Leatherhead

For other uses, seeLeatherhead (disambiguation).

Leatherheadis a town in theMole Valleydistrict ofSurrey,England, about 17 mi (27 km) south ofCentral London.The settlement grew up beside a ford on theRiver Mole,from which its name is thought to derive. During the lateAnglo-Saxonperiod, Leatherhead was aroyal villand is first mentioned in thewillofAlfred the Greatin 880 AD. The first bridge across the Mole may have been constructed in around 1200 and this may have coincided with the expansion of the town and the enlargement of the parish church.

Leatherhead
2 Bridge Street, Leatherhead
Leatherhead Location withinSurrey
Area	12.54 km2(4.84 sq mi)
Population	11,316 (2011 census)or 32,522 as to its Built-up Area which extends toEffingham
•Density	902/km2(2,340/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TQ1656
•London	17 mi (27 km)north
District	Mole Valley
Shire county	Surrey
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Leatherhead
Postcode district	KT22
Dialling code	01372
Police	Surrey
Fire	Surrey
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Epsom and Ewell

For much of its history, Leatherhead was primarily an agricultural settlement, with a weeklymarketbeing held until the mid-Elizabethan era.The construction ofturnpike roadsin the mid-18th century and the arrival of the railways in the second half of the 19th century attracted newcomers and began to stimulate the local economy. Large-scale manufacturing industries arrived following the end of the First World War and companies with factories in the town includedRonsonandGoblin Vacuum Cleaners.Several organisations working with disabled people also opened treatment and training facilities, includingThe Royal School for the Blind,Queen Elizabeth's Foundationand theEx-services Welfare Society.

Towards the end of the 20th century, manufacturing in Leatherhead had begun to decline and the town was instead starting to attractservice sector employers.The former industrial areas were converted tobusiness parks,which attracted multinational companies, includingEssoandUnilever.A controversial redevelopment took place in the town centre in the early 1980s, which included the construction of the Swan Centre. The work, which also included the pedestrianisation of the main shopping area, was widely blamed for a decline in the local retail economy. In 2002, theBBCidentified Leatherhead as having one of the worstHigh Streetsin England, but in 2007, the local press described the town centre as "bustling".

Toponymy

Leatherhead Town Bridge over theRiver Mole

The origins and meaning of the name 'Leatherhead' are uncertain.Early spellings includeLeodridan(880),Leret(1086),Lereda(1156),Ledreda(1160) andLeddrede(1195).

The name is usually thought to derive from the Old Englishlēode(people) +rida(a riding path or ford that can be ridden), and thus meaning 'a public ford'.Richard Coateshas suggested a derivation from the primitive Welshlēd-rïd(Brittonic *letorito-) meaning 'grey ford', where the lexical field of lēd (grey) can also extend to brown, but this is not widely accepted.

Geography

Location and topography

Leatherhead is a town in centralSurrey,around 17 mi (27 km) south of the centre of London. It lies on the southern edge of theLondon Basinand the highest point in the parish, at Leatherhead Downs, is 135 m (443 ft) aboveordnance datum.The High Street runs roughly west to east and was part of theGuildfordtoEpsomroad, which crossed theRiver Moleat the Town Bridge.The Mole, which passes to the west of the centre, has cut a steep-sided valley through theNorth Downs,south of the town.

Geology

Leatherhead is at the southern edge of theLondon Basin,where thepermeableupper chalkof theNorth Downsdips beneath the impermeableLondon Clay.The difference in properties between the twoformationsresults in a highwater tableandspringsare found at regular intervals along the boundary between them. Several settlements were established along thisspring lineinAnglo-Saxonand earlymedievaltimes, including the villages ofAshtead,FetchamandEffingham,which are linked to Leatherhead by the Guildford to Epsom road.

History

Early history

The earliest evidence of human activity in Leatherhead comes from theIron Age.Flints,a probablewelland two pits were discovered in 2012 during building work on Garlands Road and the finds suggest that the site was also used in the earlyRoman period.Traces of Iron Age field systems and settlement activity have been observed at Hawks Hill,Fetcham(about 1 km (0.62 mi) southwest of the town centre)and onMickleham Downs(about 3 km (2 mi) to the south).Also to the south,the Druid's Grove at Norbury Parkmay have been used for pre-Christianpagangatherings.

An Anglo-Saxon settlement at Leatherhead was most likely founded on the east side of the River Mole in the second half of the 6th century. A burial ground, dating to the same period, has been identified on the west side at Hawks Hill.A secondcemeterywas discovered in 1984 on the site of the formerGoblinfactory in Ermyn Way (now the location of the offices ofEsso). Excavations uncovered the remains of at least 40 individuals and the artefacts found, including knives, buckles and necklaces, suggest that they were pagan burials.

From the mid-9th century, Leatherhead was the centre of aroyal vill,which encompassedAshtead,FetchamandBookham.The first known reference to the settlement is in thewillofAlfred the Greatin 880, in which land atLeodridanwas bequeathed to his son,Edward the Elder.By the 10th century, there was aminster churchin Leatherhead, and the town was administered as part of theCopthorne Hundred.

Governance

The medieval history of Leatherhead is complex, since the parish was divided into a number of manors.The town appears in theDomesday Bookof 1086 asLeretand was held by Osbern de Ow as amesne lordtoWilliam I.Its Domesday assets were one church, belonging toEwell,and 40 acres (160,000 m²) of land. It was valued at an annual income of £1.To the south was the manor of Thorncroft, which was held byRichardson ofGilbertastenant-in-chief.To the north was the manor of Pachesham, subdivided into two parts, each of which was held by a mesne lord to the tenant-in-chief,Bishop Odo of Bayeux.Finally there are sporadic mentions in surviving documents of a manor called "Minchin", which may have belonged toKilburn PrioryinMiddlesex.

For the majority of its history, Thorncroft Manor appears to have remained as a single, intact entity, with the exception of thesubinfeudationofBocketts Farm,which took place before 1300.In 1086, the manor was held by Richard fitz Gilbert and it passed through his family (theClares) to his granddaughter, Margaret de Clare, who married into thede Montfitchetfamily of Essex. Her great-grandson,Richard de Montfichet,sold the manor to John de Cheresbure in around 1190 and it was next purchased byPhilip Bassetand his second wife,Ela, Countess of Warwickin around 1255.In 1266, they granted Thorncroft (which provided an income of £20 per year) toWalter de Merton,who used it to endowthe college in Oxfordthat he had founded in 1264.Merton College remained the lords of the manor until 1904and the continuity of ownership ensured that an almost complete set ofmanorial rollsfrom 1278 onwards has been preserved.In 1497,Richard FitzJames,theWarden of the College,authorised the expenditure of £37 for a newmanor house,which was used until theGeorgian era.

