Cobham, Surrey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Cobham
Location on map of Greater London
Statistics
Population:
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference: TQ1160
Administration
District: Elmbridge
Shire county: Surrey
Region: South East England
Constituent country: England
Sovereign state: United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county: Surrey
Historic county: Surrey
Services
Police force: Surrey Police
Fire and rescue: {{{Fire}}}
Ambulance: South East Coast
Post office and telephone
Post town: Esher
Postal district: KT11
Dialling code: 01932
Politics
UK Parliament: Esher and Walton
European Parliament: South East England
Map of Cobham (from OpenStreetMap)
Enlarge
Map of Cobham (from OpenStreetMap)
Map sources for Cobham, Surrey at grid reference TQ1160
Map sources for Cobham, Surrey at grid reference TQ1160

Cobham is a small town in Surrey, England, about 20 miles south-west of London; and 5 miles north of Leatherhead. To the north of the town is the A3 and Hersham Village.

Contents

[edit] History

Cobham is an ancient settlement whose origins can be traced back through Roman times to the Iron Age. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086) it was known as Coveham or Covenham which is thought to mean a settlement in the curve of a river.

[edit] The Town

Cobham has always had a quiet village atmosphere, partly due to the picturesque riverbank with weeping willows, swans and a water mill. The High Street, whilst now largely given over to 'bijou' shops selling high quality fashions, has also in recent years attracted a wide selection of restaurants and coffee shops, adding to a generally sociable and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Cobham High street at 11 am on a Saturday in summer is a vibrant place, with expensively dressed families enjoying a morning's shopping.

Whilst always a problem, particularly at peak times, traffic is not generally as unrelenting as in some surburban towns and the recent introduction of parking charges - arguably a necessary if unpopular move by the local council - together with the addition of a 2 storey carpark adjacent to Waitrose supermarket has brought some relief to the often congested High street.

This particular contributor, born in Cobham in the 1950's, remembers a very different High Street to now, abounding at one point with 3 butchers, a Dairy - a unique and quite attractive chalet style house owned by the Milk Marketing Board and demolished to make way for one of Cobham's drabber developments - 3 greengrocers, an old haberdashery (Gammons) and at one point 2 garages (Soane's and Ashbys) in the High street.

Ashby's Garage (an Austin dealership) made way for the advent of Waitrose supermarket, recently redeveloped and expanded and now regarded as a 'de rigueur' place to shop.

The advent of many privately owned clothes boutiques, trendy cafes and a myriad of Estate Agents and Charity Shops (where remarkable bargains can sometimes be had given their source of stock!!) has brought about great change, but some of Cobham High street's older guard do still remain, and flourish. Farrants the newsagents, Harvey Weston's Gift shop (relocated but still there!) Kenneth Hughes menswear, Jeffrey's Carpets, The Medical Eye Centre, Penny's Ironmongers, Threshold Records (part-owned by John Lodge of the Moody Blues) as well as the small Shoe repair shop on Anyards Road all spring to mind.

Creeping urbanisation is however a fact of modern life, and some of Cobham's landmark sites, for instance the Unigate Dairy distribution centre on Anyards Road have been converted into high density flats, and plans do exist for the construction of a shopping mall in the area bordered by Church Street and High Street.

The town has one of the highest incomes per capita in the United Kingdom, with apparently 50% of the population earning in excess of £100,000.00 per annum, and the Cobham postcode was recently ranked among the top ten most expensive places to live in the country. This has led to an abnormal (some might say absurd) number of Estate Agents in the town centre, a matter which has caused some disquiet amongst residents. But with many houses priced well over £1 or even £2 million, the attraction is unfortunately irresistable.

The River Mole, a tributary of the Thames, almost encircles Cobham and provides a distinctly rural appearance in some places.

Cobham has a particularly high international population due to the presence of the ACS Cobham International school and a branch of the quite small (Dutch) Rijnlands Lyceum within Reeds School.

There are other private schools in the immediate vicinity of Cobham, notably Feltonfleet School, Notre Dame school for Girls, and Parkside School, Stoke D'Abernon.

There is also a local state school, St. Andrews C of E , for years 1 to 6 and a nusery in its grounds. This is the only state school within the vicinity but has amazing standards for a state school - compared to others of similar funding.

There is unfortunately no State school for children aged 12 and over which causes problems for those requiring State School education, as schools in Cobham's immediate catchment area are already heavily oversubscribed. This is the reason why so many old Cobham families have moved out of the area. However, the state schools Howard Of Effingham and Therfield are available to residents.

