In more recent times the punk group Sham 69 with lead singer Jimmy Pursey, had its roots in Hersham. The present building dates from the 18th century but it is inaccessible to the public. [13] The original road bridge on this site was destroyed during flooding in 1968. The flood alert is in place until 1pm tomorrow (November 28) (Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) Two flood alerts have been issued for the River Mole on Wednesday (November 27) warning that flooding is . The river passes under the airport in a 425m (465yd) long concrete culvert with 50cm (20in) thick walls and roof. The nearest tackle shops are Esher Angling Centre at Pond House, Weston Green, Thames Ditton KT7 0JX, and Surbiton Angling Centre (31 Station Approach, Esher KT10 0SR). This trail is great for road biking, running, and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. [11], Mention is made of a mill at Brockham in 1634 and remains of the mill race are still visible. The nearest stations to River Mole Pre School are: Thrupps Lane, Hersham is 89 meters away, 2 min walk. The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. Four technology/trading estates exist in Hersham: A major nearby conjoined set of trading estates spans the Weybridge/Byfleet border at Brooklands and Heathrow Airport also has a range of employers, though this is across Walton-on-Thames itself and the borough of Spelthorne. Turn left, signposted Hersham and follow this almost to the gates of a caravan site. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is 60.133 km long and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. [92] The first bridge on this site was probably constructed during the late Middle Ages and was rebuilt and enlarged by the county surveyor, George Gwilt in 178283. However this proved to be impractical and they were instead covered by concrete domes, up to 18 m in diameter, each fully supported by the surrounding chalk and provided with a manhole and access shaft to allow periodic inspection. Within a few minutes walk of this suburban-urban bulk of Hersham in the east are green fields and meadows alongside the River Mole and footpaths by fields used for mixed farming. During the Second World War several sites along the course of the Mole were fortified for the defence of London against invasion from the south. a huge defensive earthwork was erected on top of St George's Hill (ecclesiastically in . Hersham is a village in Surrey, within the M25. [9] In John Rocque's 1768 map of Surrey, the name Moulsey River is used. The path runs between high wire fences. [23][24][note 5], From Painshill Park the river flows northeastwards to the Thames, passing to the west of Esher Commons and then forming the boundary between Hersham and Esher, where the mean flow of the river is 5.43m3/s (192cuft/s). =? The westbound carriageway on Esher Road was down to one lane for much of the morning rush hour as the incident was investigated due to a line of emergency vehicles parked by the curb in the left lane. A part suspended steel and timber deck bridge, spanning 42 metres (138ft). [47] The amount of water lost from the river is significant and in very hot summers the channel can become dry between Mickleham and Thorncroft Manor; this was recorded most recently in 1949,[48][49] 1976[50] and 2022. The main shopping area of the town is around the High Street where the A307 meets the A244. It then flows into the River Thames at Hampton Court. For the hamlet in Cornwall, see, The artefact-rich manor is at Burhill Road KT12 4BJ, Will of Dame Dorothye Edmondes, widow of Sir Christopher Edmondes, of 'Est Moulsey, Surrey', line 39 of her registered will; National Archives; PROB 11, proved 21 Sept 1615: 'And the lease of the Coppice called the Hurst Coppice, lying & being in Haversham, in the parish of Waltoun, in the said county' (spelling modernized), 'The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover, The Cabinet & Presidency 19201933' (Pub. The original viaduct was washed away by floods on 15 September 1968. ), Prior to the last ice age, the River Thames followed a more northerly route to the North Sea, from Reading via Marlow, Chorleywood, St Albans, Hertford and along the present SuffolkEssex border. Frederick Wicks (18401910), author and inventor, retired to the village and died there. The Mole descends 15m[49ft] in the 10km[6mi] stretch between Brockham and Leatherhead, compared to 3m[9.8ft] in 19km[12mi] between Horley and Brockham. We'll update this page when there's a flood alert in the area, which means flooding to low lying land is possible. We'll update this page when there's a flood warning in the area. There were a series of fires over a century and after the last in 1978 the buildings were demolished. Emergency services conducted a search at the scene but were unable to locate anything. Cobham Mill, downstream of Leatherhead, consisted of two mills used for grinding corn. The river also provides a corridor for wildlife through the centre of Leatherhead. