Earlswood
| Earlswood | |
 Victoria Court, Royal Earlswood Park |
|
 Swans on lower part of Earlswood Common |
|
  Earlswood Earlswood shown within Surrey | |
| Population | 5,049 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | TQ280495 |
| District | Reigate and Banstead |
| Shire county | Surrey |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Redhill |
| Postcode district | RH1 |
| Dialling code | 01737 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Reigate |
Earlswood is a suburb of Redhill in Surrey, England forming the south of the town of Redhill, and part of its RH1 postcode district. Earlwood lies on the A23 between Redhill (in the direction of London) and Horley (next to Gatwick Airport), from which the neighbouring community, Whitebushes is separated by a wide rural buffer zone. The two main southern communities of Redhill are in local administration grouped together to form a ward, Earlswood and Whitebushes. Earlswood Common is a Local Nature Reserve that separates the suburb from the southern suburbs of Reigate, and has a fishing pond, picnic areas and a golf course. South Earlswood is continguous with Whitebushes but is also to the west. East of its station and the Brighton Main Line are three unconnected estates: east Earlswood; Royal Earlswood Park and East Surrey Hospital with Whitebushes.
History
When the straight turnpike from London to Brighton between Earlswood Common and the London to Brighton railway was cut there was a claim that traces of a Roman villa[2] were discovered. No evidence has since been located. The area south of the common loosely known as Whitebushes was formally a wilderness; it contained many clay pits that may be linked to the reputed Roman remains. Most trees of the Weald that covered Earlswood Common were cut down in the 17th century by order of local noble, Lord Monson and the land was inclosed in 1886.[2] Brickworks were a considerable employer in the Victorian period and in 1911.[2]
Earlswood was home to the Royal Earlswood psychiatric hospital, founded as a 'national home' and opened by Albert, Prince Consort[2] functioned until 1997. Equally here was the Royal Philanthropic Society's reform school from 1849[2] until 1988. This has been redeveloped into Royal Earlswood Park, chiefly into apartments but also into houses.
A major defining characteristic of the suburb is its railway station with trains running from London Bridge/London Victoria to Horsham half-hourly, which previously had a third platform which gave access to the Royal Earlswood Hospital.
Earlswood common was from late Victorian times no longer used as open pasture and for foraging and was a pleasure ground until World War II. Its lower lake has a concrete bottom and was used in World War I to test the ability of primitive tanks to cross flooded landscapes, having previously had a diving platform, a paddling pool and was used for summer swimming. Members of the Christian Science Church used the lake for all year swimming and broke the ice in winter.[citation needed] Its upper lake had a kiosk and boats for rent.[citation needed]
Demography
In 2001 census area Earlswood and Whitebushes had a population of 8,234 however Earlswood is identifiable as Reigate and Banstead 14A, 14D and 14E (Lower Layer Super Output Areas) with a population of 5,049.[3]
Geography
Earlswood Common is a Local Nature Reserve.[4][5] It contains two artificial landscaped lakes, which are used for recreational purposes. The upper lake has ducks and wildfowl. Much of Earlswood Common forms Earlswood Common golf course.
To the north of this common is part of Reigate and the St John's compact conservation area or Old Town of which has to its north a smaller but steep and triangular common, Redhill Common. St John's is included in the article on Redhill.
 |
St John's, Redhill | Redhill | across Redstone Hill, Redhill Nutfield |
|
| across Earlswood Common Woodhatch |
 |
across Nuffield Health/RNIB Centres and green belt South Nutfield | ||
| ||||
 | ||||
| across green belt Sidlow |
Whitebushes | across Redhill Aerodrome and green belt Outwood |
Localities
South Earlswood
One sub-area of Earlswood, South Earlswood is a separate neighbourhood containing approximately half of the housing, which constitutes the main land use in Earlswood.[6][7] Separating it from the north are Earlswood Common and the Greensand Way, which follows the Greensand Ridge from Haslemere to Kent. Immediately adjoining South Earlswood is the village or neighbourhood of Whitebushes, which is continguous therefore, apart from councillors, is difficult to separate artificially.[8]
Whitebushes
A mixed housing estate surrounded by pre-existing farmland, South Earlswood and a railway line, Whitebushes was built in the 1970s and early 1980s. East Surrey Hospital adjacent opened in 1979 to its south. A small portion of farmland remains common land where (traditionally) gypsy horses used for riding lessons and transport have grazed since the 1950s.
The Brighton Main Line passes the west of Whitebushes; residential roads followed by almost straight paths through green spaces link it to Earlswood and Salfords railway station. Salfords is also a short bus journey but offers less frequent services than Redhill. Somewhat circuitous links under the railway line also link to the parking areas by these stations for those unwilling to walk.
Local governance
Surrey County Council Earlswood and Reigate South division shares a representative, who is elected every four years, currently:
- Ms Barbara Thomson (Con), returned by the electorate in 2013, on the Adult Social Care Select Committee, Communities Select Committee and the relevant Local Committee.[9]
The second party was UKIP gaining 899 votes versus the winning candidate's 955.[10]
Three councillors sit on Reigate and Banstead borough council, who are:
| Election | Member[11] |
Ward | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | James Durrant | Earlswood and Whitebushes | |
| 2011 | Barbara Thomson | Earlswood and Whitebushes | |
| 2010 | Rita Renson | Earlswood and Whitebushes | |
See also
External links
Media related to Earlswood at Wikimedia Commons
References
- ↑ 2001 Census, ONS
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 H.E. Malden (editor) (1911). "Parishes: Reigate". A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
- ↑ Census data
- ↑ "Earlswood Common". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ↑ "Map of Earlswood Common". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ↑ Ordnance Survey map, courtesy of English Heritage
- ↑ Grid square map Ordnance survey website
- ↑ Census area: as to South Earlswood 014A refers exactly.
- ↑ Surrey Councillor details
- ↑ Redhill 2009 Election Results
- ↑ Reigate and Banstead councillors
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