The North Downs Way crosses the river at Box Hill via seventeen hexagonal stepping stones, which are frequently submerged after heavy rainfall. beta Mole (Horley to Hersham) takes in water from an area around 151.017 km2 in size and is part of the Mole Lower and Rythe catchment area. [63] The depth of the deposits generally varies from 2.5to 7m (823ft);[64] the lower layers are generally highly compacted and cemented together with brick-red iron oxide, whereas the upper layers are loosely packed with angular flints and sand. The river flows initially southwards for 1km (0.6mi) to a small lake at Baldhorns Park, before running eastwards through a largely rural area towards Crawley. It was restored to full working order by the Cobham Mill Preservation Trust, and is now open to the public from 2pm to 5pm on the second Sunday of each month (between April and October). The bridge is a long structure of 14 segmental arches resting on low piers, finished in red brick in Flemish bond, with some Portland stone dressing. The second-largest Sewage Treatment Works (STW) in the Mole catchment is located on the Gatwick Stream 3km (1.9mi) upstream of the confluence with the Mole: Crawley STW discharges 15,000m3 (530,000cuft) of water per day, and in prolonged dry periods it accounts for up to 75% of the flow of the Mole downstream of the confluence. When the Burford Bridge was rebuilt in 1937, excavations revealed a "flint-surfaced approach to [a] ford at low level having all the signs of Roman workmanship" suggesting that Stane Street (which ran from London to Chichester via Dorking) crossed the river at this point. [15][16], The Mole enters Surrey to the south of Horley, where it meets the Gatwick Stream, a tributary draining Worth Forest to the southeast of Crawley. This website is a guide and cannot guarantee full coverage of venues, nor accuracy of the information provided. Col. Terry of Burvale, Hersham. 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. The path leads to the Mole near a concrete bridge. 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. There were a series of fires over a century and after the last in 1978 the buildings were demolished. The walk begins beside the Prince of Wales Pond, grid ref 129639, postcode Gun mounts were also installed to protect both Boxhill and Deepdene bridges and several pillboxes were installed. The River Mole rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north-west through Surrey for 50 miles. Downside Mill, Cobham was the mill of the manor of Downe. Besides the significant contribution of ABC Motors to the British war effort with products that included auxiliary power units for Short Sunderland flying boats), Vickers-Armstrongs had four secret production sites in the village and its surrounding parish occupied the existing Ben Stanley Ltd bus depot and workshop in Burwood Road as part of its dispersed Tinsmiths Department. The culvert was constructed in 1957. The island where it stood now forms part of the ornamental gardens of a housing development called "The Wilderness". 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. Early in World War II, Barnes Wallis and several hundred staff were evacuated to Burhill Golf Club from the nearby Vickers-Armstrongs aircraft factory at Brooklands and designed the legendary Dambusters 'bouncing bomb' there. . 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. [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). At this point, the water table rises enough for the water to flow back into the main river channel. [8][51][52] At Leatherhead, the river leaves the chalk and flows across impermeable London Clay. The main shopping area of the town is around the High Street where the A307 meets the A244. The Heath is an area of rough scrubland and, despite its name, is a reclaimed landfill site hence its large but artificial mound and small plateau. Another well-established commercial business is the popular Squires Garden Centre adjacent to the Burvale Cemetery in Burwood Road. Esher RFC is a multi-pitch rugby union club in Hersham since approximately 1939 (see notes). [80], During the 17th century, two bills came before parliament to make sections of the river navigable. It was occupied by pre-historic folk whose flint instruments have been found in large numbers beside the River on Southwood Manor Farm[n 2]. [133], Esher Mill also known as Royal Mill was at the end of Mill Road in Lower Green, where there is now an industrial estate. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 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. In 2003, Gatwick Airport Ltd pleaded guilty to charges of allowing chemical pollution to enter the River Mole after a detergent, used to clean rubber and oil from the runway, was washed into Crawters Brook by airport workers. The Thames was lapping the edge of Hurst road, but fortunately that major river had reached its peak. [11] It has been used for many purposes including the processing of corn, paper, iron, tinplate and flock and the generation of electricity. We'll update this page when there's a flood warning in the area. It then runs along the west side of Horley, and heads north west towards Dorking. [36] There is no evidence that the presence of the frogs has had a deleterious effect on indigenous amphibians. [40] The white-legged damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) is also found along the river, and the downy emerald (Cordulia aenea) is found between Box Hill and Leatherhead. The first gauging station on the Mole is south of Gatwick Airport (57m[187ft] above OD). An epic 9 hour paddle/tree climb/portage-fest, down the River Mole from Fetcham to Hersham with friends from London. Designed by Anthony Fletcher and fitted with an ABC Scorpion aero engine, this was test flown from nearby Brooklands and had could have been built in quantity but became a victim of the economic depression of 1929-32. Viviparid snails and water scorpions (of the genus Nepidae) are commonly found where the river runs over the London Clay. Hersham is a village in Surrey, . This is a popular trail for road biking, running, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. [93], A few metres downstream of Leatherhead Bridge stands the GradeII listed railway viaduct which carries the Leatherhead to Dorking line over the river. 