In contrast, the manor of Pachesham became fragmented as the Middle Ages progressed. By the time of the Domesday Book, it was already divided into two parts, the smaller of which was later referred to as "Pachenesham Parva". No written record of either part of the manor survives from the subsequent 200 years, but in 1286 land belongong to Pachesham was recorded as passing to Eustace de Hacche. De Haache rebuilt the manor house in around 1293, which he enclosed with amoat.Excavations of the manor house site (now known as The Mounts) in the mid-20th century provided evidence of several medieval buildings, including a hall, a chapel and a probable stable block.The value of the manor appears to have declined in the mid-14th century and, in 1386, it was let to William Wimbledon for an annual sum of £20. In 1393, one year after a serious fire had destroyed much of Leatherhead, Wimbledon defaulted on the rent and was accused of dismantling several of the manor buildings. From the start of the 15th century, the land was divided between twelve lessees and the manor then disappears from the historical record.

Surviving records of Pachenesham Parva from around 1330 suggest that it covered an area of 46 ha (114 acres) on the east bank of the River Mole, to the north west of the town centre.The manor appears to have remained intact through the Middle Ages and land was added to the estate as the remainder of Pachesham was broken up. By the early 17th century, the area was known as Randalls Farm and, in 1805, the associated land totalled 182 ha (450 acres).

Reforms during the Tudor periodreplaced the day-to-day administration of towns such as Leatherhead in the hands of thevestryof the parish church.The vestry was charged with appointing a parishconstable,maintaining alock-upand organising a basic fire service. Until 1834, it also administeredpoor reliefand was responsible for building aworkhouseon Kingston Road in 1808.

Wesley House,Bull Hill, the former headquarters of the Leatherhead UDC

During the 19th century, local government reforms gradually removed the duties of running of the town's infrastructure and services from the vestry. ThePoor Law Amendment Act 1834placed the workhouse in the care of aboard of guardiansatEpsomand theLocal Government Act 1888transferred many administrative responsibilities to the newly formedSurrey County Council.The LeatherheadUrban District Council(UDC) was formed six years laterand in 1903 the county council was placed in charge of the town'sNational schools.TheLocal Government Act 1972createdMole Valley District Council,by combining the UDCs of Leatherhead andDorkingwith the majority of the Dorking andHorleyRural District.

Transport and communications

Leatherhead developed at a crossing point of the River Mole at the intersection between the north–southKingston–Dorking and east–west Epsom–Guildford roads. The original position of the ford is unclear, but it may have been around 90 m (100 yd) upstream of the present Leatherhead Bridge at a point where a continuation of Elm Road would meet the river.

The first indication of a bridge at Leatherhead is a localdeeddated to 1250, which was witnessed by a "Simon of the Bridge". Later that century, in around 1286, a Peter Dryaw of Fetcham is recorded as mortgaging the annual rent of a house "at the bridge in the town of Ledderede" toMerton College, Oxford.It is possible that the construction of the first bridge coincided with an expansion of the town and the enlargement of the parish church, which took place around 1200.

It is not clear to what extent the Mole was used for navigation in the past, but in the early Middle Ages, it is likely thatshallow-bottomedcraft were able to reach Leatherhead from theThamesfor much of the year. In the late 13th century, Thorncroft Manor purchased ashout,a type of boat up to 16 metres (52 ft) in length, used to transport produce to market.Several schemes were proposed to make the Mole navigable in the 17th and 18th centuries, but none were enacted.

Extract fromTwenty Four Miles Round London(1820) by William Mogg showing the turnpike roads to Guildford, Epsom and Dorking

Theturnpike roadbetween Epsom andHorsham,which ran through Leatherhead, was authorised byParliamentin 1755.Turnpikes to Guildford and Kingston were opened in 1758 and 1811 respectivelyand one of thetollhouseswas sited near to the present Leatherhead Institute.Stagecoaches,which had begun to run through Leatherhead to London in the 1680s,increased in frequency after the building of the turnpikes. By 1838 there were daily coaches toArundel,BognorandWorthing,which typically stopped at the Swan Inn in the High Street.With the arrival ofthe railway at Epsomin 1847, the long-distance coaches were discontinued andhorse-drawn omnibusestook over local journeys.

The first railway to arrive in Leatherhead was built by the Epsom and Leatherhead Railway Company. The line, which terminated at a station in Kingston Road, opened on 1 February 1859. Initially all trains were operated by theLondon and South Western Railway(LSWR) and, for the first two months, only ran as far asEpsom.The completion of the line throughWorcester Parkenabled these services to be extended toLondon Waterloofrom April of the same year and, in August 1859, theLondon, Brighton and South Coast Railway(LBSCR) began to run trains from Leatherhead toLondon Bridge.

The Mole Gap through the North Downs had been identified as a potential railway corridor as early as the 1830s, but the line south from Leatherhead toDorkingwas not opened until 1867.The Kingston Road station, which had been laid out as a terminus, was closed and two new adjacent stations (either side of the present Station Approach) were opened. The LBSCR station, which was closer to the town centre, was initially the only one connected to the line to Dorking. It was designed byC. H. Driverin a fineGothic Revivalstyle and is the station that survives today.The LSWR built its station as a terminus, but its line was extended westwards toBookhamin 1885. The two railway companies wereamalgamatedin 1923, when theSouthern Railwaywas formed.All railway lines through Leatherhead wereelectrifiedin 1925 and the LSWR station was closed in 1927. In the late 1930s, a southward extension of theChessington branch linewas proposed, but the creation of theMetropolitan Green Beltprevented the scheme from being enacted.

TheM25 motorwayat Leatherhead

The construction of theA24 bypass(between Givons Grove and Leatherhead Common) started in 1931and the final section opened in May 1934.Young Street (the A246 between Bocketts Farm and Givons Grove) was built by theCorps of Royal Canadian Military Engineersbetween June 1940 and May 1941.In October 1985, the town was joined to the UK motorway system when theM25was opened between Wisley and Reigate.

Commerce

The right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair was granted to Leatherhead in 1248 byHenry III.The market place is thought to have been at the junction of Bridge Street, North Street and High Street and the town stocks were probably in the same area.The market appears to have ended in the mid-Elizabethan era,however the annual fair continued and in the late 17th century was held on 8 September, the feast of theNativity of Mary.

The construction of the turnpikes, and later the railways, attracted wealthier residents to Leatherhead. Many of these incomers had accumulated their wealth as entrepreneurs in London and had no previous connection to the area. By the start of theVictorian era,they were beginning to influence the local economy. Small, family-based manufacturing firms began to grow, engaged in industries such asbrick-making,milling of logs,tanning,shoemaking,maltingandbrewing.In the1841 census,18.5% of the town's inhabitants were employed in agriculture-related trades, butforty years later,the proportion had fallen to 5.4%.

