Laleham
Encyclopedia
Laleham is a village in the borough of Spelthorne
, in the county of Surrey
in South East England
and adjoins Staines
. It is within the historic boundaries of Middlesex
. To its south is Laleham Park by the River Thames
, across green belt farmland to its north and south east are Ashford and Shepperton
, to its east is Queen Mary Reservoir
. Penton Hook Lock
is on the river here and Laleham Burway
is directly across the river. A mile south along the towpath or the humped river road is Chertsey Bridge
and the historic town of Chertsey
.
The word Laleham probably comes from 'lael' meaning twig and 'ham' meaning water meadow or village.
marching camp on the field which is now part of Matthew Arnold School
.
Iron Age spearheads from the 5th century have been found in the River Thames
at Laleham Ferry. 10th century charts record the village of Laelham.
Laleham appears in the Middlesex
section of the Domesday Book
of 1086 as Leleham. It was held partly by Fécamp Abbey
from Robert of Mortain and partly by Estrild, the nun. Its domesday assets were: 10 hide
s. It had 6½ plougs
, 5 plough
s meadow
, cattle pasture. It rendered £5.
The foundations of the parish church of All Saints date back to the 12th century. The church is well known for a superb stained glass
window by Wilhelmina Geddes
. Records show that in the 13th century the monks of Westminster Abbey
had their 'Grange' and watermill
on the banks of the Thames
very close to the site of Laleham Abbey. It was in 1970 that the village of Laleham was designated as a Conservation Area.
Laleham contains many fine and listed buildings including Laleham Abbey called until 1928 Laleham House. It was built as the country seat of Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan
in 1803, its was architect John Buonarotti Papworth
and its parkland stretched for 83 acres some of which is the present Laleham Park. Divided into flats in 1981 the house is in the imposing neo-classical style with a Greek Doric porch. The interior has marble floors and pillars, a beautiful semi-circular staircase and a cupola.
There is a early 17th century brick farmhouse with Georgian alterations, Church Farm, adjacent to the church. It is an excellent example of a central chimney house with a standard layout for such a house. On either side of the central chimney is a living room and the entrance is through a tiled two-storey porch, the stairs filling the space on the opposite side of the chimney. It once housed the Lucan's bailiff and was sold by in 1966 by the 7th Earl
who was suspected of a murder and disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974.
The hatchment
in the north aisle of All Saints Church belonged to them. In the eastern part of the cemetery
is the 1888 grave of Field Marshal (and third Earl) Lord Lucan who gave the order for the Charge of the Light Brigade
at the Battle of Balaclava
.
club. There is Laleham C of E Primary School.
poet and critic was born in the village and is buried in All Saints' Churchyard. He also has a local Comprehensive school
named after him.
His father Dr Thomas Arnold
was headmaster at Rugby School
, travelled widely but settled his family in Laleham.
The Earls of Lucan family purchased the manor in 1803 from the Earl of Lonsdale and the Lucan Arms pub served the village for many years until it was renamed in the late 1990s.
Both Arnold and Lucan family names can be seen prominently within All Saints Church, with various memorials to generations of those families. Other notable family names are Buckland
and Honor and the four houses at Laleham school are Buckland (Red), Arnold (Blue), Honnor (Yellow) and Lucan (Green). The Reverend John Buckland was Matthew Arnold's uncle; Buckland School in Laleham was named after him.
Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham
lived at with his wife at Laleham Abbey after his retirement in 1982.
Gabrielle Anwar
, actress and star of the American TV series Burn Notice
was born in Laleham and attended Laleham C. of E. Primary and Middle School from 1975 to 1982; an end-of-term St. Trinian's sketch in the school concert of 1982 gave an early indication of her theatrical leanings.
Spelthorne
Spelthorne is a local government district and borough in Surrey, England. It includes the towns of Ashford, Laleham, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell and Sunbury...
, in the 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...
in South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
and adjoins Staines
Staines
Staines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and Greater London Urban Area, as well as the London Commuter Belt of South East England. It is a suburban development within the western bounds of the M25 motorway and located 17 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in...
. It is within the historic boundaries of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. To its south is Laleham Park by the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, across green belt farmland to its north and south east are Ashford and Shepperton
Shepperton
Shepperton is a town in the borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, England. To the south it is bounded by the river Thames at Desborough Island and is bisected by the M3 motorway...
, to its east is Queen Mary Reservoir
Queen Mary Reservoir
The Queen Mary Reservoir is one of the largest of London's reservoirs located in the Staines/Sunbury area of West London within the borough of Spelthorne in Surrey. It lies south of the A308 and west of the M3 motorway...
. Penton Hook Lock
Penton Hook Lock
Penton Hook Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England situated on the northern "Middlesex" bank near Laleham, Surrey.The lock cuts across a large loop or hook in the river, creating Penton Hook Island There is a large marina in the disused gravel pits connected to this loop...
is on the river here and Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway is a tract of meadow land on the River Thames near Chertsey in Surrey. Part of it was a famous major cricket venue in the 18th century and the home of Chertsey Cricket Club.-Earliest known matches:...
is directly across the river. A mile south along the towpath or the humped river road is Chertsey Bridge
Chertsey Bridge
Chertsey Bridge is a road bridge across the River Thames in England, connecting Chertsey to low-lying riverside meadows in Laleham, Surrey. It is situated 550 yards downstream from the M3 motorway bridge over the Thames and is close to Chertsey Lock on the reach above Shepperton Lock.The bridge is...
and the historic town of Chertsey
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
.
