1538 the village of Cuddington was destroyed to make way for Henry VIII
's Nonsuch Palace
and its parks. Henry died before the palace was complete but it was visited by his daughter Queen Elizabeth
. It was demolished in 1682.
Epsom became a spa in the early 17th century when a spring containing Epsom salts was discovered on the Common. Its popularity with London society brought visits from Samuel Pepys
and Nell Gwynne, the development of shops and inns and the oldest spa assembly rooms
in England. This stands at the western end of Epsom High Street. Horse racing
on Epsom Downs
began during the spa period, but it was not until the Oaks was run in 1789 and the Derby
the following year that it took on its present form. The first grandstand was built in 1830 and Queen's Stand in 1995. The 1927 grandstand has been demolished and a new complex is to open in 2019.
Many large houses were built in Epsom during and after the spa period. St Martin's Church was rebuilt in 1825 and partly rebuilt in 1908 and the clock tower in the centre of the town replaced the earlier watchhouse in 1847. Ewell saw less change and, although now surrounded by suburbia, retains much of village character. Its medieval church was replaced by the present Victorian
one in 1848, but the medieval tower stands in the churchyard.
The Pre-Raphaelite painters, John Everett Millais
and William Holman Hunt
, had connections with both Ewell and Cuddington and used local scenes as backgrounds for a number of paintings, notably 'Ophelia' by Millais and 'The Light of the World' by Hunt.
In 1995 Epsom and Ewell twinned with Chantilly
in northern France
, another racing town. Links are coordinated by Epsom and Ewell Town Twinning Association.
, Ewell East
, Ewell West
and Stoneleigh
. Epsom Downs
and Tattenham Corner
stations sit on the borough borders. All stations except Epsom are in London Travelcard zone 5
and 6
. The borough is just north of, and entirely within, the M25 motorway
. London Gatwick Airport
is 20 miles south from Epsom. Numerous buses serve the town, and Epsom Coaches
and its bus division Quality Line
are based in Epsom.
is one of the most Conservative
seats and contains the entirety of the borough. As the population is not large enough for a full seat, it has also contained neighbouring areas. Since 1997 it also contains Ashtead
, part of the Mole Valley
district. Before boundaries changed in 1997 the constituency instead contained Banstead
to the east, which is part of Reigate and Banstead
borough.
Previous election results are as follows:
, Epsom and Ewell High School
, Rosebery School, Blenheim High School
and Linden Bridge School. In addition it also has two private schools, Epsom College
and Ewell Castle
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
with borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
status 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...
, covering the town of Epsom
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
and the village of Ewell
Ewell
Ewell is a village in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, close to the southern boundary of Greater London. It is located 14 miles south-south-west of Charing Cross and forms part of the suburbia that surrounds Greater London. Despite its growing population it is still referred to as a...
. The borough was formed as an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in 1894, and was known as Epsom until 1934. It was made a municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
in 1937. The district was considered for inclusion in Greater London in 1965 but was left unaltered by the London Government Act 1963
London Government Act 1963
The London Government Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which recognised officially the conurbation known as Greater London and created a new local government structure for the capital. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area,...
and the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
in 1974. However, despite being outside modern Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
the borough was in the Metropolitan Police District
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
until it was transferred to Surrey Police
Surrey Police
Surrey Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Surrey in the south of England.The force is led by Chief Constable Mark Rowley and has its headquarters at Mount Browne, Guildford, Surrey...
in 2000. In the May 2011 elections, the borough was held by the Epsom and Ewell Residents Association with 26 seats, Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
with 6 seats and both the Labour and Conservatives
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...
with 3 seats.
History
Ewell castle school is in ewell EpsomEpsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
and Ewell
Ewell
Ewell is a village in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, close to the southern boundary of Greater London. It is located 14 miles south-south-west of Charing Cross and forms part of the suburbia that surrounds Greater London. Despite its growing population it is still referred to as a...
lie on the spring line
Spring line settlement
Spring line settlements occur where a ridge of permeable rock lies over impermeable rock and there will be a line of springs along the boundary between the two layers....
on the north face of the North Downs
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...
where pervious chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
meets impervious 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...
and a series of springs form. In Ewell the springs which form the Hogsmill
Hogsmill
The Hogsmill River in Surrey is one of the tributaries of the River Thames; it rises in Ewell and flows into the Thames at Kingston upon Thames on the reach above Teddington Lock.-Course:...