Larger-scale industries arrived in Leatherhead in the first half of the 20th century. In 1928, theRayon manufacturing companyopened a factory in Ermyn Way, close to the border with Ashtead parishand was replaced ten years later by the manufacturing plant forGoblin Vacuum Cleaners.Also in the 1930s, asilk-makingfarm andelectrical cablefactory were established in the town.Following the end of the Second World War,Ronson,the US-based manufacturer ofcigarette lighters,opened a manufacturing plant at Dorincourt, to the north of the town.The factory moved to Randalls Road in 1953, but it closed in 1981 when the company went into liquidation. A business park opened in its place.

The Ex-services Welfare Society purchased Long House on Ermin Way following the end of the First World War. The charity constructed a factory in the grounds to provide employment for disabled veterans, producing electrical items, such aselectric blankets.In 1933, the organisation opened a treatment centre at Tyrwhitt House in Oaklawn Road, named afterReginald Tyrwhitt,its president at the time. In 1981, the factory was purchased byRemploy.It continued to manufacture electrical goods, but under the new ownership, its operations expanded to include the assembly and packaging of mechanical equipment.The Remploy factory closed in 2007, with the loss of 43 jobs.The Ex-services Welfare Society, now known asCombat Stress,continues to operate its treatment centre at Tyrwhitt House in north Leatherhead.

Large-scale manufacturing in Leatherhead was short lived and, as the 20th century progressed, the town started to attractservice sector industries.Among the research institutes formerly based in the town, Leatherhead Food Research was founded in 1919and the Central Electricity Research Laboratories (CERL) opened in 1950.Both organisations left the town in the early 2000s.The Ronson and Goblin factories closed in the early 1980s and their sites were redeveloped, in the latter case for the UK headquarters ofEsso.The UK head offices ofUnilever(on the site of the former CERL) andHyundaiwere opened in Leatherhead in 2008 and 2020 respectively.

Swan shopping centre

The High Street, here in 2024.

A controversial redevelopment of the road network in the town centre took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The project began with the demolition of the Prince of Wales pub in 1979 and the Swan Centre, a covered shopping centre with amultistorey car park,was constructed in its place. At the same time a one-way system was created and the High Street was pedestrianised.By September 1981, the scheme was already attracting criticism from local traders and residents, who blamed the traffic alterations for a steep decline infootfall.In January 1983, the County Planning Officer admitted that the "complexity of present routes undoubtedly detracts from the appeal of the town to car-borne shoppers."In 2002,BBC Newsnamed Leatherhead as having one of the worst High Streets in the country.Five years later, in 2007, the local press reported that the town was "bustling with people, and packed full with an abundance of shops, entertainment facilities and job opportunities." The revival in fortunes was attributed to a variety of community initiatives, including a new drama festival.

Residential development

Leatherhead began to expand at the start of the 20th century and the population grew from in 4,694 in 1901 to 5,491 in 1911.New housing developments were built between 1900 and 1905 in Fairfield, Highlands and Kingston Roads, and Queen Anne's Garden. Later in the decade, houses were constructed in Copthorne, Clinton, Reigate and Woodville Roads, Kingston Avenue and St Nicholas Hill.

The firstcouncil housingin the town, a development of 59 houses in Poplar Road, was built by Leatherhead UDC in 1921. Preference for rehousing was given toex-servicemenand their families. In 1925, 90 council houses were constructed in Kingston Road.Private residential developments also occurred around the same time, including the construction of the St Mary's Road estate, on the site of the former Elm Bank mansion, south of the town centre.

The Givons Grove estate, to the south of the town, was developed in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Originally a constituent of Thorncroft Manor, it was an area of arable land, known as "Gibbons Farm", named after a prominent local family.In 1919, the estate was bought by the aircraft manufacturer,Humphrey Verdon Roe,whose wife,Marie Stopes,would live at Norbury Park for 20 years from 1938.It was sold to a consortium of developers in 1927, who divided the land into plots for housing.Similarly in 1935, Yarm Court was sold and the estate developed for housing.

Following the end of the Second World War, new housing was constructed to the north of the town centre, along Cleeve, Kingston and Copthorne Roads, to replace properties damaged by bombing.

Leatherhead in the world wars

At the start of the First World War, members of the 20th Battalion of the University and Public Schools Brigade of theRoyal Fusilierswere billeted with local residents. The recruits were primarily drawn from theManchesterarea and underwent training at Randalls Farm.The Kensington Rifles of theLondon Regimentwere also garrisoned in the town in the month before their deployment to theWestern Frontin April 1915.Later that year, the first of 63 Belgian refugees arrived in Leatherhead, remaining in the town until the end of the war.

Concerns that the town's water supply might be poisoned by enemy spies, prompted the authorities to arrange a guard on the waterworks on Guildford Road. Many of the duties were undertaken by the localScout troopand members of theBoys' Brigade,which was affiliated with St Mary's Church.Many local men joined the Dorking and Leatherhead Battalion of theVolunteer Training Corps,which was formed with the intention to defend the local area in the event of invasion.In October 1914, aRed CrossHospital opened on Bull Hill. By March 1915 it had 33 beds and was fully occupied. It closed in February 1919.Elsewhere in the town, the Forty Foot recreation ground was used to grow wheatand Venthams, a local firm ofcoachbuilders,began to manufacturemunitions.

AValentine tankat the Goblin plant, Leatherhead, 10 June 1942

Leatherhead was again a garrison town in the Second World War. Troops from theRoyal Corps of Signalswere billeted in late 1939and a year later, the first Canadian soldiers began to arrive in the local area.From September 1939, children fromStreathamandDulwichwereevacuatedto Leatherhead and the Royal School for the Blind was taken over byKing's College Hospital.The cottage hospital on Poplar Road opened in May 1940 and by June of that year was treating 78 members of theBritish Expeditionary Force,who had beenevacuated from Dunkirk.The Goblin factory in Ermyn Way was used to make munitions, includingminesinkers, shellfusesand camouflage netting.

From the outbreak of war, the defence of Leatherhead was coordinated by the XII Corps ofEastern Command,reinforced from July 1940 by VII Corps GHQ Mobile Reserve. The 3rd Infantry Brigade of the1st Canadian Divisionwas posted to Dorking and Leatherhead, and was responsible for completing the construction of Young Street between Givons Grove and Fetcham. The local unit of theHome Guard,Company F of the 6th Battalion of South Eastern Command, was formed with 200 recruits in May 1940. The training centres for the company included the Drill Hall on Kingston Road and an anti-tank obstacle was installed at the east end of the High Street, close to the Leatherhead Institute. The Home Guard company was disbanded four years later, once the threat of invasion had passed.

