Caterham
Coordinates: 51°16′49″N 0°04′54″W / 51.2803°N 0.0816°W
| Caterham | |
 Roundabout in the centre of Caterham valley |
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 Caterham
Caterham shown within Surrey |
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| Population | 20,957 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | TQ335555 |
| Civil parish | Caterham on the Hill |
| Caterham Valley | |
| District | Tandridge |
| Shire county | Surrey |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Caterham |
| Postcode district | CR3 |
| Dialling code | 01883 |
| 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. The town is geographically divided into two sections: Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley - the main town centre. The town lies close to the A22, 21 miles from Guildford and a few miles south of Croydon, in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs. Caterham on the Hill is above the western side of the valley. The resident population of Caterham is 20,957 people. Caterham is predominantly a commuter town due to its proximity to London.
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[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[citation needed].
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.
On 6 July 1974 PC John Schofield was shot and killed while on patrol in Caterham.[3]
The North Downs Way, a popular National trail with walkers passes very close to the town.
[edit] Government
Caterham is part of the East Surrey constituency which has been represented by Sam Gyimah since 2010.[4] Caterham is represented by two county councillors at Surrey County Council; the councillor for Caterham Hill is a member of the Liberal Democrats and the councillor for Caterham Valley is a member of the Conservatives.[5] David Hodge, leader of the county council and representative of nearby Warlingham lives in Caterham.[6] Caterham is part of Tandridge district which is controlled by the Conservative party, who hold 34 of the 42 seats.[7] Caterham is represented by thirteen councillors at district level.[8] There are two parish councils covering Caterham, Caterham Valley and Caterham on the Hill. Caterham Valley is the smaller of the parish councils with two wards and six elected parish councillors.[9] Caterham on the Hill has three wards and nine elected parish councillors.[10]
[edit] Geography
Before 1889 Caterham was the most eastern town of Surrey. As the north eastern parts of the county were absorbed, first by the County of London in 1889 and then Greater London in 1965, the border moved closer to Caterham until the town was in its current location, the north east corner of Surrey on the border with Greater London.[11] Caterham is 21 miles (34 km) from the county town of Guildford.[12]
Caterham lies within the North Downs and is a short distance from the North Downs Way national trail.[13] The gault clay and the middle chalk that lies under the North Downs are both at their thickest around Caterham.[14]
The town is divided in to Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley, each a Civil Parish. Caterham on the Hill is the older part of the town and is located on a ridge.[15] Caterham Valley is situated in a valley in the North Downs below Caterham on the Hill.[16]
The M25 motorway runs along the southern edge of Caterham between junctions 6 and 7.[17]
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Chaldon | Whyteleafe | Warlingham | |
| Hooley |  |
Woldingham | ||
 Caterham  |
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| Merstham | Godstone | Oxted |
[edit] Demographics
As of the 2001 census, Caterham has a total population of 20,957 people among 8,413 households.[18] Of these 96% describe themselves as white and 75% Christian.[18]
[edit] Notable people
- Angus Deayton, television presenter, attended Oakhyrst Grange School (Caterham) and Caterham School
- Nicky Forster, footballer, born in Caterham
- Dar Lyon, first class cricketer
- Humphrey Lyttleton, jazz trumpeter & broadcaster, trained for Army at Caterham Barracks
- Bill Nighy, actor, born in Caterham
- Katie Price, former glamour model, author and celebrity, lives in the area
- Michael Robbins, actor, died 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 7 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.
Caterham Cars are known as much for racing as they are for road use.
[edit] Transport
[edit] Rail
Caterham is the modern terminus of the 1856-built Caterham Line from Purley. You can now get a train into London stations:London Victoria station and London Bridge station. You can also go to Charing Cross station on a Sunday.
