Reigate and Redhill, two towns linked together but so noticeably different from each other? The proximity of the two seem to be the only things each have in common with each other, can there be any other links found?

Reigate was first mentioned in the Doomsday book in 1086 being a small settlement. The book read, “The King holds Cherchefelle (to become Reigate) in demesne. Edith the Queen held it. There are 3 ploughs, 67 villeins and 11 borders. There are two mills worth 12 shillings less 2 pence, and 12 acres of meadow.”
The Parish became a Municipal Borough in 1863, with the towns’ history and importance being centred around the site of the old Normal Castle within the Castle grounds, the Priory and the Old Town Hall built in 1729 in the centre of Reigate.

Reigate Town

The relatively young town of Redhill developed from almost uninhabitable marshland to form the small Warwick Town around 1860 named after Countess Brooke of Warwick, widow of the fourth lord Monson, into a railway town of a population of around 10,000 in 1860.

Redhill's early marshland with its many watercourses, was a haven for wildlife such as wildfowl. Areas around Redhill were fertile and named Red Hill back in the 18th century, yielded excellent resources such as red clay, flint from the Downs, Fuller’s earth and timber mainly from the woods of Earlswood.

In 1867, the swedish scientist Alfred Nobel successfully demonstrated dynamite for the first time at a quarry in Redhill. The chemist patented his mixture that year and after the test, news about the compound spread across the world. Nobel said that the new combination was "far more safe and convenient for transportation, storage, and use, than nitro-glycerine... without losing the great explosive power of nitroglycerine."

Redhill saw its expansion and sudden burst of population surpassing Reigate with the development of the railways when the London and Brighton Railway extending its tracks from Croydon to Brighton through Redhill in 1841. New roads were constructed early in the 1800’s with a section lying from Merstham to Wray Common, built in 1808; this road was built to connect the thoroughfare to Purley, continuing onto London. Over time, south of the town the road extended to Brighton creating the London to Brighton route now used by many events such as the London to Brighton Bike Ride and car rallies.

Redhill claims to have one of the first railway tracks for public transport in the world from Croydon to Merstham in 1805. The completion of the mainline from London to Brighton led it to be opened in 1841. The picture below is of a memorial to the railway opposite the Feathers pub, Merstham.

Reigate claims to have one of England’s earliest public libraries, housed in the upper storey of the old vestry in St Mary’s Church, Chart Lane. A sad fact about Reigate however, is that the famous story of The Pilgrims Way along the North Downs once thought visited by the pilgrims, has been proven to be false and the Barons Caves where the Barons met before they signed the Magna Carta has since faded away into folklore.

Priory Park houses the Priory Manor, now a school and museum. The manor was founded early thirteenth century and became a religious building looked after by monks, the Howard family converted it to a mansion in Tudor times. Henry VIII owned the estate and its steward in 1541 was Lord Edmund Howard, father of Catherine Howard, Henry’s fifth wife. It was taken away from him due to Catherine’s demise in 1544. The building went through a series of changes and additions; it was Georgianised in the 1500’s.

Reigate Priory Football Club's history can be traced right back to 1870, not long after the FA was actually formed in 1863. In 1870, the club was one of only 15 teams that contested for a £20 silver trophy, the first ever FA Challenge Cup competition.
Reigate Priory Football Club were also present when the Surrey FA (founded in 1887) decided to become affiliated to the FA on the 16th March 1882. The club was one of the original 10 teams present at the meeting that took place in Guildford. At the same time a County Senior Cup competition was introduced. The first winners of the Senior Cup were Reigate Priory who were victorious six times before the end of the century.Today the club runs twelve teams, seven senior teams (in the Redhill and District Saturday and Sunday leagues) and five junior teams, competing in the Epson-Ewell, and Horsham Saturday and Sunday leagues.

Reigate is most famous for its late Castle in the castle grounds, built on a mound with a surrounding moat. Erected around 1088, declared ‘ruinous’ and in a pitiful state around the late 1600’s. The town grew up around the castle; the grounds were turned into gardens in 1873. The gateway shown below was erected around 1770 and as a structure reminiscent of the castle using the original stones.