Leatherhead experienced two main periods ofbombingduring the war. The first wave of attacks took place from late 1940 until early 1941. During the first raid, early in the morning on 27 August 1940, 20 high-explosive bombs were dropped along the border with Ashtead. The clubhouse of the golf club suffered a direct hit, but the civilians taking cover in theshelterbeneath it were fully protected and survived without injury. In October of the same year, the oil storage tanks next to the waterworks were set alight by anincendiary bomb.The resulting fires could not be extinguished until more than 24 hours later.In March 1941,St Andrew's Catholic Schoolwas almost completely destroyed by a bomb.During the second period of bombing, in the summer of 1944, 16V-1 flying bombslanded in the Leatherhead area, including one at Thorncroft Manor.

National and local government

UK Parliament

Leatherhead is in theEpsom and Ewell parliamentary constituency.

County council

Councillors are elected toSurrey County Councilevery four years. The town is part of the 'Leatherhead and Fetcham East' ward.

First Elected		Member	Ward
	2005	Tim Hall	Leatherhead and Fetcham East

District council

Five councillors represent the town onMole ValleyDistrict Council (the headquarters of which are in Dorking):

Election		Member	Ward
	2016	Bridget Kendrick	Leatherhead North
	2019	Keira Vyvyan-Robinson	Leatherhead North
	2022	Josie Brinkier	Leatherhead North
	2021	Simon Moss	Leatherhead South
	2022	Joanna Slater	Leatherhead South

Leatherhead is represented by a swan on thecrestof the Mole Valley District Councilcoat of arms.

Twin town

Since 2004, Leatherhead has beentwinnedwithTriel-sur-Seine(Île-de-France,France).

Demography and housing

2011 Census Homes

Ward	Detached	Semi-detached	Terraced	Flats and apartments	Caravans/temporary/mobile homes/houseboats	Shared between households
Leatherhead North	307	906	575	1,381	6	2
Leatherhead South	737	331	171	670	4	4

Region-wide, 28% of dwellings were detached houses and 22.6% were apartments.

2011 Census Households

Ward	Population	Households	% Owned outright	% Owned with a loan	hectares
Leatherhead North	7,035	3,177	19	31	617
Leatherhead South	4,281	1,913	44	30	637

The proportion of households who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The remaining % is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible % of households living rent-free).

Public services

Utilities

The towngasworks,close to the junction of Kingston Road and Barnett Wood Lane, were built in 1850 by the Leatherhead Gas Company. The firstgaswas produced in February 1851 and was primarily used for street lighting, but was also supplied to some private houses.Until the railway was opened in 1859, coal was delivered by road from Epsom.In 1911, the Leatherhead company acquired that ofCobhamand, from 1929, also supplied gas toWokingvia a connection atEffingham Junction.In 1936, the company was acquired by the Wandsworth Gas Company and the Leatherhead gasworks closed two years later.

The Leatherhead pumping station was constructed in 1935 by the East Surrey Water Company.

The first public water supply in Leatherhead was created in 1884, when astream-drivenpumping stationwas constructed in Waterways Road.The works, designed byJohn William Grover,were capable of lifting 90,000 litres (20,000 imp gal) per hour to a reservoir on Reigate Road.A seconddiesel-poweredstation was constructed alongside the first in 1935 and was later converted toelectric power.The steam-powered works were demolished in 1992.

Anelectricity generating stationwas opened in Bridge Street in 1902. Initially it was capable of generating 75 kW of power, but by the time of its closure in 1941, itsinstalled capacitywas 2.2 MW.Under theElectricity (Supply) Act 1926,Leatherhead was connected to theNational Grid,initially to a 33 kVsupply ring,which linked the town toCroydon,Epsom, Dorking and Reigate. In 1939, the ring was connected to theWimbledon-Woking main via a 132 kVsubstationat Leatherhead.

Emergency services

Leatherhead Police Station was on Kingston Road, to the north of the town centre. It closed in 2011. The building was demolished and retirement apartments were built on the site.In 2021, the local police force isSurrey Policeand the nearestpolice stationto the town is atReigate.The headquarters of thePolice Federation of England and Walesis in Leatherhead.

A fire engine at achurch paradein Leatherhead in 1928

The Vestry was responsible for organising the local fire service in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The west door of the parish church was enlarged in 1759, in order to accommodate the townfire engine,which was housed in the tower.In 1821, the engine was moved to an existing building on North Street and a new fire station was built on the same road in 1859. The first motor fire engine was delivered to the town in 1926 and was housed in a new building close to the river.In 2021, the localfire authorityis Surrey County Council and thestatutory fire serviceisSurrey Fire and Rescue Service.Leatherhead Ambulance Station, in Kingston Road, is run by theSouth East Coast Ambulance Service.

Healthcare

The first hospital in Leatherhead was opened in Clinton Road in 1893. As a smallcottage hospital,it only had seven or eight beds and was supervised by a matron.It closed in 1902, having accrued a debt of £130. A replacement facility, the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital (QVMH), on Epsom Road, was opened in 1905. It was built on land donated byWalter Cunliffe,who lived at Tyrells Wood.Initially it had 6 beds for adults and one cot for infants, but by 1928, it had expanded to 17 beds.The QVMH closed at the end of the Second World War.

Leatherhead Community Hospital, on Poplar Road, was opened in 1940 and was built on land donated by Charles Leach. Initially it had 40 beds and came under the management of Epsom Hospital, although it had its own medical committee. By 1960, the hospital had expanded to 52 beds,but in 2014, the in-patient wards were closed to allow the improvement of outpatient services.The NHS has retained ownership of the hospital, but many services are now run by CSH, anot-for-profit organisation.TheX-ray radiography departmentis run by theEpsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The nearest hospital with anA&EisEpsom Hospital,5.3 km (3.3 mi) away.As of 2021, the town has twoGPpractices, on Kingston Road and Upper Fairfield Road.

Transport

Rail

The entrance toLeatherhead railway station

Leatherhead railway stationis to the west of the town centre and is managed bySouthern.It is served by trains toLondon VictoriaviaSutton,toLondon WaterlooviaWimbledon,toHorshamviaDorkingand toGuildfordviaBookham.

Buses

Route 21 (Epsom – Leatherhead –Crawley) is run by Metrobus and route 408 (Epsom – Cobham) is run by Falcon Buses.Route 465 fromKingston upon Thamesto Dorking via Leatherhead is run byLondon United.Route 478 to Guildford is run by Reptons Coaches and Route 479 from Epsom to Guildford via Leatherhead is run by Arriva Kent & Sussex and Stagecoach.

Long-distance footpaths

Leatherhead station is the northern terminus of theMole Gap Trail,which rus south throughNorbury Parkto Dorking station.

Education

Early schools

The earliest record of a school in Leatherhead is from 1596, when reference is made to acharity schoolfor ten boys, which was probably held in the tower of the parish church.By 1712, the school had expanded to included eleven girlsand, later that century, two bequests to fund the[salary of a schoolmaster are recorded.

