Epsom and Ewell

Borough of Epsom and Ewell
Shown within Surrey
Geography
Status:	Borough
Region:	South East England
Admin. County:	Surrey
Area: - Total	Ranked 304th 34.07 km²
Admin. HQ:	Epsom
ONS code:	43UC
Demographics
Population: - Total (2008 est.) - Density	Ranked 298th 72,400 2125 / km²
Ethnicity:	91.3% White 3.8% S.Asian
Politics
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council http://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk
Leadership:	Alternative - Sec.31
Control:	Independent
MP:	Chris Grayling

Epsom and Ewell is a local government district with borough status in Surrey, England, covering Epsom and Ewell. The borough was in the Metropolitan Police District despite being outside modern Greater London. It transferred to Surrey Police in 2000. The borough was formed as an urban district in 1894, 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.^[1] In the 3 May 2007 elections, the borough was held by the Epsom and Ewell Residents Association with 25 seats, Liberal Democrats with 11 and Conservatives 2.

History

Epsom 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[1].

Transport

Railway stations in the borough include Epsom, 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.

Politics

Epsom and Ewell is one of the few councils dominated by a group not linked to a national political party. Residents Association has dominated the council since the foundation of the borough. Epsom and Ewell Parliamentary Constituency 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:

Education

Epsom and Ewell has several secondary schools, Glyn Technology School, Epsom and Ewell High School, Rosebery High School, and Blenheim High School. In addition it also has two private schools, Epsom College and Ewell Castle

Further education

• University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester
• North East Surrey College Of Technology
• Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College

Epsom and Ewell is a very great, fun and interactive town/village.

References

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Coordinates: 51°19′58″N 0°15′54″W / 51.3329°N 0.2651°W / 51.3329; -0.2651