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. Music is "Oxygen Garden" and "Out of the. [60] The water table in the chalk of the Wey Gap is significantly higher than might be expected from natural rainwater percolation alone. The only contiguous settlement is Walton-on-Thames, its post town. The gauging station south of Gatwick Airport was installed in 2005, replacing an earlier station located 200m (220yd) downstream. The Mummy was filmed in Hersham. [96] The bridge was renovated and strengthened in 1999 by a group of Canadian engineers working on the Terra Nove project. Tributary of the River Thames in southern England, This article is about the river in south east England. Bronze and Iron Age burials have been found on the slopes of the hill which was clearly a feature of some importance in ancient times. Two golf courses are within its bounds, Burhill Golf Club and Hersham Village Golf Club; considerable other land is wooded, used for mixed farming or Esher Rugby Club,[n 1] much of which is Metropolitan Green Belt. Hersham's large second golf club is Burhill Golf Club (with North and South courses, the latter of which has been added near Burwood Park. Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), Emergency services find nothing after report of 'body part' in River Mole near Hersham - recap, Surrey village 'dream home' tragedy after carpenter falls from ladder and dies, Surrey dementia patient found fallen in home after carer was two hours late, Gogglebox's Simon Minty left 'bereft' after being 'ready to go', He made the heartbreaking admission on Twitter and and was left "more disappointed than annoyed", Woking school parent 'horrified' by 'camera above toilet': 'My daughter feels like she's being watched', The picture was taken by a Winston Churchill School pupil and shows a black circular object above what the parent claims is a toilet cubicle, X Factor's Mary Byrne taken to hospital after 'terrible' M3 crash which left minibus crumpled mess, EXCLUSIVE: More details have emerged about the smash after New Victoria Theatre announced Menopause the Musical 2 was not going ahead, M25 and A3 drivers face 28-mile diversion as overnight closures start, Roadworks will lead to slip road and roundabout closures this month, Cold weather alert issued as freezing temperatures due across England next week, The UK Health Security Agency has warned of snow and a risk of ice next week, GP travelled 100 miles to Egham to sexually abuse '10-year-old girl', Rupesh Seth believed he was meeting an adult who would let him abuse their daughter - instead, he was met by police officers, Woking show starring X Factor's 'Tesco Mary' postponed after cast members involved in crash, Menopause the Musical 2 cast members include X Factor semi-finalist Mary Byrne, Casualty's Rebecca Wheatley and Copycats' Jessica Martin, M25 car fire near Chertsey caused delays and queues, National Highways has classed the incident as "severe" with motorists currently "not moving", I compared Bisto gravy to Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury's and tub three times cheaper was better, Laura Nightingale taste-tested supermarket gravy after discovering a large tub of Bisto cost 5.50, Tiny Surrey village difficult to pronounce shares name with seaside spot famous for seals, Incompetent pharmacy where people wait over a week for prescriptions they never receive, Staff were called 'belligerent' and customers resort to making a 'nuisance' to get their prescriptions, St Helier hospital A&E doctor gave medication with peanut oil to patient with allergy, The hospital A&E doctor "didn't think" the cream contained nut oil, Surrey village pub opens ski lodge with cheese fondue and it'll remind you of Switzerland, The winter pop-up oozes charm and cosiness, The Surrey commuter town with an unusual pyramid cave hidden by shops, The amazing structure can be found in the castle grounds, Forecasters agree when snow will fall in Surrey next week, An Arctic blast is heading towards the UK with a Met Office yellow weather warning for snow and ice in place for northern parts of the UK, Driver taken to hospital after M3 crash involving four cars, The vehicles collided on the approach to the Camberley exit and witnesses