[edit] Buses
Bus routes that operate through Caterham are:
- 400 (Caterham - East Grinstead via Gatwick Airport)
- 404 (Caterham – Old Coulsdon)
- 407 (Caterham – Sutton)
- 409 (Croydon – Caterham)
- 466 (Caterham – Addington Village)
- 509 (Caterham - East Gristead via Lingfield)
- 540 (Woldingham – Redhill)
- 603 (Redhill - Oxted)
[edit] Sport
Sports teams based in Caterham include youth football clubs, Caterham Pumas FC 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.
Caterham Pumas Football Club play their matches at Joliffe Playing Field and provide football for under 6s up to under 17s we also have two adult teams.
[edit] Education
Caterham has a mixture of state and private schools. The two most notable private schools in Caterham are Caterham School and Oakhyrst Grange School, both are on the outskirts of the town. The main state secondary school is de Stafford School. A secondary school for boys with special educational needs called Sunnydown school is also in Caterham on the Hill.[19] There are also several state and private primary schools in the town.
[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] The Arc
A community arts centre and theatre situated in the old Caterham Barracks. The building is made out of the two converted gymnasiums.
[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] Ridge Radio
A Community radio based at The Arc.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Surrey County Council data
- ^ [1]
- ^ "History of Surrey Police - Murder of PC John Schofield". Surrey Police. http://www.surrey.police.uk/about/history.asp. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ "Surrey East: Constituency". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/constituency/906/surrey-east. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ Web Operations Team (3 February 2012). "Surrey's County councillors". Surrey County Council. http://online.surreycc.gov.uk/members/membook.nsf/webSelectMember?openform. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ Web Operations Team (10 November 2011). "Hodge, Mr David". Surrey County Council. http://online.surreycc.gov.uk/members/membook.nsf/vwWebLookupMembersByOrdId/13859?opendocument. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ Ben Endley (6 May 2011). "ELECTION: Bad night for Tandridge Lib Dems". GetSurrey. http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2092171_election_bad_night_for_tandridge_lib_dems. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ "Caterham local contact information". 28 June 2007. http://www.caterhamsurrey.co.uk/info.htm. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ "Your Councillors". 1 May 2008. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jcaudle/CaterhamValleyParish/councillors.htm. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ "Your Parish Councillors". 2010. http://www.caterhamhillpc.org.uk/parish_council.php. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ Robert Simonson (29 February 2012). "The administrative boundaries of the county of Surrey". Surrey County Council. http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/recreation-heritage-and-culture/archives-and-history/archives-and-history-research-guides/the-administrative-boundaries-of-the-county-of-surrey. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ "Miles between Guildford Surrey and Caterham N7 Surrey". http://www.distance-calculator.co.uk/miles-from-guildford-surrey-great_britain-to-caterham-surrey-great_britain_%28uk%29.htm. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ "Home - North Downs Way - National Trail". Natural England. http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Northdowns/. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ "The geology of the county of Surrey". Surrey Museums. November 2006. http://www.surreymuseums.org.uk/collections/geology/geosur.html. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ Paul Sandford. "Exploring Surrey's Past - Caterham". Surrey History Centre. http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/places/surrey/tandridge/caterham. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ "D-block GB-532000-153000". BBC. 1986. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-532000-153000/page/2. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ Ordnance Survey (2008). Dorking, Box Hill and Reigate: Leatherhead and Caterham (Map). 1 : 25,000. Explorer 146. ISBN 978-0-319-24007-6.
- ^ a b [www.tandridge.gov.uk/Tandridge%20District%20Council/Census/Caterham20town20profile%5B2%5D.pdf 2001 CENSUS TOWN/VILLAGE PROFILE : Caterham]. Tandridge District Council. 19 April 2004. www.tandridge.gov.uk/Tandridge%20District%20Council/Census/Caterham20town20profile%5B2%5D.pdf. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ "Sunnydown". http://www.sunnydown.surrey.sch.uk/. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
[edit] External links
- History of Caterham Village
- Page for Caterham in Kelly's Directory of Kent, Surrey & Sussex, 1891
- Page with lots of photographs old and new of Caterham
- Official Dealer for Caterham Cars Caterham
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