Pyrford

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Coordinates: 51°18′53″N 0°30′23″W / 51.314623°N 0.506371°W / 51.314623; -0.506371
Pyrford
Pyrford

 Pyrford shown within Surrey
Population 5,074 [1]
OS grid reference TQ041583
District Woking
Shire county Surrey
Region South East
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Woking
Postcode district GU22
Dialling code 01932
Police Surrey
Fire Surrey
Ambulance South East Coast
EU Parliament South East England
UK Parliament Woking
List of places
UK
England
Surrey
Click to enlarge this map of Pyrford

Pyrford /ˈpɜrfərd/ is an English village that had historical links with the abbey at Westminster, in whose possession it remained between the Norman Conquest and the Dissolution of the Monasteries nearly five hundred years later. It is thirty miles by road from central London and in Surrey. It sits on raised mixed heath soil, 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the town of Woking and two miles west of the M25 London orbital motorway, near but not bordering Junction 10. Adjacent villages are West Byfleet, Wisley and Ripley.

Geography

The foot of slopes in the south of the area is are agricultural flood plain pasture meadows bisected by the River Wey Navigation; the actual border is the River Wey itself (though slightly inaccurate as based on meanders as they were before 1820). Roads passing through the village include the B367 (Upshott Lane/Church Hill) and B382 (Old Woking Road). Open areas in the south and east of the village are designated Metropolitan Green Belt.[2]

History and use in the Arts

The current village name 'Pyrford' is derived from the Saxon dialect of Old English combined term 'Pyrianford',[3] which scholarly research into Old English asserts means 'pear tree ford'.

Famous residents include the poet John Donne.

The Rowley Bristow Hospital from 1928 to 1991 was in Pyrford in the area now occupied by St Martin's Mews and St Nicholas Crescent.

Pyrford is mentioned in The War of the Worlds, by H. G. Wells, in which it is near the landing site of the third of ten Martian invasion cylinders.

Leisure

The Anchor at Pyrford Lock.

The River Wey Navigation, to the south-east and east of the village, marks the boundary between Pyrford and Wisley. The area has marked trails for ramblers. A public bridleway going east-west, connects the village to the canal, parallel to unpavemented Lock Lane on the far side of the golf course; following this the path connects to three others: one south via the Anchor to Wisley, to the north-east to Byfleet and to the north along the towpath to New Haw, Coxes Lock, Addlestone and a large island at Weybridge which connects with the pavement of Thames Street, in turn connected to the Thames Path. Pyrford marina by the Dodds Bridge footbridge, and with its own access road, on the Pyrford canalside enables people to hire and own boats; it faces the named public house.

Pyrford Common offers a large open space, car parking and a play ground for children. The common is surrounded by a large wooded area.

Due to an old law and covenants on land (controlled by Mormons), Pyrford had no pubs; the Anchor lies on land once part of the neighbouring parish, on Lock Lane. The Inn At Maybury sits on the Old Woking Road, Maybury Hill junction nearby. The third location to drink is The Yeoman, a Harvester pub-restaurant, on the Old Woking Road is not Pyrford, rather West Byfleet. Instead two social venues are the Pyrford Social Club, next to the Cricket Club — a membership club and Traditions golf club on Pyrford Road open to the general public, and these are licensed for alcohol.

July 2012 saw Pyrford's inclusion in what has become the standard version of the London-Surrey cycle classic used in the Summer Olympic Games.

Sports

Pyrford has three golf courses: Pyrford Golf Course, Wisley Golf Course and Traditions. It is also home to Pyrford Cricket Club. Founded in 1858, Pyrford is one of the oldest cricket clubs in Surrey, and has achieved success in recent years. The club has been promoted 10 times in the last 10 years, and achieved an unparalleled treble promotion in 2008, with all three Saturday League sides achieving promotion from their respective divisions of the Surrey Championship. Well known former PCC players include former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, New Zealand wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins and Sky Sports presenter Charles "Got Him" Colvile. Pyrford also has an amateur football club, Pyrford F.C. who play at the Pyrford Cricket ground. Tradition's Golf Club on Pyrford Road, offers locals a pay and play service. Membership is not required, and the golf course offers a 18-hole round. A public bridleway crosses the golf course linking Pyrford Road to the Wey Navigation Canal.

London 2012 Olympic Games.

On July 28 (men) and 29 (ladies), 2012, Pyrford hosted a section of the London 2012 Cycle road race. The race pasted through on Coldharbour Road, up onto Upshot Lane and South East on the B367 towards Ripley. Around 8,000 fans lined the route through Pyrford, the focal point being Pyrford Cricket Ground that hosted an Olympics themed fete.

Transport

Hourly bus route 437 links Pyrford with Woking, West Byfleet, New Haw and Addlestone. The service is financially supported by Surrey County Council.

St Nicholas Church - Click to enlarge

Landmarks

St. Nicholas Church and Conservation Area

The Church of St. Nicholas is less than 400m north of Newark Priory along a medieval lane and was built around 1140 — it is a fine example of a complete Norman church and is one of the significant minority of medieval churches in the United Kingdom in the top category of listed building.English Heritage. "Details from listed building database (1044721)". National Heritage List for England .

It is thought likely that Queen Elizabeth I would have worshipped at St. Nicholas Church. She reputedly donated a silver chalice to the church in 1570.[citation needed]

The nave of St. Nicholas Church
Original frescoes, painted in red ochre, were uncovered during renovations in 1869 and 1967. There are two sets of drawings from different periods
A cottage in the conservation area.
with subjects including scenes from Christ's Passion and an illustration of pilgrims preparing to set sail in a pilgrimage to Spain.

The church grounds and the surrounding lands are designated a Conservation Area, having special architectural and historical importance.[citation needed]

The area surrounding is believed by local folklore to be haunted, there are many stories involving locals and happenings.[citation needed]

Rowley Bristow Hospital

Rowley Bristow Hospital, an orthopedic hospital in Pyrford, was founded in 1928.

It was formed from St Martin's home for crippled boys and the St Nicholas Hospital Home. Originally named St Nicholas' and St Martin's Orthopaedic Hospital Homes and Special School of Recovery,[4] it was renamed in 1948 as the Rowley Bristow Orthopedic Hospital after a well known orthopedic surgeon, and surgical director of St Nicholas, Rowley Bristow.

At its prime it was considered a centre of excellence,[5] but declined from a peak of 250 beds in 1948 to just 41 shortly before it closed in 1992.[6]

The orthopedic department at St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey is now named the Rowley Bristow Orthopedic Unit.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Population statistics
  2. ↑ Woking Borough Council Planning
  3. ↑ Pyrford History
  4. ↑ http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=1606&page=49
  5. ↑ http://www.pyrford.com/history/pyrford.html
  6. ↑ http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=1606&page=49
  7. ↑ http://www.ashfordstpeters.org.uk/orthopaedics

External links

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