In 1838 a boys' school was established in Highlands Road by the then Vicar, Benjamin Chapman, and a girls' school followed a year later.The two institutions wereNational schoolsand were funded by a combination of local subscriptions and grants from theNational Society for Promoting Religious Education.

Maintained schools

Leatherhead Trinity School opened in 2010, having been created by a merger of three existing schools. It traces its origins to the All Saints’ School, which opened in 1877 in Kingston Road. Trinity School is a primary school and educates children up to the age of eleven.

St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School was founded in September 1947 and was initially located next to St Peter's Church in Garlands Road. The school's present site in Grange Road was opened in 1958.

Therfield Schoolwas founded in Kingston Road in 1913 as the County Upper Mixed Senior School. It moved to Dilston Road in 1953and was renamed in 1964 after John de Therfield, a former lord of the manor of Pachesham, who was awarded the land in 1205 byKing John.

St Andrew's Catholic Schoolwas founded in Grange Road in 1935 by five nuns from theOrder of St Andrew.The main building was constructed in 1952 and, in 1971, the school became a co-educational comprehensive.

West Hill School is aspecial schoolfor children with learning needs.It was founded at West Hill, Epsom in 1960and moved to Leatherhead three years later.Fox Grove School, a second school for pupils with special Education Needs, opened in September 2021 in Molesey. It is due to move to Leatherhead, to a site adjacent to West Hill School, in Spring 2022.

Independent schools

Downsend Schoolwas founded inHampsteadin 1898and moved to its current site in stages between 1918 and 1940.The school underwent a period of expansion in the late 1970s and 1980s, which included the purchase of pre-preparatory departments in Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom.In 2002, the school was sold by the Linford family (who had owned it since its opening) to Asquith Court Schools Ltd and it was bought byCognitain 2006.In 2017, the school announced that it would build a new study centre to accommodate students studying forGCSEs.

Dining Hall and the Quad War Memorial,St John's School

St John's School was founded inSt John's Woodin 1851 byAshby Haslewoodand moved to Leatherhead in 1872.Initially intended for the sons of poor clergymen, the school began to accept fee-paying pupils at the start of the 20th century. In 1989, girls were accepted into thesixth formand the school became fully coeducational from 2012.Several parts of the school areGrade II listed,including the library, formerly the chapel, which was built in 1876.

Royal School for the Blind

Lavender Court

Main article:SeeAbility

The School for the Indigent Blind was founded atSt George's Fields,Southwarkin 1799 and, for the first 102 years of its existence, was based in London.In 1900, it purchased 15 acres of land in Leatherhead and construction of a new building, in Highlands Road, began the following year. The new school, capable of accommodating up to 250 students, opened in 1904.The school was granted royal patronage byGeorge Vin 1911, at which point it became known as the Royal School for the Blind.

By the mid-1930s, the focus of the school had changed from classroom-based learning to the teaching of practical skills in a workshop setting. During the Second World War, the building was requisitioned by King's College Hospital and, although part of the premises were returned to the school in 1946, a group ofChelsea Pensionerscontinued to live on the site until the 1950s.A redevelopment took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which included converting the dormitories into apartments. Students were increasingly encouraged to take responsibility for their everyday living, with the aim of facilitating their integration into wider society.

The charity adopted the name "SeeAbility"as itsoperating identityin 1994 and, later in the same decade, began to transition away from offering residential education and towards providing community-based support. In the early 2000s, the main school building was sold and converted to apartments. It is now known as Lavender Court.The headquarters of the charity has since moved to Epsom.

Places of worship

See also:List of places of worship in Mole Valley

Anglo-Saxon minster

The church mentioned in Domesday Book is thought to have been an Anglo-Saxonminster,a large church with a small team of priests who ministered to theroyal villand its dependent parishes. It is described as a belonging to Ewell and being held by Osbern of Eu, aprebendatSt Paul's Cathedral.Its location in the town is unknown, but an enclave of land in the north west of the parish is recorded as belonging to Ewell in the 13th century and this may be the remnant of theglebelands of the former minster.The church was probably a constructed from woodand, like other similar minsters, likely lost influence as Normanmanorssuperseded the Anglo-Saxonhundredsas the principal division of local administration.

St Mary and St Nicholas Church

Tower of St Mary and St Nicholas Church

TheChurch of St Mary and St Nicholasis thought to have originally been built as the estate chapel for the manor of Thorncroft. Although it is not mentioned in Domesday book, the oldest parts date from around 1080 and it may have superseded the Anglo-Saxon minster as the parish church at the start of the 12th century. Shortly after 1100, it was granted toColchester Abbey,which held it until 1279.The earliest parts of the building that survive are from the 1240s, when the church is thought to have undergone a major expansion that included the addition of sideaisles.Much of thechanceldates from the first half of the 14th century and this work may have been commissioned byLeeds PrioryinKent,which was given the church byEdward IIIin 1341. The dedication toMaryandNicholas,who were the jointpatronsof the Priory, probably occurred at this time.

The tower was built in around 1500 and is set at an angle to the rest of the building, so that its east wall protrudes into thenave.It originally had a tallspire,which was blown down in theGreat storm of 1703.A major rebuilding of the church took place in the second half of the 19th century, during which much of the roof was replaced.Renovation works between 2018 and 2020, uncovered several vaults beneath the floor including one belonging to the Boulton Family who had lived at Thorncroft Manor in the 18th century.

The churchyard contains theCommonwealth war gravesof 12 British service personnel of the First and Second World Wars.

Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Peter

TheCatholic Church of Our Lady and St Peterwas constructed in 1923 and was partly financed by the newspaper proprietor, SirEdward Hulton.TheGothic Revivalbuilding was designed byJoseph Goldieand thestained glasswindows were installed in the 1930s. TheStations of the Crosswere designed inCaen stoneby the sculptorEric Gill.

Methodist Church

Methodist Church, Church Road

John Wesley,the founder ofMethodism,visited Leatherhead only once in his lifetime. On 23 February 1791, he preached his final sermon in a house on Bull Hill, one week before his death.Despite his visit, there appears to have been no significant Methodist community in the town until the mid-19th century, when a small group of worshipers began meeting in Bridge Street.The first purpose-built place of worship, the "Iron Chapel", so-named because it was primarily constructed of metal, was erected in 1887 on Church Road. The following year, the congregation numbered around 50, but grew rapidly to over 400 by 1891. Two years later, a new brick building, the present church, was constructed. The Iron Chapel, behind the new church, remained standing and was used for theSunday school,but was replaced in 1903 by a new hall.

Disciples Church

The Disciples Church is part of theCalvary Chapel Associationofevangelicalchurches. It was formed in 2007 and adopted its present name in 2012. It meets at the Woodlands School on Forty Foot Road.

