Reigate

 

(rī'gĭt) , city (1991 pop. 52,554), Surrey, S England. Largely residential, Reigate has numerous parks that attract visitors from London. In the partly Norman church is the tomb of Lord Howard of Effingham, who defeated the Spanish Armada. A technical college is there. Reigate and the smaller town of Banstead constitute the district of Reigate and Banstead.

Reigate
Reigate shown within Surrey
Population	21,820
OS grid reference	TQ2649
District	Reigate and Banstead
Shire county	Surrey
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	REIGATE
Postcode district	RH2
Dialling code	01737
Police	Surrey
Fire	Surrey
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Reigate
European Parliament	South East England
List of places: UK • England • Surrey

Coordinates: 51°′″N 0°′″W / 51.2301, -0.188

Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. It is one of the main constituents of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. Reigate and the adjacent town of Redhill form a single urban area.

Colley Hill, one mile north of Reigate, is the sixth highest point in Surrey at 756 feet (230 metres). Reigate Hill, one mile to the east of Colley Hill, is the seventh highest point in Surrey at 723 feet (220 metres).

History

There have been settlements in the area of Reigate at least since Roman times. The Romans are known to have made tiles for London villas in Reigate around 97 AD.

The town lay within the Reigate hundred, an Anglo-Saxon administrative division.

Reigate appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Cherchefelle which means ‘church field’ (or `church hill’). It was held by William the Conqueror. Its domesday assets were: 34 hides. It had 2 mills worth 11s 10s, 29 ploughs, 12 acres of meadow, pannage and herbage worth 183 hogs. It rendered £40.^[1]

It was located in what is now the Chart Lane area of Reigate. William I granted the land around Reigate to one of his supporters, William de Warenne, who was created Earl of Surrey in 1088. It is believed that his son, William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, ordered that Reigate Castle be built, although the de Warennes had their southern base in Lewes, Sussex, as well as castles in Yorkshire and Normandy. Around 1150 the de Warennes ordered that a town be constructed below the castle. This town forms the basis of modern-day Reigate.

The origin of the name Reigate is uncertain, but may derive from Roe-deer Gate, as the town was situated near to the entrance to the de Warenne's deer park, which is now Priory Park and Reigate Park.

It is reputed that prior to the signing of the Magna Carta, the rebellious barons met to hammer out the details of the document in the caves beneath the castle. The castle later fell into decay and was demolished in 1648, though the grounds remain as a public garden, and the caves are occasionally opened for tours.

During the 13th century the Reigate Priory was founded for regular Canons of the Order of St Augustine. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1535 the estate was granted by Henry VIII to William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham, who converted the Priory into a residence. The Effingham branch of the Howard family, including the Earl of Nottingham who as Lord High Admiral commanded the force which defeated the Spanish Armada, lived there for about 140 years. The building is now used as a school.

Travel

• Reigate is served by Reigate railway station. During peak times direct trains run to London Victoria in 40 minutes. Off peak trains run to Gatwick Airport, Reading and Redhill.
• Reigate is a few minutes from Junction 8 of the London orbital motorway M25. The A217 makes up a part of the town's one-way system.

Famous residents

• Ray Alan, ventriloquist (and Lord Charles).
• Charlie, a parrot whose owner claims was taught by Sir Winston Churchill to curse Adolf Hitler
• Fatboy Slim, DJ, also known as Norman Cook, real name Quentin Cook, born in Reigate and attended Reigate Grammar School.
• Dame Margot Fonteyn, ballet dancer, was born here.
• Francis Frith, the prolific photographer, lived here.
• Susan Gritton, opera singer, was born here in 1965.
• Melvyn Hayes aka Gloria in It Ain't Half Hot Mum a resident of Glovers Road.
• Kate Maberly, actress and star of the 1993 feature film The Secret Garden, was born here.
• Ian McKay (formerly Laidlaw), art critic, writer and publisher, lived here and attended Reigate School of Art & Design.
• Spike Milligan, writer and comedian, used to live in Woodhatch in Meadow Way.
• Nicholas Owen, BBC News presenter, currently lives in Reigate.
• Samuel Palmer, visionary British artist, is buried in Reigate St Mary's churchyard, having lived in Reigate from about 1860-1862.
• Tom Chilton, Current British Touring Car Championship driver, born and lives in Reigate.
• Caroline Quentin, actress, was born in Reigate.
• David Walliams (né Williams), comedian, went to Reigate Grammar School.
• Ray Mears, survival expert, studied at Reigate Grammar School.
• Dame Judi Dench^{[citation needed]} actress, lives near Reigate

Education

• Reigate College [1] (Sixth form college)
• Reigate School [2] (Secondary school)
• Reigate Grammar School [3] (Secondary school)
• Royal Alexandra and Albert School [4] (Secondary school)
• Reigate Priory School [5] (Junior school)
• Sandcross School [6] (Junior school)
• Reigate St. Mary's School [7] (Preparatory school (UK))
• Dovers Green Infant School [8] (Primary school)
• Holmesdale Community Infant School [9] (Primary school)
• Orchards School (Primary school)
• Reigate Parish Church School [10] (Primary school)
• Wray Common Primary School [11] (Primary school)

See also

• London Defence Positions

References

External links

• Reigate - 1911 Encyclopedia article
• Reigate Society
• ReigateandRedhill.co.uk - Reigate information

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