The Cobham Extravaganza is a community inspired event, organised by the Cobham Chamber of Commerce, when the High Street is closed to traffic, the shops stay open late and local traders organise stalls outside their premises, often serving Mince Pies and Mulled wine. Parades are held and a celebrity or two is on hand on switch on the Christmas lights. The local radio station broadcasts on the evening of the event from Cobham.

[edit] Cobham's housing development

In an area largely to the north of Cobham centre lies its residential heartland, and the reason why Cobham has become well known. Some of the most expensive houses in the country have been constructed here over the last 15 or so years.

At the pinnacle of the Cobham housing market - and Cobham 'old money' - is probably Icklingham Road where, in the humble opinion of this contributor, the new houses are by and large examples of a reasonably sympathetic development policy, with most of the new houses built in keeping with their grandiose surroundings. Many old houses also remain and there can be few, if any, houses in the road that sell for less than £1 million and often much more.

Eaton Park Road, Eaton Park, Fairmile Avenue and Fairmile Lane and recently renamed "The Mizens" are also Cobham property hotspots where, with certain notable exceptions, the property developers art unfortunately can be observed in all its tasteless glory. Gated communities abound - particularly attractive, so it seems, to the many Americans that live in Cobham - where any sense of real community has been firmly displaced in the name of the "au jour" aspirations of ostentation and personal security.

The dubious cachet that the arrival of Chelsea Football Club's training ground in Cobham has bestowed on the town, has only served to further inflate house prices in the area, and these prices have now reached a stage where they seemingly self-perpetuate, making an investment in a house in the area as safe as any investment can be, although most residents are unaffected by their presence and are, if anything, ininterested and annoyed at the publicity.

On the corner of Leigh Hill Road and Fairmile Lane, probably the largest house built in Cobham in recent nears completion. Owned by a local trader.

[edit] Local Area

On the outskirts of Cobham is Stoke d'Abernon, whose name is taken from a family who settled here at time of the Norman conquest in 1066.

The Road leading to Stoke D'Abernon from Cobham passes through an area called The Tilt, where development has been more restrained and where, on the green, a beautiful display of pink Cherry blossom can be seen in the spring, whilst enjoying a drink at The Running Mare, a local pub.

Tilt Green has some lovely old houses dotted around it, many dating back to Victorian and Edwardian times. On the north side of the Green there remain a couple of bomb shelters dating back to the war.

Stoke D'Abernon ancient parish church - St. Marys - contains some of the oldest monumental brasses in the country. The church is set in its own beautiful parkland, though nowadays the Manor House houses Parkside School.

In the 1960's St Marys church was at the forefront of a vibrant and active local community, especially for youngsters as the local vicar - John Waterson - actively encouraged youth clubs (Icthus club was one of them) and other activities after church.

Waterson would greet his flock in dramatic fashion after a Sunday service, always wearing a full length black cape with gold chains, and with his wild mane of grey/black hair flying in the wind, stopping each car as it tried to leave the confines of the church, and lean on the drivers windowsill for a chat, especially with any children. Those that tried to sneak away would be stopped with an imperious wave of the hand, and a swish of the cloak, and admonished (in a kindly manner) and made to relate little snippets of family life before being allowed to continue.

Nearby is the world-famous Yehudi Menuhin School which has recently completed the addition of a Concert hall where concerts - largely classical - are held throughout the year. The school is where numerous famous musicians have perfected their art, amongst them violinists Nigel Kennedy and Tasmin Little.

Cobham Bus Museum, located in Redhill Road, some 3 miles outside Cobham towards Byfleet, is home to The London Bus Preservation Trust, dedicated to preserving and restoring historic London buses.

One of the main attraction for visitors to Cobham is Painshill Park which is considered to be amongst the finest eighteenth century landscape gardens in the land. The restoration has been a long and at times difficult process, with budgetary considerations often causing disruptions, but the gardens are now almost complete and a visit to look round is a wonderful and rewarding experience. The entrance to Painshill Park is in Between Streets, a continuation of the High Street towards the A3.

The RHS Garden, Wisley is close by, being located just off the A3 north of Ripley. It is one of the three most visited gardens in the United Kingdom and is one of four public gardens run by the Society. It is often very crowded, and access on some days in summer is almost impossible.

In 2005 the English Premiership football club Chelsea FC moved their training ground to Stoke D'Abernon on the outskirts of Cobham. Some people claim that as a result, house prices in Cobham have skyrocketed, although the residents are unaffected; usually having an equal abundance of money.

Cobham is known for the movement called the Diggers. Other nearby areas include Ockham Common and Chatley Heath, which has one of the last remaining semaphore towers.

The local newspaper is the Cobham News & Mail.

[edit] Cobham Mill

The river provides a setting for Cobham's best-known landmark which is the red brick water mill, constructed in 1822 and once part of a much larger complex. It stands on the site of earlier mills dating back to the Middle Ages. The mill was in use until 1928 when it became uneconomical to continue operating.

