Caterham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coordinates: 51°16′49″N 0°04′54″W / 51.2803°N 0.0816°W
| Caterham | |
  Caterham
Caterham shown within Surrey |
|
| Population | 20,957 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Tandridge |
| Shire county | Surrey |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Caterham / Croydon |
| Postcode district | CR3 |
| Dialling code | 01883 / 020 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | East Surrey |
| List of places: UK • England • Surrey | |
Caterham is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. It lies on the A22 Eastbourne road south of Croydon in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs.
The town is served by Caterham railway station.
Contents |
[edit] History
The town lies within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred.
The original settlement was on the ridge above the modern town and is now called Caterham on the Hill. The modern town in the valley is a product of the Victorian age and the coming of the Caterham railway line in 1856. The Victorian expansion of the town required the building of a much larger parish church (St Mary the Virgin) in 1866 but the old Norman church of St Lawrence was retained and remains directly across the road from St Mary's. As it grew Caterham Valley gained its own church, St. John the Evangelist, which was consecrated in 1882. It is even larger than St. Mary's.
From 1877 Caterham barracks on the hill was a depot for the foot guards regiments. In August 1975 a local public house (the Caterham Arms) which was frequented by soldiers was targeted by an IRA bomb[2]. The barracks were closed in the 1990s and the site redeveloped for housing.
Caterham is the scene of the only murdered police officer in Surrey Police's history.
On 6 July 1974 PCs John Schofield, Ray Fullalove and PS Harley Findlay were on routine patrol in Caterham when they became suspicious of a man on foot carrying a large holdall. They pulled alongside him in their patrol car and started to question him. As PC Fullalove started to get out of the car Egon Von Bulow produced a gun and shot him in the stomach before shooting PC Schofield dead. PS Findlay was also shot but was saved by his breast pocket notebook, which deflected the bullet into his arm.
Von Bulow escaped but was later arrested on the day of PC Schofield’s funeral, which took place at St. Mary’s Church, Caterham, six days later. In March 1975 Von Bulow was sentenced to life imprisonment for Murder. PS Findlay later received the Queen’s commendation for brave conduct.
The North Downs Way, a popular National trail with walkers passes very close to the town.
[edit] Notable people
- Angus Deayton, television presenter, attended Caterham School.
- Bill Nighy, actor, born in Caterham.
- Olek Zienkiewicz, Professor and founder of Finite Element Method, born in Caterham[3]
- Nicky Forster, footballer, born in Caterham.
[edit] Commerce
[edit] Church Walk
Church Walk Shopping Centre is a small shopping mall situated opposite Caterham railway station in Caterham Valley. Church Walk was built on the site of the Valley Hotel, which was demolished in 1988. Long before the Valley Hotel was built (to cater for visitors arriving on the new railway trains) there used to be a tennis court, croquet lawn, rose garden, fountain, and Mr. Woollet's nursery.
[edit] Caterham Cars
Makers of the Caterham Seven sports car, have a dealership based in Station Avenue although the cars have actually been supplied by a factory in Dartford since the company expanded. When Caterhams were first built, they were built in a small factory behind a petrol station in Townend, on Caterham-on-the-Hill.
In 2007 Caterham Cars celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Caterham Cars are known as much for racing as they are for road use.
[edit] Transport
[edit] Caterham railway station
Caterham is the terminus of the Caterham Line from Purley
[edit] Sport
Sports teams based in Caterham include youth football teams Caterham Pumas and Queens Park FC, and Old Caterhamians Rugby Football Club, which was established in 1928. Caterham Cricket Club previously played in Queen's Park and now share facilities with the rugby club. Caterham Sea Cadets, formed in 1942, also participate in a number of watersports activities.
[edit] Education
[edit] Caterham School
Caterham School is a private co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 3 –18 years on the outskirts of Caterham. Angus Deayton and Surrey Cricketers Ali Brown and James Benning attended the school.
[edit] de Stafford College (nee de Stafford School)
de Stafford School is a public (state) school for students age 11-16. It is located on Burntwood Lane.
[edit] East Surrey Museum
The small East Surrey Museum near the station houses a local history collection. It is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 10am -5pm.
[edit] Entertainment
[edit] Miller centre
Based in the town centre the Miller Centre is a theatre and community centre that puts on regular non-professional shows, films and is host to a number of clubs and community groups.
[edit] See also
[edit] Nearest Places
Coulsdon Kenley Purley Croydon Chaldon Godstone Warlingham Sanderstead Whyteleafe
[edit] Pubs
- The Harrow
- The Valley (formerly the Fountain and before that The Commonwealth)
- The Old Surrey Hounds
- The Royal Oak
- The Blacksmith's Arms
- The King and Queen
- The Golden Lion
- The Village Inn (formerly The Caterham Arms and before that The Asylum Tavern)
- The Clifton Arms - Closed
- The Tally Ho!
- The Pilgrim
- The Fox
[edit] References
http://www.surrey.police.uk/aboutus_history_item.asp?artid=4754
[edit] External links
- Page for Caterham in Kelly's Directory of Kent, Surrey & Sussex, 1891