River are evident, those in Epsom less so. The springs attracted prehistoric people and remains have been found, mostly in Ewell and particularly near the Hogsmill. In Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times the road now known as Stane Street, from London to Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, passed through Epsom and Ewell. Roman remains have been found in Ewell suggesting a sizeable settlement. Epsom and Ewell have Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
names: Ewell takes its name from the spring in the centre of the village and Epsom, or Ebbisham, is the enclosure of Ebbi. A Saxon cemetery in The Grove in Ewell was excavated in the 1930s.
In medieval
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...
times the area was covered by three manors: Cuddington
Cuddington
Cuddington is the name of several places in the United Kingdom:*Cuddington, Buckinghamshire*Cuddington, Eddisbury near Northwich and Vale Royal Abbey in Cheshire*Cuddington, a former name of Kiddington, Oxfordshire...
, which was owned by the Codington family; Epsom, which belonged to Chertsey Abbey; and Ewell, associated with Merton Priory
Merton Priory
Merton Priory was founded in 1114 by Gilbert Norman, Sheriff of Surrey under Henry I. It was located in Merton, Surrey, England at the point where the Roman Stane Street crossed the River Wandle....
. In 1538 the village of Cuddington was destroyed to make way for Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's Nonsuch Palace
Nonsuch Palace
Nonsuch Palace was a Tudor royal palace, built by Henry VIII in Surrey, England; it stood from 1538 to 1682–3. Its ruins are in Nonsuch Park.- Background :Nonsuch Palace in Surrey was perhaps the grandest of Henry VIII's building projects...
and its parks. Henry died before the palace was complete but it was visited by his daughter Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. It was demolished in 1682.
Epsom became a spa in the early 17th century when a spring containing Epsom salts was discovered on the Common. Its popularity with London society brought visits from Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
and Nell Gwynne, the development of shops and inns and the oldest spa assembly rooms
Assembly rooms
In Great Britain and Ireland, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, assembly rooms were gathering places for members of the higher social classes open to members of both sexes. At that time most entertaining was done at home and there were few public places of entertainment open to both sexes...
in England. This stands at the western end of Epsom High Street. Horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
on Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs is an area of chalk upland near Epsom, Surrey; in the North Downs. Part of the area is taken up by the racecourse, the gallops are part of the land purchased by Stanly Wootton in 1925 in oder that racehorses can be trained without interference. It is open to users such as ramblers,...
began during the spa period, but it was not until the Oaks was run in 1789 and the Derby
Derby (horse race)
A derby is a type of horse race, named after the Derby Stakes, still run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in England. That was in turn named for Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, who inaugurated the race in 1780...
the following year that it took on its present form. The first grandstand was built in 1830 and Queen's Stand in 1995. The 1927 grandstand has been demolished and a new complex is to open in 2019.
Many large houses were built in Epsom during and after the spa period. St Martin's Church was rebuilt in 1825 and partly rebuilt in 1908 and the clock tower in the centre of the town replaced the earlier watchhouse in 1847. Ewell saw less change and, although now surrounded by suburbia, retains much of village character. Its medieval church was replaced by the present Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
one in 1848, but the medieval tower stands in the churchyard.
The Pre-Raphaelite painters, John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
and William Holman Hunt
William Holman Hunt
William Holman Hunt OM was an English painter, and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Biography:...
, had connections with both Ewell and Cuddington and used local scenes as backgrounds for a number of paintings, notably 'Ophelia' by Millais and 'The Light of the World' by Hunt.
In 1995 Epsom and Ewell twinned with Chantilly
Chantilly, Oise
Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, another racing town. Links are coordinated by Epsom and Ewell Town Twinning Association.
Transport
Railway stations in the borough include EpsomEpsom railway station
Epsom railway station is the main railway station for Epsom in the county of Surrey. It is located off Waterloo Road, near to the High Street....
, Ewell East
Ewell East railway station
Ewell East is a railway station in Ewell, Surrey. It has two platforms, one for services to Sutton, West Croydon and London, the other for services to Epsom. The ticket office and main entrance is on the London-bound side, accessed from Cheam Road...
, Ewell West
Ewell West railway station
Ewell West railway station serves Ewell in the Epsom and Ewell district, in Surrey. The station is served by South West Trains.The typical off-peak service from the station is 4 trains per hour to London Waterloo, 2 trains per hour to Guildford and 2 trains per hour to Dorking.From 1905 to 1950...
and Stoneleigh
Stoneleigh railway station
Stoneleigh railway station is a railway station in the Epsom and Ewell district of Surrey, England. The station is served by South West Trains and is currently in Travelcard Zone 5 . Neighbouring stations are Ewell West to the south and Worcester Park to the north...
. Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs railway station
Epsom Downs railway station is a railway station located on the boundary of the Reigate and Banstead and Epsom and Ewell boroughs of Surrey with the railway to the north forming a continuation of the boundary....
and Tattenham Corner
Tattenham Corner railway station
Tattenham Corner railway station is in Surrey, in England. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southern, and it is the terminus of the Tattenham Corner Line. London-bound trains head south as far as Tadworth, then turn east and finally north....
stations sit on the borough borders. All stations except Epsom are in London Travelcard zone 5
Travelcard Zone 5
Fare zone 5 is an outer zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services. The zone was created in May 1983 and in January 1991 part...
and 6
Travelcard Zone 6
Fare zone 6 is an outer zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services. The zone was created in January 1991; from May 1983 it had...
. The borough is just north of, and entirely within, 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 ...
. London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
is 20 miles south from Epsom. Numerous buses serve the town, and Epsom Coaches
Epsom Coaches
Epsom Coaches is a coach operator in the United Kingdom, based in the Surrey town of Epsom. The coach business was established in the 1920s and has prided itself on being one of the best coach operators in the UK. It operates a luxury fleet of mostly Setra coaches, and provides a number of tours...
and its bus division Quality Line
Quality Line
Quality Line is the trading name of the bus division of Epsom Coaches, and operates over sixty buses throughout the south London and Surrey area, with many under contract to London Buses or Surrey County Council.-History:...
are based in Epsom.
Politics
Epsom and Ewell is one of the few councils dominated by a group not linked to a national political party. Epsom and Ewell Residents Association has dominated the council since the foundation of the borough. Epsom and Ewell Parliamentary ConstituencyEpsom and Ewell (UK Parliament constituency)
Epsom and Ewell 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 :...
is one of the most 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...
seats and contains the entirety of the borough. As the population is not large enough for a full seat, it has also contained neighbouring areas. Since 1997 it also contains Ashtead
Ashtead
Ashtead is a village situated within the Metropolitan Green Belt of Surrey, England, and is just outside of the suburbia of London. It is separated from Leatherhead by the M25, and from Epsom by Ashtead Common.- History :...
, part of the Mole Valley
Mole Valley
Mole Valley is a local government district in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Dorking.The district, named after the River Mole, was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the urban districts of Dorking and Leatherhead and most of the Dorking and Horley...
district. Before boundaries changed in 1997 the constituency instead contained Banstead
Banstead
Banstead is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in the county of Surrey, England, on the border with Greater London. It lies south of London, west of Croydon and of the county town of Kingston-Upon-Thames. Banstead is on the North Downs and is protected by the Metropolitan Green Belt;...
to the east, which is part of Reigate and Banstead
Reigate and Banstead
Reigate and Banstead is a local government district with borough status in east Surrey England. It covers the towns of Reigate, Banstead, Redhill and Horley....
borough.
Previous election results are as follows:
| Overall control | Conservative | Labour | Lib Dem Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
Epsom and Ewell Residents Association | |
| 2011 | Residents | 3 | 3 | 6 | 26 |
| 2007 | Residents | 2 | - | 11 | 25 |
| 2003 | Residents | 2 | 3 | 6 | 27 |
| 1999 | Residents | - | 3 | 9 | 27 |
| 1995 | Residents | - | 3 | 3 | 33 |
| 1991 | Residents | - | 3 | 6 | 30 |
| 1987 | Residents | - | 3 | 1 | 35 |
| 1983 | Residents | - | 3 | 2 | 34 |
| 1979 | Residents | - | 3 | - | 37 |
| 1976 | Residents | - | 3 | - | 37 |
| 1973 | Residents | - | 3 | - | 37 |
Education
Epsom and Ewell has several secondary schools, Glyn Technology SchoolGlyn Technology School
Glyn School is a boys' comprehensive secondary school – with a partially co-educational sixth form – situated in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in the English county of Surrey....
, Epsom and Ewell High School
Epsom and Ewell High School
Epsom and Ewell High School is a secondary school located at Ruxley Lane, Epsom, Surrey, England that opened in 1995. It is a coeducational, local authority school that educates children from ages 11-18, with over 900 on the role. It is situated in the borough of Epsom and Ewell, in the outlying...
, Rosebery School, Blenheim High School
Blenheim High School
Blenheim High School is a secondary school located at Longmead Road, Epsom, Surrey, England that opened in 1997. It is a coeducational, local authority school that educates children from ages 11–18, with over 1,400 on the role...
and Linden Bridge School. In addition it also has two private schools, Epsom College
Epsom College
Epsom College is an independent co-educational public school in Epsom, Surrey, England, for pupils aged 13 to 18. Founded in 1853 to provide support for poor members of the medical profession such as pensioners and orphans , Epsom's long-standing association with medicine was estimated in 1980 as...
and Ewell Castle