The Castle Grounds

The Barons cave underneath the castle holds a mysterious air about itself. It is not exactly known why it was excavated, more than likely as a cellar and quick getaway from within the castle. On the end wall above the stone bench, two oldest dates in the cave can be made out - 1644 and 1677.

War
Reigate was key target during the war due to General Sir Bernard Montgomery, Land Commander of the 21st Army, having his HQ based in the large houses on Reigate Hill. Fortified tunnels were dug on Reigate Hill and some lead from the house that Montgomery actually used and to the Fort on Reigate Hill. Reigate Hill holds many secrets about these tunnels and their war usage, the Ministry of Defence keep these secrets very close to themselves!

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Reigate stone used to build St Matthew’s Church was mined from caves and areas around Reigate, Redhill, Merstham and along the North Downs. This sandstone material was used from the time of the Middle Ages to build churches and ornate buildings such as Westminster Abbey and Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor Castle, and Hampton Court.Many caves are found underneath the town used as cellars and mines for stone and sand. The castle grounds and the surrounding area were excavated for sand and Reigate stone used to build St Matthew’s Church in Redhill and was mined from caves and areas around Reigate, Redhill, Merstham and along the North Downs. This sandstone material was used from the time of the Middle Ages to build churches and ornate buildings such as Westminster Abbey and Palace dating to 1349, St Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor Castle, and Hampton Court. Reigate was also noted for its timber yield.

Fuller’s earth has been the most important natural product in the area, earth found from Redhill to Nutfield has been said to contain the finest earth in England. Redhill and Earlswood Common, Colley Hill and Nutfield were all major sites of excavation.

Archaeological digs around the area led to the finding of a pitcher found in Earlswood (south of Redhill) now in the British Museum, is one of the earliest known pieces of native medieval pottery dated late twelfth century.

Mills formed a major industry with two windmills seen on Wray Common and Reigate Heath. Reigate Heath mill ceased working in 1880, converted into one of the worlds smallest chapels and restored to being given new sails in 1962. Reigate Health held various horse races from 1834 to 1838 and 1863 but locals were concerned with the dodgy types that came with them and they were stopped. Reigate Heath is now an 18-hole golf course.

Wray Common pre 1915

Reigate Heath Windmill. Now the housing the smallest church in Britain

Built in 1824, the original mill at Wray Common was constructed of brick, standing 45 feet high and milling throughout its early life until 1895. It was named Redhill Windmill but stands on a Reigate postcode. Wray Common Mill was the last of the Reigate mills to produce flour. The Cooke family, owners in the late 1800’s, worked the mill as well as having a bakers shop in Station Road, Redhill. Dummy sails replaced the dilapidated ones in 1928 and the mill was then used amongst other things to house livestock. The sails were declared dangerous and fell off in 1980, never to be replaced due to wrangling between the council and the owner John Skinner. He carried out restoration of the windmill between 1966 –72. The Mill has since been bought in 2004 and renovation taking place with the aim of replacing the sails and fantail.

Notable houses in Reigate are Browns Lodge built in 1786 at the junction of West Street and Upper West Street and The Barons built in 1710 at the junction of Church Street and Bancroft Road.
In Redhill, the large Market Hall building erected in 1857 was demolished to make way for the Warwick Quadrant in 1982. The Market Hall held council meetings, amongst it’s other uses were housing Barclays Bank in the 1920’s, the county court, post office, theatre, Literary Institute and a dance floor.

Reigate Market closed in 1895 and moved to Redhill, now the Market car park.

Redhill Market Hall

Reigate and Redhill through the centuries have had an enormous number of pubs, inns and hotels. Three oldest pubs in Reigate remain: the Red Cross, the Bell and the Bulls Head. Redhill has the White Lion and the Red Lion in Linkfield Lane as its oldest, the White Lion claiming to have stood in medieval times. Much of the White Lion building dates from the 16th century and became a public house in the 17th century. Tales of gun toting highwaymen surround this charming pub, including the story of the ‘rogue landlord’ Mr Filewood, his life coming to a grisly end killed by a man on his travels.

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Check out and purchase framed photograph prints of Reigate and Redhill from the Frith Collection :