Culture

Art

J. M. W. Turner(1775–1851) is among the artists who have been inspired to paint scenes of the town and local area. His pencil and watercolour compositionLeatherhead, Surrey, from across the River Mole, with cattle watering in the foregroundwas probably created in the summer of 1797, when he staying atNorbury Park.The painting was sold atChristie'sin 2014 for £35,000.Other artists who have worked in the town includeJohn Hassell(c. 1767–1825) andJohn Varley(1778–1842).

Theworks of public art in the towninclude ornamental ironwork at the King George V Memorial Parkand at the junction between the High Street, North Street and Bridge Street.

Theatres and cinemas

The first presentation of acinematographfilm in the town took place at the Leatherhead Institute in October 1898. The following year, a second screening took place at the Victoria Hall in the High Street, which had been built in 1890.By 1914, the Victoria Hall was renamed to become the Grand Theatre and was operating as a cinema with a capacity of 550. Further name changes took place before 1946, around which time the venue became known as the Ace Cinema.

In 1949, the Ace Cinema was converted to a 300-seat theatre and a year later, the Leatherhead Theatre was established at the venue.The theatre operated until 1969, but as its popularity increased, its size became restrictive and there was a need for a new and better-equipped performing arts venue in the town.

TheThorndike Theatre,in Church Street, was designed byRoderick Hamin themodernist styleand was opened in 1969 byPrincess Margaret.Named for the actorSybil Thorndike,its construction was primarily paid for by private donations, with some additional funding from the Leatherhead UDC and theArts Council.Although it was initially popular, the theatre regularly ran operating deficits and, following several years of cuts in public subsidy, it closed in 1997 with a total debt of almost £1.2 million.It reopened in 2001 as a part-time theatre,cinema, community space and meeting place for theevangelical group,Pioneer People.The annual Leatherhead Drama Festival, for amateur theatre groups, was launched at the theatre in 2004 and ran for 16 years.

Literature

Leatherhead features in the novelThe War of the WorldsbyH. G. Wells,first published in 1897. On about the tenth day following theMartianinvasion of Earth, the entire town (where the narrator has sent his wife for safety) is obliterated: "it had been destroyed, with every soul in it, by a Martian. He had swept it out of existence, as it seemed, without any provocation, as a boy might crush an ant-hill, in the mere wantonness of power."

TheSherlock Holmesshort story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band"is partly set near the town. During the story, Holmes and Watson travel to Leatherhead from Waterloo station by train. It was first published in 1892 and is one of 12 featured inThe Adventures of Sherlock HolmesbyArthur Conan Doyle.The 1984interactive fictionvideo gameSherlock,developed byBeam Software,is partly set in Leatherhead.

Music

The Leatherhead Operatic Society was founded as the Leatherhead Pierrots in 1904. Two years later, the group was reformed as the Leatherhead & District Amateur Dramatics & Operatic Society and gave its first performance,H.M.S. PinaforebyGilbert and Sullivan.The group performed at the Victoria Hall until 1922, when the venue was turned into a cinema. For the next seventeen years, the society used a number of venues in the local area, until the Crescent Cinema opened in 1939. Since 1970, the group has staged its summer performances at the Thorndike Theatre and the Leatherhead Theatre, with a brief hiatus between 1996 and 2002.

The Leatherhead Choral Society (LCS) was formed in 1907, but its early history is unclear. It was refounded in 1928 to take part in theLeith Hill Musical Festival.Kathleen Riddickconducted the group in 1939 and LCS continued to perform during the Second World War. A musical work was composed byWilliam Blezardto celebrate the society's 50th anniversary in 1978.In recent years, the LCS has typically given concerts in the summer and in early December, as well as participating in the Leith Hill Musical Festival around Easter.

The Leatherhead Orchestra traces its origins to anadult educationclass establishedc. 1954,but was formally founded in around 1958 by Kathleen Riddick.Since 2015, the group has given three concerts each year.

The Leatherhead Town Band was founded in 1887. Its activities ceased during the First and Second World Wars and, on its reformation in 1947, it was known as the Bookham and District Silver Band. In 1974, it changed its name again to the Mole Valley Silver Band, to reflect the formation of the new local authority area.The band performs regularly in and around the towns of Leatherhead and Dorking.

The bandJohn's Children,which included sometime frontmanMarc Bolan,was formed in the town in 1963 byAndy EllisonandChris Townson,former pupils of nearbyBox Hill School.They occasionally appeared at the Chuck Wagon Club on Bridge Street.

Surrey Sound recording studiowas established in 1974 by producerNigel Grayin a former village hall in the north of the town. Early demo pieces for, among others,the WomblesandJoan Armatradingwere followed, by the recording of much of the early repertoire ofthe Police.Other groups recording there includedGodley & Creme,Siouxsie and the Banshees,Rick Astley,theLotus Eaters,Alternative TVandBros.The studio was sold by Gray in 1987.

Robyn Hitchcockrefers to Leatherhead in the song "Clean Steve".

Television and film

Leatherhead has been mentioned in a number of films and television programmes. The filmI Want Candy,released in March 2007, is partly set in the town.Brooklands College,Weybridgewas used as the filming location for the fictional "Leatherhead University".

Monty Python's Flying Circusrefers to Leatherhead in the "Red Indian in Theatre" sketch.Eric Idle,in Native American costume says, "When moon high over prairie, when wolf howl over mountain, when mighty wind roar through Yellow Valley, we go Leatherhead Rep - block booking, upper circle - whole tribe get it on three and six each."The television sketch showThat Mitchell and Webb Looktook a jab at Leatherhead in series two, episode four. In one sketch, a librarian comments to a customer that she is "possibly one of the stupidest people I've ever met. And I lived in Leatherhead for six miserable years."The house that was used as the filming location forArthur Dent's residence for the TV seriesThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,is in Leatherhead.

Sport

Leisure Centre

Leatherhead Leisure Centre

The Leisure Centre was opened in 1975 by the Leatherhead Urban District Counciland was extended in the 1980s with the addition of the Mole Barn. Plans to build a new centre on the site were drawn up by Mole Valley District Council prior to 2006, but instead the facility was given a 20-month, £12.6m refit and a further extension, which was opened by theDuke of Kentin March 2011.The upgraded centre includes a redesigned reception and entrance area, a new gym,aerobicsstudio,saunaand play areas.In July 2023, a report to the cabinet committee of Mole Valley District Council stated that 750,000 visits were made each year to Leatherhead Leisure Centre.

Cricket

Cricket has been played at Leatherhead since at least 1840, when a match is recorded against a team from Dorking. The Leatherhead Cricket Club was founded in 1850and initially played its home games at the Kingston Road recreation ground. It moved to Fetcham Grove in the 1930s.

