Leatherhead
Sign in to saveLeatherhead is a town in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, about south of Central London. The settlement grew up beside a ford on the River Mole, from which its name is thought to derive. During the late Anglo-Saxon period, Leatherhead was a royal vill and is first mentioned in the will of Alfred the Great in 880 AD. The first bridge across the Mole may have been constructed in around 1200 and this may have coincided with the expansion of the town and the enlargement of the parish church.
Key facts
- UK place.country
- England
- UK place.label_position
- left
- UK place.static_image_name
- File:Barton's Bookshop, 2 Bridge Street, Leatherhead (NHLE Code 1294412) (July 2013) (1).JPG
- UK place.static_image_caption
- 2 Bridge Street, Leatherhead
- UK place.official_name
- Leatherhead
- UK place.population
- 11,316
- UK place.population_ref
- (2011 census) or 32,522 as to its Built-up Area which extends to Effingham
- UK place.area_total_km2
- 12.54
- UK place.shire_district
- Mole Valley
- UK place.shire_county
- Surrey
- UK place.region
- South East England
- UK place.constituency_westminster
- Epsom and Ewell
- UK place.post_town
- Leatherhead
- UK place.postcode_district
- KT22
- UK place.postcode_area
- KT
- UK place.dial_code
- 01372
- UK place.os_grid_reference
- TQ1656
- UK place.london_distance_mi
- 17
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
74 sectionsContents
- Toponymy
- Geography
- Location and topography
- Geology
- History
- Early history
- Governance
- Transport and communications
- Commerce
- Residential development
- Leatherhead in the world wars
- National and local government
- UK Parliament
- County council
- District council
- Twin town
- Demography and housing
- Public services
- Utilities
- Emergency services
- Healthcare
- Transport
- Rail
- Buses
- Long-distance footpaths
- Education
- Early schools
- Maintained schools
- Independent schools
- Royal School for the Blind
- Places of worship
- Anglo-Saxon minster
- St Mary and St Nicholas Church
- Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Peter
- Methodist Church
- Disciples Church
- Culture
- Art
- Theatres and cinemas
- Literature
- Music
- Television and film
- Sport
- Leisure Centre
- Cricket
- Football
- Golf
- Tourist attractions
- Bocketts Farm
- Leatherhead Museum
- River Mole local nature reserve
- Notable buildings and landmarks
- All Saints' community café and hub
- Cherkley Court
- Cradlers
- Leatherhead Institute
- Running Horse pub
- Sweech House
- The Mansion
- Thorncroft Manor house
- War memorial
- Wesley House
- Parks and open spaces
- King George V memorial gardens
- Leach Grove Wood
- Mansion Gardens
- Park Gardens
- Recreation grounds
- Notable people
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- See also
- External links
Leatherhead is a town in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, about south of Central London. The settlement grew up beside a ford on the River Mole, from which its name is thought to derive. During the late Anglo-Saxon period, Leatherhead was a royal vill and is first mentioned in the will of Alfred the Great in 880 AD. The first bridge across the Mole may have been constructed in around 1200 and this may have coincided with the expansion of the town and the enlargement of the parish church.
For much of its history, Leatherhead was primarily an agricultural settlement, with a weekly market being held until the mid-Elizabethan era. The construction of turnpike roads in the mid-18th century and the arrival of the railways in the second half of the 19th century attracted newcomers and began to stimulate the local economy. Large-scale manufacturing industries arrived following the end of the First World War and companies with factories in the town included Ronson and Goblin Vacuum Cleaners. Several organisations working with disabled people also opened treatment and training facilities, including The Royal School for the Blind, Queen Elizabeth's Foundation and the Ex-services Welfare Society.