The word Laleham probably comes from 'lael' meaning twig and 'ham' meaning water meadow or village.
History
It is possible that there was a 1st century RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
marching camp on the field which is now part of Matthew Arnold School
Matthew Arnold School (Staines)
Matthew Arnold School is a British co-educational secondary school in Staines, a suburb of London, taking pupils from the age of 11 to 16 .-Admissions:The school is a specialist Business and Enterprise College...
.
Iron Age spearheads from the 5th century have been found in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Laleham Ferry. 10th century charts record the village of Laelham.
Laleham appears in the Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
section of the 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...
of 1086 as Leleham. It was held partly by Fécamp Abbey
Fécamp Abbey
Fécamp Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Normandy, northern France.The abbey was the first producer of Bénédictine, a herbal liqueur, based on brandy.-First foundation:...
from Robert of Mortain and partly by Estrild, the nun. Its domesday assets were: 10 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. It had 6½ plougs
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...
, 5 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 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...
, cattle pasture. It rendered £5.
The foundations of the parish church of All Saints date back to the 12th century. The church is well known for a superb stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window by Wilhelmina Geddes
Wilhelmina Geddes
Wilhelmina Geddes was an Irish stained glass artist. She had a workshop at the An Túr Gloine and was a member of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Important achievements included windows at St. Bartholomew’s in Ottawa, Canada....
. Records show that in the 13th century the monks of 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,...
had their 'Grange' and watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
on the banks of the Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
very close to the site of Laleham Abbey. It was in 1970 that the village of Laleham was designated as a Conservation Area.
Laleham contains many fine and listed buildings including Laleham Abbey called until 1928 Laleham House. It was built as the country seat of Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan
Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan
Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan , styled The Honourable from 1776 to 1795 and subsequently Lord Bingham until 1799, was an Irish peer and Tory politician.- Background :...
in 1803, its was architect John Buonarotti Papworth
John Buonarotti Papworth
John Buonarotti Papworth was a prolific architect, artist and a founder member of the Royal Institute of British Architects....
and its parkland stretched for 83 acres some of which is the present Laleham Park. Divided into flats in 1981 the house is in the imposing neo-classical style with a Greek Doric porch. The interior has marble floors and pillars, a beautiful semi-circular staircase and a cupola.
There is a early 17th century brick farmhouse with Georgian alterations, Church Farm, adjacent to the church. It is an excellent example of a central chimney house with a standard layout for such a house. On either side of the central chimney is a living room and the entrance is through a tiled two-storey porch, the stairs filling the space on the opposite side of the chimney. It once housed the Lucan's bailiff and was sold by in 1966 by the 7th Earl
Richard Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan
Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan , popularly known as Lord Lucan, as Lord Bingham before 1964, and sometimes colloquially called "Lucky" Lucan, was a British peer, who disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974, following the murder of Sandra Rivett, his children's nanny, the previous...
who was suspected of a murder and disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974.
The hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
in the north aisle of All Saints Church belonged to them. In the eastern part of the cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
is the 1888 grave of Field Marshal (and third Earl) Lord Lucan who gave the order for the Charge of the Light Brigade
Charge of the Light Brigade
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. The charge was the result of a miscommunication in such a way that the brigade attempted a much more difficult objective...
at the Battle of Balaclava
Battle of Balaclava
The Battle of Balaclava, fought on 25 October 1854 during the Crimean War, was part of the Anglo-French-Turkish campaign to capture the port and fortress of Sevastopol, Russia's principal naval base on the Black Sea...
.
Today
Laleham Village also contains Burway Rowing Club and an archeryArchery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
club. There is Laleham C of E Primary School.
Notable people
Matthew ArnoldMatthew Arnold
Matthew 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...
poet and critic was born in the village and is buried in All Saints' Churchyard. He also has a local Comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
named after him.
His father Dr Thomas Arnold
Thomas Arnold
Dr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
was headmaster at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, travelled widely but settled his family in Laleham.
The Earls of Lucan family purchased the manor in 1803 from the Earl of Lonsdale and the Lucan Arms pub served the village for many years until it was renamed in the late 1990s.
Both Arnold and Lucan family names can be seen prominently within All Saints Church, with various memorials to generations of those families. Other notable family names are Buckland
Buckland
-People:*Francis Trevelyan Buckland , English zoologist and natural historian*Frank Buckland , Canadian sports administrator*Herbert Tudor Buckland , British architect*James Buckland , English rugby union player...
and Honor and the four houses at Laleham school are Buckland (Red), Arnold (Blue), Honnor (Yellow) and Lucan (Green). The Reverend John Buckland was Matthew Arnold's uncle; Buckland School in Laleham was named after him.
Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham
Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham
Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham CBE PC was an English trade unionist, Labour politician and industrialist...
lived at with his wife at Laleham Abbey after his retirement in 1982.
Gabrielle Anwar
Gabrielle Anwar
Gabrielle Anwar is an English actress. She is known for her role as Margaret Tudor on The Tudors, for dancing the tango with Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman and for her current role as Fiona Glenanne on USA's Burn Notice.- Early life :...
, actress and star of the American TV series Burn Notice
Burn notice
A burn notice is an official statement issued by one intelligence agency to other agencies. It states that an individual or a group is unreliable for one or more reasons...
was born in Laleham and attended Laleham C. of E. Primary and Middle School from 1975 to 1982; an end-of-term St. Trinian's sketch in the school concert of 1982 gave an early indication of her theatrical leanings.