are being sought, Two charged with GBH over attack outside Co-op, The victim was left with serious injuries after he was attacked near the Co-op, The haunting meaning behind statue in Guildford, A series of events are happening while the Knife Angel, made from more than 100,000 seized weapons, is on display, Epsom and St Helier NHS trust has to claw back 2m in salary overpayments, Some people are continuing to be paid after they left a role at Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust. Look out for. [8] In John Speed's 1611 map of Surrey this stretch of the river is denoted by a series of hills accompanied by the legend "The river runneth under". It has in 2008 been recorded in tributaries of the River Mole at Capel and Brockham. Water is therefore able to flow out of the river through swallow holes in the bed and banks, decreasing the volume of water carried in the main channel. Constructed between January and March 2008, replacing an earlier bridge on the same site. River Thames Bookmark All 85 planned road closures in Surrey this week including Farnham, Reigate and Walton-on-Thames Traffic and Travel Bookmark 54 Surrey road closures this week including. Just over a mile long and several feet wide, the Bird Island Pier takes you out onto the Niagara River. A new Lidl supermarket was given permission in 2015 and subsequently opened on a site formerly used by ABC Motors and latterly by Ian Allan Publishing, increasing Hersham's retail floor-space in addition to Waitrose. The course of the river through Norbury Park was partially straightened when the Epsom to Horsham railway was built in 1837, with the removal of a small meander north of Westhumble. [83] In 1810 the engineer John Rennie proposed a canal linking the River Medway to Portsmouth which was to have a branch to London following the Mole for much of its length. and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. This site, like many others, uses small files called cookies to help us improve and customize your experience. The path leads to the Mole near a concrete bridge. [68][69][70][note 7], The name Mole does not appear until the 16th century, first occurring as Moule in Harrison's Description of Britain of 1577. [86], The river crossing at Sidlow Bridge was heavily defended and a line of pill boxes was constructed on the north bank of the river. [37] A second non-native species, the edible frog (Pelophylax kl. Get to know this 15.9-mile out-and-back trail near Buffalo, New York. [74], The Mole Gap and North Downs do not appear to have been settled until the late Stone Age: A large axe, typical of a "rough-out" axe produced during the Neolithic period, which was discovered in 1952 during building work in Westhumble,[75] A flint mine of the same period has been discovered at East Horsley along with Neolithic flakes of flint at Fetcham and Headley Heath. KT10 9RA. vGc+R~g^Dq|( [98], Domesday Book listed twenty mills on the River Mole in 1086. [66][67] Variations in the name are recorded throughout the Middle Ages and the river appears as Amele in the Domesday Book of 1086, and subsequently as Emele in 12th- and 13th-century Court Rolls. large bittercress (Cardamine amara) and the non-native Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). [68] This name is probably derived from the Old English word men meaning misty or causing mists,[67] and the name of the River Ember probably has its origins in this name. Riverwalk: Tonawanda Parks. Get more Esher news from SurreyLive straight to your inbox for free here. Rebuttals included that the Mole is a "charming Surrey steam" and "If Lord Lytton went to fish in the River Mole and there are still angling clubs there he would find that he would still be able to catch a trout". [93], A few metres downstream of Leatherhead Bridge stands the GradeII listed railway viaduct which carries the Leatherhead to Dorking line over the river. Frederick Loring Vaux (1842-1933), local resident and a significant village benefactor. [62] The river meanders across an alluvial plain between 400 and 800m (440870yd) wide towards Cobham, where it begins to descend to a lower flood plain, which broadens as the river turns in an axehead meander. [92] The bridge was constructed as an ornamental feature in parkland laid out by Capability Brown in the late 18th century. [131] It was a corn mill, built in the early 19th century, and has been converted into a bed and breakfast hotel. [81] Between 1825 and 1828 the architect and civil engineer Nicholas Wilcox Cundy proposed a Grand Imperial Ship Canal from Deptford to Chichester passing through the Mole Gap, however he was unable to attract sufficient financial interest in his scheme.