Headley, Surrey
| Headley | |
| Surrey | |
|---|---|
_(Geograph_Image_2225767_8ebdbdcc).jpg) The grotto at St Mary's Church, Headley | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TQ205545 |
| Location: | 51°16’37"N, 0°16’16"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 643 (2011) |
| Post town: | Epsom |
| Postcode: | KT18 |
| Dialling code: | 01372 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Mole Valley |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Mole Valley |
Headley is a village in the North Downs in Surrey, just outside the ring of the M25 motorway.
The nearest villages are, to the west, Mickleham and Leatherhead; to the north, Ashtead and Langley Vale; to the east, Walton-on-the-Hill; and to the south, Box Hill.
The name of Headley is found I the Domesday Book of 1096 as Halle(g)a, indicating a clearing in the heather, which is appropriate considering the village's position.
Contents
Parish church
The church, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. It was designed by Anthony Salvin, was built in 1855, with an added tower of 1859 by G. E. Street. It is built from relatively local flint rubble and is Grade II listed.[1] The triptych (1895) on the communion table is by Charles Edgar Buckeridge.
The first records of a church are after the Norman Conquest. Next to the present 19th-century church is a grotto, constructed using materials from the earlier 15th-century church and placed over the grave of the Revd Ferdinand Faithful.[2]
History
The Romans had an influence nearby, with the Roman Road to Noviomagus Reginorum, called by the Saxons Stane Street, a mile from the village, and a considerable Roman presence in the neighbouring village of Walton-on-the-Hill with its scheduled ancient monument villa and other finds.
Headley appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as the manor of Hallega. It was held by Radulfus (Ralph) de Felgeres and had 2 hides; 6 ploughs, woodland worth 15 hogs. It rendered £5 per year to its overlords. The survey records that the manor was held before the conquest by Countess Goda (the mother of King Harold) and it had been granted to her by King Edward the Confessor.
Walter Cunliffe, later 1st Baron Cunliffe and the Governor of the Bank of England, was given the original farmhouse estate, formerly the main manor, and its remaining 300 acres, Headley Court, in 1880 by his father on the condition that he would make a career in banking rather than become a farmer. He redeveloped it in 1898. The family fortune had been made by Walter's grandfather, James Cunliffe, with his development of the North Eastern Railway.[3]
There has been little new housing built in the late 20th century and early 21st century as the village is part of the London Green Belt and the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
About the village
Headley Heath is managed by the National Trust, and other nearby areas are controlled by the Surrey Wildlife Trust and other nature reserves. The heath is part of the Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The heath leads out towards Box Hill. The Heath was used by Canadian troops during Second World War as tank and combat training grounds.
Headley Court
- Main article: Headley Court
There is a military hospital (previously run by the RAF Hospital) at Headley Court in the parish, once the manor house, the main building being a reconstruction that took place in 1899.[3] Its playing fields can be used for helicopters. This unit closed in September 2018 and the site was bought for redevelopment in May 2019 by Angle Property.
Social life and sport
The village has an active church, shop, village hall and pub.
The village has a Parish Council and its hall hosts clubs including: a computer club, cricket club, gardening club and other activities.[4]
The Cock Inn, formerly for a few years the Cock Horse, is the only public house in the village. There is also the RAF Headley Club which is open only to servicemen and women, plus their families of Headley Court.
The Headley Cricket Club was founded in 1893, and now incorporating the Old Freemen's side from nearby City of London Freemen's School. The team play on the ground opposite the main Heath car park, to the south of the village centre and have played in the Surrey Downs League since 2002 on Saturdays and have a Sunday team.
Tyrrells Wood Golf Club is a large private golf course and grounds to the west of the village and partially within the bounds of the parish.
Headley was on the London-Surrey Cycle Classic over the opening weekend of the 2012 London Olympic Games as part of the Box Hill loop, which was covered nine times in the men's event and twice in the women's. With long distance routes in various directions, the roads in and around Headley have become very popular for leisure cycling.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Headley, Surrey) |
References
- ↑ National Heritage List 1378152: St Mary's Church (Grade II listing)
- ↑ 'Grotto' (Church remains) National Heritage List 1293378: Remains of old church (Grade II listing)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 National Heritage List 1389265: Headley Court – mansion or club house (Grade II listing)
- ↑ "Headley.org". http://www.headleysurrey.org.uk/hh.htm.
