Oxted
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Oxted | |
  Oxted shown within Surrey |
|
| Population | 10,813 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Tandridge |
| Shire county | Surrey |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | OXTED |
| Postcode district | RH8 |
| Dialling code | 01883 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | East Surrey |
| List of places: UK • England • Surrey | |
Oxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England situated at the foot of the North Downs north-east of East Grinstead and south of Croydon.
Contents |
[edit] History
The village lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred.
Oxted appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Acstede. It was held by Eustace II of Boulogne. Its domesday assets were: 5 hides; 1 church, 2 mills worth 12s 6d, 20 ploughs, 4 acres of meadow, pannage worth 100 hogs. It rendered £14 and 2d from a house in Southwark.[1]
The original village of Oxted (now called Old Oxted) is a small street with 4 pubs (The Old Bell, The George Inn, The Crown Inn and The Wheatsheaf) just off the A25. Curiously, Oxted church (St.Mary's) was built some distance to the north from the original settlement of Oxted. Today however it is almost surrounded by the new town. The church dates back to at least Norman times and stands on a conspicuous mound, perhaps of man made origin. It is possible that a Saxon church of wattle and daub existed on the site before the later stone construction. With the arrival of the railway in 1884 (finally completed after many years' delay caused by lack of funds) Oxted boomed around its station (north of Old Oxted) and new buildings created "New Oxted". These new buildings were built in the Tudor style and give the town a sense of character.
The Greenwich Meridian runs directly through Oxted School and Oxted.
[edit] Celebrity residents
The artist Albert Houthuesen lived and painted in Oxted in 1950. The palaeontologist, writer and TV presenter Alan J. Charig lived in Comforts Farm Avenue in Hurst Green, Oxted from 1958 until his death in 1997. The England and Surrey cricketer, Tony Lock, lived in Mill Lane, Hurst Green, Oxted before moving to Australia. The billionaire Mohammed al-Fayed lived in Oxted in Barrow Green Court before relocating to Switzerland. The popular band, Rooster also come from the Oxted area. Picture Post photographer Bert Hardy (b. 1913) moved to Oxted and 1964 and died there in 1995. The singer Louise, formerly of the band Eternal and now married to footballer Jamie Redknapp, lived in Oxted during her childhood. Footballers who have lived in Oxted include Julian Speroni, a goalkeeper for Crystal Palace Football Club, Ian Pearce who currently plays for Fulham F.C., Hull City A.F.C. striker Nicky Forster, former Manchester City and Middlesbrough midfielder, Jamie Pollock and former Hearts winger, David Wagstaff, retired to Oxted in 1993.
[edit] Education
Oxted's main school is Oxted School (called Oxted County School until 2000), which is a large secondary school. Opened in 1929, it has over 2000 pupils and is one of the largest in the country. There are two other state schools in Oxted, Downs Way primary school and St. Mary's C of E junior school.
There are two private schools in Oxted, Hazelwood (co-education 2.5 to 13 years) and Laverock (girls 2 to 11).
[edit] Sports and leisure
Oxted hosts Tandridge Leisure Centre, the main leisure centre within the district. It contains the following features:
- a 25m fitness pool
- a Lagoon Pool with waves, water features and a 70m slide
- Sauna and steam room
- Gym and fitness studio