[84]. Glacial meltwater from the Anglian ice sheet caused the Thames to divert southwards and flood the valley of the MoleWey river, thus adopting its present route through London. A principal tributary of the Earlswood Brook is the Redhill Brook, which includes The Moors wetland nature reserve within its catchment area. Viviparid snails and water scorpions (of the genus Nepidae) are commonly found where the river runs over the London Clay. [wa=}k The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The bridge was designed by the architect Howard Humphreys and the westernmost section is a drawbridge which may be raised to prevent access to Painshill Park. Its roll holds approx. The remaining red brick mill dates from the 1822 and was in use until 1928. Early to mid-19th-century brick bridge with two semi-circular arches and one elliptical arch. A website by Gorge Services Ltd. All rights reserved. However the river's name is unlikely to have derived from this behaviour: The Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names suggests that Mole either comes from the Latin mola (a mill) or is a back-formation from Molesey (Mul's island). By contraction the name become Haverisham,[4] Haversham,[n 3] Harsham or Hersham before finally settling only on the latter. [10][11], The drainage area of the River Mole is 477km2 (184sqmi) and forms 5% of the River Thames's catchment area above Teddington. Own label and private label building products. The journey to Waterloo takes about 50 minutes. [10] The bridge has nine low arches and is primarily built of red brick with stone coping. The Mole Valley has been polluted. The school holds specialist Business and Enterprise College status, and boasts an impressive drama programme. [91] In Defoe's time, there was a footbridge at this point, but carts and waggons had to cross the river by a ford. The River Mole rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north-west through Surrey for 50 miles. A multi-span composite deck supported on steelwork tresses with a total span of 48m (157ft) and a main span of 22m (72ft) over the river itself. There are around 3,500 measuring stations, and most are along main rivers and the coast. [42], A nationally scarce species which is locally common on the River Mole is the greater dodder (Cuscuta europaea), a parasitic plant. The Mole winds its way past Leatherhead and under the M25 then runs beside the boundary of the Chelsea FC training ground & then through the wealthy village of Cobham (with many "Chelsea Tractors"). History along the River Mole At Cobham the river swings round in a pronounced axehead meander skirting Painshill Landscape Garden, where a 11-metre (35ft) diameter waterwheel raises water 5 metres (16ft) from the river to feed the ornamental lake in the park. Something went wrong, please try again later. Very little angling is available in this area as the local lakes are closed to fishing and the River Mole is controlled by the local authority who do not permit fishing on their land. Esher is located to the east of Hersham, at the meeting point of the A244 and A307 (Portsmouth Road). [29], In 1972 a sub-debate on the future cleanliness of the Mole was had by the House of Lords, involving a member of the South-East Strategic Committee of the Thames Conservancy (succeeded by the Environment Agency) and four others. Within a few minutes walk of the village centre in the east are green fields and meadows alongside the River Mole and footpaths both through and by fields used for mixed farming. During the Commonwealth it was used for gunpowder manufacture, but after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 it reverted to corn milling. [4], Hersham's first chapel of ease (Holy Trinity church, which was demolished in 1889 having been superseded) was built of yellow brick in Anglo-Norman style in 1839. [6], The river has captured the imagination of several authors and poets,[7] particularly since in very hot summers the river channel can become dry between Dorking and Leatherhead, most recently in 2022. [47], In a survey in 1958, the geologist C.C. Fagg identified 25 active swallow holes between Dorking and Mickleham; the majority were only a few centimetres in diameter and were located in the vertical banks of the river below the water line. [6], The stretch of river between Thorncroft Manor (1km[0.6mi] south of Leatherhead) and River Lane in Fetcham has been designated a Local Nature Reserve. River Mole, West End Recreation Ground NO FISHING. There have been further alterations to the courses of these two