REIGATE

'Reigate' is an 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).

Contents

History

Travel

Famous residents

Education

See also

External links

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

★ Ventriloquist Ray Alan (and Lord Charles).

★ Charlie, a parrot whose owner claims was taught by Sir Winston Churchill to curse Adolf Hitler; she is believed to be the oldest bird in the United Kingdom.

★ DJ Fatboy Slim, also known as Norman Cook, real name Quentin Cook, was born in Reigate and went to Reigate Grammar School.

★ Ballet dancer Dame Margot Fonteyn was born here.

★ The prolific photographer Francis Frith lived here.

★ The opera singer Susan Gritton was born here in 1965.

★ Melvyn Hayes aka Gloria in It Ain't Half Hot Mum used to live in Glovers Road.

★ Actress Kate Maberly, star of the 1993 feature film The Secret Garden, was born here.

★ Comedian Spike Milligan used to live in Woodhatch in Meadow Way.

★ BBC News presenter Nicholas Owen currently lives in Reigate.

★ The visionary English artist Samuel Palmer (1805-1881) is buried in Reigate St Mary's churchyard, having lived in Reigate from about 1860-1862.

★ Current British Touring Car Championship driver Tom Chilton was born and lives in Reigate.

★ Actress Caroline Quentin was born in Reigate.

★ One half of the Little Britain comedy team, David Walliams (né Williams) went to Reigate Grammar School.

★ Survival expert Ray Mears studied at Reigate Grammar School.

★ The European Headquaters of Enturia Ltd. is in Reigate. The Infection control company, whose Global HQ is in Kansas City, America, has been based close to the rail station since 2006.

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

External links

★ Reigate - 1911 Encyclopedia article

★ Reigate Society

★ ReigateandRedhill.co.uk - Reigate information