Egham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Egham | ||
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| Statistics | ||
| Population: | 12,000 (inc. Egham Hythe) | |
| Ordnance Survey | ||
| OS grid reference: | TQ008712 | |
| Administration | ||
| District: | Runnymede | |
| 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: | EGHAM | |
| Postal district: | TW20 and TW18 | |
| Dialling code: | 01784 | |
| Politics | ||
| UK Parliament: | Runnymede and Weybridge | |
| European Parliament: | South East England | |
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Egham is a small town in the Runnymede borough of Surrey in South East England and part of the London commuter belt.
It is located 30 km (19 miles) southwest of central London on both the River Thames and on the M25 motorway (Junction 13). Royal Holloway, University of London is situated on Egham Hill, 1 km to the west of the town.
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[edit] History
Egham predates 666 which was when Chertsey Abbey was founded with lands which included that of Ecga's Ham, from which the name Egham derives. In 1086, the Domesday Book recorded that Egham consisted of 15 hides of land and was worth £30 10s 0d.
The village of Egham was previously an ancient parish covering land totalling 7,435 acres in the counties of Berkshire and Surrey; incorporating Egham, Egham Hill, Coopers Hill, Englefield Green, Virginia Water, Shrubs Hill, Runnymede, and a considerable portion of Windsor Great Park.[1]
The manor of Egham, which includes Runnymede belonged formerly, and in 1215, to Chertsey Abbey, and after the dissolution (around 1540) became the property of the Crown, though granted to various tenants (holders) at different times. [2]
The Magna Carta was sealed at nearby Runnymede in 1215, and is commemorated by a memorial, built in 1957 by the American Bar Association, at the foot of Cooper's Hill (a small rise adjacent to the Thames floodplain, immortalised in verse by such luminaries as John Denham ('Cooper's Hill') and Alexander Pope ('Windsor Forest')).
There is also another, more sizeable memorial at the top of the hill (technically located in the nearby village of Englefield Green) that commemorates Allied airmen, whose bodies were never recovered, killed whilst serving with Commonwealth forces in World War II. This structure is of particular architectural interest as the first new-built British building to be listed in the post-war era. The memorial (administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission) is freely open to the public year-round and offers excellent views towards London, Windsor and the Surrey Hills, as well as being a place of quiet contemplation and reflection.
Egham at one time held horse races which took place at the Runnymede meadow, which interfered with the Inclosure Act of 1814 (54 G. III, c. 153), and the consequent award made in 1817, which divided up the meadow, as the Act stipulated that any enclosures which should interfere with the holding of Egham races at the end of August upon on its usual course must be removed every year. In 1836 the races was presided over by William IV, who gave a plate to be run for at the meeting, which coincided with festivities at Windsor for his daughter's marriage. The races ceased in 1884. [3]
The principal properties were 'Egham Park', and 'Egham Wick'. [4]
Egham Rural District was a Local Government District in the county of Surrey, in England. It was created in 1894 and replaced in 1906 with Egham Urban District, which was then abolished in 1974.
[edit] Business
Egham is home to a large research centre for Procter & Gamble on a site called Rusham Park Technical Centre (formally owned by Shell oils). P&G has over 550 employees in Egham, working on Fine Fragrance, Beauty Care and Health Care brands, such as Hugo Boss, Olay, and Vicks. Other notable employers include Research in Motion (makers of BlackBerry) and the Runnymede Hotel & Spa.
[edit] Education
Strode's College is an institution in Egham dating back to 1704 and was a grammar school before being designated a sixth form college in 1975.
Royal Holloway, University of London is a college of the University of London located between Egham and Englefield Green, and caters for about 8000 students.
[edit] Transport
Egham railway station is situated on the railway lines from Waterloo in London to Reading and Weybridge. Passenger services are operated by South West Trains. Several bus routes connect the town and Royal Holloway to Staines and nearby London Heathrow Airport. Junction 13 of the M25 motorway is nearby.
[edit] Nearest places
Egham's neighbouring towns are Staines, Sunningdale, Englefield Green and Virginia Water. Windsor Great Park and the towns of Old Windsor and Windsor are a few kilometres to the northwest.
The area between Egham and Staines town centres is known as Egham Hythe.
Just to the north of Egham is Wraysbury, home of the British Disabled Waterski Association. Just to the South is Thorpe Park, a large theme park of rides and attractions.