Football

Altrincham F.C.versusLeatherhead F.C.,F. A. TrophyFinal atWembley Stadium,April 1978

Leatherhead F.C.,commonly known as "The Tanners",was formed in 1946 as a result of the merger of two existing clubs, Leatherhead Rose and Leatherhead United. Leatherhead Rose, foundedc. 1907,drew the majority of its players from the Leatherhead Common area and was named after the Rose Coffee Rooms on Kingston Road; Leatherhead United was formed in 1924 and the following season were Division One Champions of the Sutton and District League.

Following the merger, the new club adopted Fetcham Grove as its home ground and, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, were champions of the Surrey County Senior League for four consecutive years.In 1969, the team won the Surrey County FA Senior Challenge Cup, the Senior Shield and the Intermediate Cup. They were semi-finalists in the 1971 and 1974FA Amateur Cupcompetitions.The Tanners achieved national press coverage in the 1974–75 season, when they were drawn againstFirst DivisionLeicester Cityat home in theFA CupFourth Round Proper.In the2017–18 FA Cup they reached the second round proper, in which they played againstWycombeWanderers.

Golf

The Leatherhead Club was founded as the Surrey Golf Club, but adopted its present name in 1908. The 18-hole course was designed by the Scottish golfer,Peter Paxton,and the first nine holes opened in October 1903. The Prime Minister,Arthur Balfour,was one of those who played at the course in 1907. In 1928,Alf Perryjoined as Club Professional and, seven years later, he won the1935 Open ChampionshipatMuirfield.The clubhouse suffered bomb damage during the Second World War. The construction of the M25 motorway in the late 1970s, necessitated changes to the layout of the southern part of the course.

The 18-hole Tyrells Wood Golf Course was designed byJames Braidin the grounds of Tyrells Wood House in 1922.The Club opened two years later.

Pachesham Golf Centre opened in 1989 as a nine-hole course, but was remodelled in 2014 to a six-hole course. The centre has a 28-bay, floodlitdriving range,which is the longest in Surrey.

Beaverbrook golf course, to the south of Leatherhead, was designed by David McLay-Kidd andTom Watson.The 7,100 yard, 72-par course opened in the grounds ofCherkley Courtin 2016.The construction of the course was opposed by local residents and environmental campaigners, who mounted a series of legal challenges to the development.Construction of the clubhouse was completed in 2018.

Tourist attractions

Bocketts Farm

Main article:Bocketts Farm

Bocketts Farm covers an area of 52 ha (128 acres) to the southwest of the town.Formerly part of the manor of Thorncroft, it was subinfeudated around 1170.Both thefarmhouseand thetimber-framedgranarydate from around 1800 and areGrade II listed.The farm was purchased by the Gowing family in 1990 and was opened to the public two years later.

Leatherhead Museum

Leatherhead Museum

Leatherhead Museum was opened in 1980 by the Leatherhead & District Local History Society. It houses a wide range of historical artefacts and permanent displays explain the history of the town from its origins to the present day. Hampton Cottage, the building in Church Street in which the museum is based, dates from before 1682.

River Mole local nature reserve

TheRiver Mole local nature reserveis a 23.3-hectare (58-acre) protected corridor that stretches along the banks for the river from Young Street (in the south) to Waterway Road (in the north).It was designated in 2005 for its diversity of plant and animal species.

Notable buildings and landmarks

All Saints' community café and hub

All Saints' community café and hub, Leatherhead

All Saints' Church on Kingston Road was consecrated in February 1889 as a daughter church to St Mary's. It was designed by the architect,Arthur Blomfield,and was built to serve a new area of housing under construction to the north of the town centre.On opening, the church could accommodate 300 people, but was later extended with the addition of a lady chapel.By 1980, the congregation had dwindled and the building was in need of repair. A decision was taken to convert the nave of the church to a community space, while retaining the chancel as a place of worship.The dual-purpose facility was rededicated by theBishop of Dorkingin March 1982.In 2005, the nave of the church was converted to a Youth Project Café, known as "B Free", to be a space for young people to meet and socialise.In 2014, the Leatherhead Youth Project, launched a new social enterprise at the church called "AllSaints". The project supports disadvantaged young people, especially thosenot in education, employment or training,and provides opportunities for participants to gain employment and life skills.

Cherkley Court

Main article:Cherkley Court

Cherkley Court was constructed in around 1870 for Abraham Dixon, a wealthy industrialist from the Midlands.It was substantially rebuilt after a fire in 1893and was sold in 1910 toMax Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook,the Canadian-born owner of theDaily Express.Following the death ofBeaverbrook's sonin 1985,the estate was owned by the Beaverbrook Foundation until 2011, when it was bought by a consortium of private investors.Despite considerable local opposition,the house was converted to a luxury hotel, spa and golf course, which opened in 2017.

Cradlers

Cradlers, High Street

The building at 33 and 35 High Street, commonly known as "Cradlers", is a late-medieval openhall house,formerly owned by the Manor of Thorncroft. It most likely originated as a farmhouse and was built on the edge of one of the common fields. Although the earliest surviving records of the building date from 1527,the construction methods used suggest that it was built in the 13th or 14th century (most likely between 1320 and 1360).The western part of the building (now number 33) was constructed as a single-storey hall, but the height of the walls was later raised and an upper floor inserted. The larger eastern part (number 35) was built as two storeys from the outset. In the late medieval period, the rooms closest to the street were probably used as living quarters, but the northernmost third of thewingmay have contained a workshop and hayloft.

Although much of its original timber frame survives, Cradlers has been altered at several points in its history.In the 17th century, a chimney stack and internal staircase were addedand the roof was rebuilt around the same time, probably reusing used timbers from other buildings. In the early modern period, Cradlers may have served as a tavern or hostelryand at different times in the 19th and 20th centuries, it housed a butchers, a fruiterers and a ladies' outfitters.As part of a renovation project carried out in the mid-1980s, the modern shopfronts were removed and the street-facing frontage was restored to its original position.

Leatherhead Institute

Leatherhead Institute

The Leatherhead Institute was built in 1892. It was given to the town by Abraham Dixon,who wanted the building to be used to provide educational, social and recreational opportunities to local residents.During the Second World War, it housed the local Food and Fuel Offices.A major restoration project was completed in 1987.

Running Horse pub

The Running Horse

The Running Horsepub, at the east end of Leatherhead Bridge, is one of the oldest buildings in the town. It is a late-medieval open hall house and was part of the Manor of Thorncroft. Much of the timber frame is original and probably dates from the late 15th century, although the roof was later rebuilt. Later alterations include the insertion of the first floor in the 17th century and installation of interior panelling in the 18th century.

Sweech House

The timber-framed Sweech House, on Gravel Hill, is one of the oldest buildings in Leatherhead. Its name is thought to derive from "switch", indicating that it stood close to a road junction.The land on which it stands may have belonged to the manor of Minchin during the late-medieval period. The southernmost part of the building is the oldest and dates from the 15th century. It was probably constructed as a farmhouse and originally it had an open hall structure.In the late 16th century, it was extended to the north in two separate phases.At different points in its history, the building has been divided into up to four cottages, most likely to provide accommodation for farm labourers. Sweech House was donated to the Leatherhead Countryside Protection Society in the 1940s.