rivers in a major flood prevention scheme since serious flooding in the area in 1947 and 1968. [94] The bridge was constructed in 1867 and, at the insistence of Thomas Grissell the landowner, was given lavish architectural treatment. Either take a right at the rivers' edge and follow the riverside path (you can cross the river at the bridge a little further along), or cross the Stepping Stones and follow the path running parallel to the river on the other side. At the east end of Painshill Park, the flood plain narrows into a trench about 60m (66yd) wide, in which the river runs northwards for 6.5km (4.0mi) towards Hersham, where the river enters the flood plain of the River Thames. [95], The single-span Shell Bridge stands in the grounds of Thorncroft Manor, to the south of the Town Centre. The 360 acre estate is known both for its extensive wildlife more than 150 species of birds and mammals have been recorded in the woods and parkland around its lakes and communal areas .as well as the high level of security and privacy provided to its residents; it is one of the few remaining residential areas in the United Kingdom never to [53] A few much larger swallow holes were also observed separated from the main river by a channel[clarification needed] of about a metre. . KT10 9RA. The Thames was lapping the edge of Hurst road, but fortunately that major river had reached its peak. The presence of the trench protects the land from flooding, rendering it suitable for agriculture. [12] The Mole passes Horley to the west, flowing north towards Sidlow and entering a largely rural area. [86][87][88] An anti-tank ditch was dug from the Stepping Stones eastwards across the fields belonging to Bradley Farm (now Denbies vineyard). [1], The geographical distribution of many species of invertebrate in the river reflects the geology of the catchment area. quickly develops into a wild ramble along the River Mole and then over beech- and pine-clad hills. River Mole in Surrey. [3] The Gatwick Stream is dominated by coarse fish such as brown trout, brook lamprey, and eel. Learn more about how we use cookies in our Privacy Policy, and also find links to the privacy policy of Google and other data holders whose applications are present on or integrated with this website. [136], East Molesey Lower Mill, also known as Sterte Mill, was associated with the manor of Molesey Prior. Always check you can fish lawfully before starting. Single track bridge built in 1842 and refurbished in 1993. a huge defensive earthwork was erected on top of St George's Hill (ecclesiastically in Hersham, but in Weybridge post town), probably as a refuge camp against invaders coming up the Thames Valley. Above Meath Green (near Horley), the terrace corresponds to the flood plain of the river, however from this point downstream to Brockham, the river cuts a narrow trench no more than 150m (160yd) wide. We produce, brand and supply for some of the biggest names in the industry. The parapets were rebuilt in 1914 and the structure was given a GradeII listing in 1953. [22] The aquifer at Fetcham is the only one in the entire catchment area. The River Mole arises in Sussex and enters Surrey at Gatwick airport. Surrey Fire and. However, the road remained open and the site was clear of parked vehicles by mid-morning. The bridge is largely composed of flint and has a large inverted scallop shell in the place of the keystone and similar shells in the spandrels at each side. [43], The West End Common forms part of the Esher Commons, owned and managed by Elmbridge Borough Council. [_ch MP=e(3+K}h;,x5K_>. The proportion of households in the settlement who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. It has been suggested that a proportion of the excess water originates from the Mole Gap. Flood alert area: River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham, including Sidlow, Leigh, Betchworth, Brockham, Pixham, Dorking, Mickleham, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Stoke D'Abernon and Cobham. The undershot wheel at Painshill Park was restored in 1987 and is located at the end of an artificial, Mary Drinkwater Bethune was the daughter of the English army officer and military historian, Shepperd R (1982) The Manor of Wistomble in the Parish of Mickleham, WE Foster WB Harris (1988) Flood Alleviation Scheme for the Lower River Mole, Wooldridge SW (1938) The glaciation of the London Basin and the evolution of the lower Thames drainage system, Bridgland and Gibbard (1997) Quaternary River Diversions in the London Basin and the Eastern English Channel, Ruse LP (1996) Multivariate techniques relating