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Ashtead
is a large village in north-east Surrey, lying between Leatherhead
and Epsom.
The village
stands on an ancient site. In the 1920s the remains of a
Roman villa were found in Ashtead and the 12th century parish
church of St Giles' was built on a Roman site.
Tiles
and bricks were made in Ashtead in Roman times and continued
to be produced here until the late-18th century. In the Domesday
Book, commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, the village
appears as 'Stede'.
The diarist
Samuel Pepys attended St Giles' church in 1663 and 1667.
Ashtead has three main areas: the Village, Lower Ashtead and
the Common.
The oldest
part of Ashtead is centred around 'The Street' in the Village.
With the coming of the railway Ashtead became a popular area
for commuters.
The railway
station, set on a flat area of land south of Ashtead Common,
is now surrounded by large housing estates. Ashtead is bisected
by the London to Worthing road (A24) and now lies close to
Junction 9 on the M25.
Despite
the increase in its size and the presence of these main roads,
Ashtead has retained a village atmosphere.
Ashtead Common is a National Nature Reserve administered by the Corporation of London. Covering 500 acres, the ancient wooded common is part of the Epsom and Ashtead Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI). The common is noted for its rich community of breeding birds and rare invertibrates.
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Ashtead