Cobham Mill
Enlarge
Cobham Mill

In 1953 the main part of the mill was demolished by Surrey County Council to allieviate traffic congestion on Mill Road. The remaining building was restored to full working order by the Cobham Mill Preservation Trust, and is now open to the public from 2pm to 5pm on the second Sunday of each month (between April and October).

The area near Cobham Mill, know to some as the Cobham Lido is frequented in summer by families as it affords a safe area for children to paddle in the river Mole and observe a wide variety of wildlife on the banks of the river. Up-stream about 100 yards from the access to the River, and just downstream from the Mill, is a safe swimming area.

[edit] Education

[edit] Local Leisure & Entertainment

[edit] Pubs, Restaurants and Social Clubs

[edit] Pubs

  • The Old Bear - At the end of the High Street towards the River.
  • The Fairmile Arms - Portsmouth Road. Part of the Premier Inn complex
  • The Running Mare - On The Tilt green.
  • The Old Plough - Over Downside Bridge and first right.
  • The Cricketers - On the green at Downside.

[edit] Restaurants

  • The Cricketers pub (English style with a twist) - 01932 862105
  • L'Auberge @ The Plough pub, Downside (French cuisine in a pub atmosphere) - 01932 589790
  • La Capanna (Italian food in a rustic setting) - 01932 862121
  • Pizza Express - 01932 860870
  • Chez Gerard (French bistro style food) - 01932 867668
  • Cobham Tandoori (Indian food) - 01932 866036
  • Loch Fyne Restaurant @ Cobham (Fish) - 01932 586010
  • Lo Stivale (Italian) - 01932 863 973
  • El Torito (Mexican) - 01932 860 601
  • Kismet (Bangladeshi/Indian) - 01932 866036
  • Travel Inn (Family food) - (0)1932 868141
  • Roko (Japanese) - 01932 865005
  • Cafe Luna (Foreign) - 01932 860683

[edit] Hotels

  • The Cobham Hilton - 01932 864471
  • Premier Inn - 0870 9906358
  • Woodlands Park Hotel (some 3 miles outside Cobham towards Leatherhead)
  • Cobham Lodge Hotel - 01932 862015
  • Cedar House Hotel - 01932 863424

[edit] Clubs

[edit] Cafés

  • Costa Coffee
  • Miramar Cafe
  • Cafe Aromas

[edit] Transport

[edit] Rail

Cobham has its own railway station, named Cobham and Stoke D'Abernon. The fact that the station is located some 3 miles from the town centre is due to the fact that Cobham was located too far north for the line to be effectively routed to it when it was constructed at the end of the 19th century, and so it is reported also to avoid passing through the royal residence at Claremont.

Cobham and Stoke D'Abernon is located on a branch line, linking Waterloo Station with Guildford. Train times into London vary, but on average there are 2 services an hour to both Waterloo and Guilford, with more at morning and evening peak times. The journey to both Waterloo and Guildford take about 35 minutes.

[edit] Road

To the north and west of the town is the A3 trunk road, a major arterial route from London to Portsmouth. This road links to the M25 motorway at Junction 10, immediately to the south of Cobham.

  • The A307, Portsmouth Road starts in Cobham and runs northwards to the adjoining town of Esher. This is also known as the "old A3"
  • The A245 runs through the centre of the town and leads to Leatherhead in the South East and Byfleet to the West.

[edit] Emergency Services and Health Services

[edit] Health

The town of Cobham is served by Cobham Health Centre (Dr A Watson and partners) which is located off the Portsmouth Road. Its telephone number is (01932) 867231.

It is an well run practise with a team of front-desk operators of unusual cheerfulness and efficiency.

Out of normal hours (08.30am - 7.00pm Mon - Friday) a locum service is provided by Thamesdoc who can be contacted on 0208 390 9991.

Cobham Health Centre has an in-house dispensing Chemist which is open on a Saturday morning

[edit] Emergency Services

Cobham is served by these emergency sevices. As is all areas of the UK dial 999 to connect with any of the emergency services

Cobham Police Station is only used for minor issues now; everything else is handled from Esher Police Station. The station is staffed by volunteers, and is open at the following times -

Monday 5pm - 7pm

Wednesday 10am - 1230pm

Friday 2pm - 4pm

Saturday 10am - 1230pm



  • Surrey Fire & Rescue Service, Called Painshill Fire Station. With a full time crew.
    • 1 x Water Tender Ladder,
    • 1 x Incident Command Unit,
    • 1 x Forward Command Vehicle

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/o/b/Cobham%2C_Surrey_e3b1.html"