| Laleham | |
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Laleham
Laleham shown within Surrey |
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| Population | 1,511 |
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| OS grid reference | TQ052689 |
| District | Spelthorne |
| Shire county | Surrey |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | STAINES |
| Postcode district | TW18 |
| Dialling code | 01784 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Spelthorne |
| List of places: UK • England • Surrey | |
Laleham is a village in the borough of Spelthorne, in the county of Surrey in South East England and adjoins Staines. It is within the historic boundaries of Middlesex. To its south is Laleham Park by the River Thames, across green belt farmland to its north and south east are Ashford and Shepperton, to its east is Queen Mary Reservoir. Penton Hook Lock is on the river here and Laleham Burway is directly across the river. A mile south along the towpath or the humped river road is Chertsey Bridge and the historic town of Chertsey.
The word Laleham probably comes from 'lael' meaning twig and 'ham'[1] meaning water meadow or village.[2]
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It is possible that there was a 1st century Roman marching camp on the field which is now part of Matthew Arnold School.[2]
Iron Age spearheads from the 5th century have been found in the River Thames at Laleham Ferry. 10th century charts record the village of Laelham.
Laleham appears in the Middlesex section of the Domesday Book of 1086 as Leleham. It was held partly by Fécamp Abbey from Robert of Mortain and partly by Estrild, the nun. Its domesday assets were: 10 hides. It had 6½ plougs, 5 ploughs meadow, cattle pasture. It rendered £5.[3]
The foundations of the parish church of All Saints date back to the 12th century.[4] The church is well known for a superb stained glass window by Wilhelmina Geddes.[5] Records show that in the 13th century the monks of Westminster Abbey had their 'Grange' and watermill on the banks of the Thames very close to the site of Laleham Abbey. It was in 1970 that the village of Laleham was designated as a Conservation Area.
Laleham contains many fine and listed buildings including Laleham Abbey called until 1928 Laleham House. It was built as the country seat of Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan in 1803, its was architect John Buonarotti Papworth and its parkland stretched for 83 acres some of which is the present Laleham Park. Divided into flats in 1981 the house is in the imposing neo-classical style with a Greek Doric porch. The interior has marble floors and pillars, a beautiful semi-circular staircase and a cupola.[2]
There is a early 17th century brick farmhouse with Georgian alterations, Church Farm, adjacent to the church. It is an excellent example of a central chimney house with a standard layout for such a house. On either side of the central chimney is a living room and the entrance is through a tiled two-storey porch, the stairs filling the space on the opposite side of the chimney. It once housed the Lucan's bailiff and was sold by in 1966[2] by the 7th Earl who was suspected of a murder and disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974.[6]
The hatchment in the north aisle of All Saints Church belonged to them. In the eastern part of the cemetery is the 1888 grave of Field Marshal (and third Earl) Lord Lucan who gave the order for the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava.
Laleham Village also contains Burway Rowing Club and an archery club. There is Laleham C of E Primary School.
Matthew Arnold poet and critic was born in the village and is buried in All Saints' Churchyard. He also has a local Comprehensive school named after him.
His father Dr Thomas Arnold was headmaster at Rugby School, travelled widely but settled his family in Laleham.[7]
The Earls of Lucan family purchased the manor in 1803 from the Earl of Lonsdale[2] and the Lucan Arms pub served the village for many years until it was renamed in the late 1990s.
Both Arnold and Lucan family names can be seen prominently within All Saints Church, with various memorials to generations of those families. Other notable family names are Buckland and Honor and the four houses at Laleham school are Buckland (Red), Arnold (Blue), Honnor (Yellow) and Lucan (Green). The Reverend John Buckland was Matthew Arnold's uncle; Buckland School in Laleham was named after him.
Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham lived at with his wife at Laleham Abbey after his retirement in 1982.
Gabrielle Anwar, actress and star of the American TV series Burn Notice was born in Laleham and attended Laleham C. of E. Primary and Middle School from 1975 to 1982; an end-of-term St. Trinian's sketch in the school concert of 1982 gave an early indication of her theatrical leanings.
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