Caterham

This article is about the town in England. For the car manufacturer, see Caterham Cars.

Caterham
Roundabout in the centre of Caterham valley
Caterham  Caterham shown within Surrey
Population	20,957
OS grid reference	TQ335555
Civil parish	Caterham on the Hill
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, 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.

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. 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.

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

Commerce

Caterham-on-the-Hill's high street

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.

Caterham Cars

Main article: 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.

Transport

A train standing at Caterham railway station

Caterham-on-the-Hill Westway Common bus stop

Rail

Main article: Caterham railway station

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.

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)

Sport

Sports teams based in Caterham include youth football 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.

Education

Caterham School

Main article: 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.

Oakhyrst Grange School

Main article: Oakhyrst Grange School

Oakhyrst Grange School is a private co-educational school for pupils aged 3–11, on the outskirts of Caterham. Angus Deayton attended the school.

de Stafford College (de Stafford School)

Main article: de Stafford School

de Stafford School is a state comprehensive school for students age 11–16. It is located on Burntwood Lane

Essendene Lodge school

Essendene Lodge school is a small private school in Caterham in Essendene road near the blacksmith arms pub.

St John's School

A Church of England state funded school on Markfield Road.

Sunnydown School

Sunnydown School is a school for 11-16 yeaar olds who are in the Autism spectrum or have Dyslexia. It to be a school called Portley House School For The Deaf,however a school in Guildford (Also called Sunnydown School) was reallocated to Caterham on the hill. Sunnydown is located on Whyteleafe road.

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.

Entertainment

The Arc

A community arts centre and theatre situated in the old Caterham Barracks. The building is made out of the 2 converted gymnasiums.

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.

Ridge Radio

A Community radio based at The Arc.

See also

• London Defence Positions

Nearest places

• Coulsdon
• Kenley
• Purley
• Croydon
• Chaldon
• Godstone
• Sanderstead
• Warlingham
• Woldingham
• Whyteleafe

Pubs and restaurants

• The Harrow
• The Valley – currently shut (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 Ladybird
• The Fox
• Olivish

References

http://www.surrey.police.uk/aboutus_history_item.asp?artid=4754

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