The Mansion

The Mansion

The Mansion, in Church Street, houses thepublic library,register officeand council offices.A map of the town from 1600 shows a house on the site, which may formerly have been the manor house for the manor of Minchin.During the lateElizabethanperiod, it was the home ofEdmund Tylney,Master of the Revels, in effect the official censor of the time.andElizabeth Iis thought to have dined with him in Leatherhead in August 1591.

The external appearance of The Mansion largely dates from 1739, when the house was rebuilt in red brick, although a partial remodelling took placec. 1810.From 1846 until some point in the 1870s, the building was used as a boarding and day school for around 50 boys, who were taught using theJacotot education system.In 1949, The Mansion was subject to a compulsory purchase order and was acquired by Surrey County Council and Leatherhead UDC for use as a health clinic and the public library.During a refurbishment in 2000, the library was moved from the ground floor to the south range and the space released was repurposed for the Registry Office.

Thorncroft Manor house

The current Thorncroft Manor house was designedc. 1763by the architect,Robert Taylor,for the politician and businessman,Henry Crabb-Boulton.It is built in aNeo-Palladianstyle, influenced by theearly Rennaissence,with lightRococoornamentation. The building was enlarged with the addition of a rear wing in 1789, possibly designed by George Gwilt. The engineering firm, Howard Humphreys & Sons, purchased the house in 1971 and subsequently constructed additional office space, glazed with reflective glass.

War memorial

Leatherhead War Memorial

The war memorial in North Street was designed by Stock, Page and Stock, a London firm of architects and was dedicated in April 1921.It consists of a long,single-storeybuilding with 11 open arches, constructed of brick andflint.The arches face a terraced garden, in which there is a free-standing cross made of Portland stone.The land on which the memorial stands was given to the town by Charles Leach, who funded much of the building work and whose son had been asecond lieutenantin theScots Guards.In total, 186 names are inscribed on stone tablets inside the cloister-like structure, of whom 117 died in the First World War.The memorial is protected by a Grade II listing.

Wesley House

TheArt DecoWesley House,on Bull Hill, was built in 1935 as the offices of the Leatherhead Urban District Council (UDC).It was designed by the architects C. H. Rose and H. R. Gardner and was constructed of red brick. The originalcouncil chamberis preserved at the rear of the property.Wesley House was vacated by the UDC in 1983, when it became part of Mole Valley District Council.

Parks and open spaces

King George V memorial gardens

The memorial gardens on Bull Hill, to the north of the town centre, were opened in 1936, following the death ofGeorge V.The 0.39 ha (0.96-acre) site is managed by Mole Valley District Council and has been protected by theFields in Trustcharity since 1938.

Leach Grove Wood

Leach Grove Wood is a 2.9 ha (7.2-acre) area of woodland, adjacent to Leatherhead Hospital, owned by the NHS.It is named after Charles Leach, who donated the land on which the hospital is built, to the town.In 2013, a group of local residents applied to register the wood as avillage green,to guarantee public access to the site in perpetuity.The registration was upheld by the High Court in 2018.The NHS subsequently successfully appealed against the registration at theSupreme Courtand the village green status was removed.

Mansion Gardens

Garden at the rear of The Mansion

The Mansion Gardens is a small formal garden between The Mansion and the River Mole.

Park Gardens

The Park Gardens form the frontage to St Mary's Parish Church at the north end of Gimcrack Hill.The 0.52 ha (1.3-acre) site has been protected by the Fields in Trust charity since 2018. In the gardens, there is a memorial stone toHarold Auten,who was awarded theVictoria Crossin September 1918.

Recreation grounds

There are two recreation grounds in Leatherhead. The Fortyfoot ground contains a children'splaygroundand a football pitch, as well as thebowling greenfor Leatherhead Bowling Club.The playground was upgraded in 2017 and includes asensory garden,atrampolineand azip line. The Kingston Road ground has a children's playground, football pitch,pavilionand a sensory garden.A newskateparkwas installed at the ground in 2017–18, part-funded by a £20,000 donation by theLondon Marathon Charitable Trust.The skatepark adjacent to Leatherhead Leisure Centre was refurbished in 2020.

Notable people

• Harold Auten(1891–1964), recipient of theVictoria Crossduring the First World War, was born in Leatherhead.
• John Drinkwater Bethune(1762–1844), army officer, lived at Thorncroft Manor just outside the town from about 1838 until his death and is buried in the churchyard of the parish church.
• SirThomas Bloodworth(1620–1682),Lord Mayor of Londonduring theGreat Fire of 1666,lived at Thorncroft Manor.
• Ted Bowley(1890–1974), EnglishTest cricketer.
• Michael Caine(born 1933), lives in Leatherhead and is patron to the Leatherhead Drama Festival.
• Donald Campbell(1921–1967),Bluebirdpilot and fastest man on land and water, lived in Leatherhead.
• John Campbell-Jones(1930–2020), formerFormula Oneracing driver.
• Leonard Dawe(1889–1963), footballer, teacher and crossword compiler forThe Daily Telegraph;while living in Leatherhead in 1944 he was wrongly suspected of espionage by inserting codewords forOperation Overlordinto his puzzles.
• Admiral SirJohn Thomas Duckworth(1747–1817), accomplishedRoyal Navalofficer who served underNelson.
• Andy Ellison(b. 1946) andChris Townson(1947–2008), founding members of the bandJohn's Children,and former pupils atBox Hill School.
• Mel Giedroyc(b. 1968), TV presenter, actress and comedian, grew up in Leatherhead.
• Badri Patarkatsishvili(1955–2008), businessman, collapsed and died in his mansion in Leatherhead.
• Richard Patterson(b. 1963) and his brotherSimon Patterson(b. 1967), both artists, were born in the town.
• Jean Ross(1911–1973), an English writer was educated in Leatherhead and briefly confined in a nearbysanatoriumas a young woman.
• Madron Seligman(1918–2002),Member of the European Parliamentand friend ofEdward Heath.
• Marie Stopes(1880–1958), family planning pioneer, lived in the town.
• Richard Wakeford(1921–1972), recipient of the Victoria Cross in the Second World War, died at Leatherhead.
• SirMortimer Wheeler(1890–1976), archaeologist and broadcaster, lived at "The Bothy", Downs Lane from September 1973 until his death.
• Edward Wilkins Waite(1854–1924), local landscape painter, was born in the town, was educated at the school at The Mansion and later lived at Long Cottage, Church Street

Bibliography

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See also

• List of leisure and entertainment in Leatherhead

External links

• Mole Valley District Council
• Leatherhead Residents Association
• Leatherhead & District Local History Society