macroinvertebrate and environmental data from a river catchment, P. Follett (1996) Mole Valley Natural History Audit: Survey of, JW Grover (1887) Chalk springs in the London basin, illustrated by the Newbury, Wokingham, Leatherhead and Rickmansworth Water Works, The Fairie Queen, book 4, canto 11, verse 32, Poly-Olbion, Song XVII lines 47-50, 53-57, 59-64, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, heavy flooding of East Molesey and Thames Ditton in September 1968, A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, "The Mole Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy", "Our nations' fisheries: The migratory and freshwater fisheries of England and Wales a snapshot", "Urgent fish rescue in River Mole near Dorking after heatwave causes dramatic fall in water levels", "A guide to the industrial archaeology of the borough of elmbridge", "Small hydroelectric power: Betchworth Park", "Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty", "Gatwick Airport Corporate Responsibility Report", HL Deb, 11 September 1972 vol 335 cc138-165, "Water firms 'abusing' sewage law loophole", "Mole (Hersham to R. Thames conf at East Molesey)", "Photograph of swallow-hole in bed of River Mole", "Environment Agency rescue fish from River Mole in Surrey as water levels drop", "In pictures: Environment Agency workers rescue fish from dried-out River Mole", "Excursions to the Farnham Gravel Pits on April 23rd and to the Brickfields and Gravel Pits at Dawley, between Hayes and West Drayton on April 30th 1904", "On a recent Section through Walton Common exposing the London Clay, Bagshot Beds, and Plateau-gravel", "Detail from Rocque's Map of Surrey, c1768", "A late Bronze Age hoard from Norbury Park, Mickleham", "Political Institutions and the Emergence of Regulatory Commitment in England: Evidence from Road and River Improvement Authorities, 1600-1750", "Leatherhead Bridge, Bridge Street (1028646)", "Railway viaduct approximately 15 metres west of road bridge over River Mole (1028596)", "Ornamental bridge approximately 70 metres north of Thorncroft Bridge (1293520)", "Railway bridge and platform over the River Ember", "River Ember: Hampton Court railway station bridge", "A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Elmbridge", "Stepping Stones Footbridge over the River Mole, at the foot of Box Hill, near Dorking Surrey", "Flanchford Bridge rebuilding project delayed again", "Bridge over the River Mole, Sidlow Bridge, Surrey", "River Mole, west of Horley from the Lee Street Bridge", "TQ2137: The River Mole gushes out from under Lambs Green Bridge", "The Great Fire At Burns And Co, Lower Green Esher", "Molesey Mills: A history of the mills and milling", Environment Agency: River Mole information, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=River_Mole&oldid=1138898427, Articles with dead external links from July 2021, Articles with permanently dead external links, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from November 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Mole (Hersham to R. Thames conf at East Molesey). During the following year (1664), an act was passed by both Houses of Parliament to make the River Mole navigable from Reigate to the River Thames, but was never executed. The Pipp Brook drains the northernmost heavily wooded slopes of Leith Hill (which include Squire's Great Wood and Abinger Forest), as well as areas of. [12] There is only one aquifer in the drainage basin, at Fetcham, which means that the majority of the water in the river is from surface drainage, particularly from Gatwick Airport and the urban areas of Horley and Crawley, and that the flow rate responds rapidly to rainfall.[1]. Hersham is a charming little station in Surrey, with views over fields, the River Mole and a local golf course. Hersham Green, in the nucleus of the village, is 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) of open space where regular events take place throughout the summer. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The M25 Junction 10 is 4 miles away and an A-roads and dual carriageway connect neighbouring (but not contiguous) Esher and the almost bordering towns of Weybridge and Cobham, across a narrow strip of Walton on Thames. [71], In common with much of the rest of the Weald, the earliest evidence of human settlement along the Upper Mole is from the Mesolithic Period (20,0007000BC). Plant species typical of ancient woodland are found in this area, including bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus), marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) and golden saxifrages (Chrysosplenium sp.).