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. [1], The geographical distribution of many species of invertebrate in the river reflects the geology of the catchment area. The path runs between high wire fences. Find a river, sea, groundwater or rainfall level in this area, Telephone: 0345 988 1188Textphone: 0345 602 6340Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekFind out more about call charges. 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. The major tributaries of the River Mole are the Ifield Brook, Gatwick Stream, Earlswood Brook, Pipp Brook and The Rye, which drains Ashtead. The woodland, river and ponds are attractive at any time of the year. [_ch MP=e(3+K}h;,x5K_>. Youve accepted analytics cookies. It was used to produce gunpowder from the time of the Commonwealth until about 1780. The river passes under the airport in a 425m (465yd) long concrete culvert with 50cm (20in) thick walls and roof. [40][41] The Mole is one of only three locations in England where the river shingle beetle (Meotica anglica) is found. The Mole Valley has been polluted. [68] 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". In The Faerie Queene (first published in 1590) Edmund Spenser wrote of the river: In Poly-Olbion (first published in 1612) the poet Michael Drayton described the journey taken by the River Thames to the sea: This Mole runnes into the earth, about a mile from Darking in Surrey, and after some two miles sees the light againe, which to be certaine hath been affirmed by Inhabitants thereabout reporting triall made of it. [18] The river leaves the Weald Clay at Brockham, passing Betchworth Castle [19] and flowing briefly across greensand and Gault Clay to Pixham, 1km (0.6mi) north east of Dorking. The River Mole arises in Sussex and enters Surrey at Gatwick airport. Hersham also has three primary schools Burhill, became primary in 2015, Bell Farm, became primary in 2014 and Cardinal Newman. The medieval bridge was rebuilt by Gwilt in 1786, but was washed away during the September 1968 floods. [citation needed]. Frederick Loring Vaux (1842-1933), local resident and a significant village benefactor. At Boxhill Farm, where access to the river from the north bank was required for the herd of dairy cows, a row of twelve concrete cylinders were cast as an anti-tank measure. North of Esher the old river channel is dominated by floating pennywort, a highly invasive weed, which cuts off all light to the river bed, reducing oxygen levels and resulting in a poor habitat for fish. [2], Between Dorking and Leatherhead the Mole cuts a steep-sided valley through the North Downs, creating a 170-metre-high (560ft) river cliff on the western flank of Box Hill. [2] Brickearth deposits are common in the valley around Betchworth and east of Dorking. There are around 3,500 measuring stations, and most are along main rivers and the coast. %PDF-1.3 Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. [47] A survey in March 1883 estimated that the Fetcham springs were producing about 3.6million imperial gallons (16,000m3) every day. Emergency services rushed to the River Mole between Esher and Hersham on Wednesday morning (October 12) after receiving a report that a body part had been seen in the water. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was owned by Chertsey Abbey. Original wooden Victorian bridge replaced by a stone parapet bridge in 1907 and the present concrete bridge dates from 1965. About 90% of the energy generated is fed into the regional electricity grid, while the remainder is used to supply the Betchworth Park Estate, where the weir is situated. [98], Domesday Book listed twenty mills on the River Mole in 1086. The other locations were at Burhill Golf Club ('W32'- see below) plus Corbie Wood ('W86' which included both a Bellman hangar and an Air Ministry T.2 Type hangar) and Riseholme ('W63'), both located on the St George's Hill side of Seven Hills Road. Hersham is also home to Britain's largest colony of parakeets near Esher Rugby Club. [38], In the Mole Gap between Dorking and Leatherhead the river supports populations of chub, dace, barbel, and brown trout. [46], The upper Mole catchment is dominated by a single broad terrace, which runs continuously from Tilgate Forest to the entry to the Mole Gap. In 1929 an aeroplane designed by Anthony Fletcher was constructed in the village by ABC Motors. [30], Highly polluting discharges have become less common but have taken place since 2000. Read more 2021 munki-boy design, All Rights Reserved. Not all of the water removed from the river by the swallow holes is returned to the channel at Leatherhead. The Stepping Stones [135], East Molesey Upper Mill was associated with the manor of Molesey Matham. [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". Enjoy this 5.3-mile out-and-back trail near Tonawanda, New York. [1] Investment in the Sewage Treatment Works in the catchment area has improved the quality of the discharges into the river,[1] and modifications to the runway and apron drainage systems at Gatwick Airport mean that surface water is diverted to aerated pollution control lagoons and balancing ponds for treatments, including acid/alkali neutralisation, before release into the river. % It then flows into the River Thames at Hampton Court. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. The band's biggest hit was Hersham Boys. Luftwaffe bombers also dropped various bombs on and around Hersham and six V-1 flying bombs exploded in the parish. [3] The Gatwick Stream is dominated by coarse fish such as brown trout, brook lamprey, and eel. Built in 1990 to replace an existing ford. Music is "Oxygen Garden" and "Out of the. The trail is open year-round and is . The river also provides a corridor for wildlife through the centre of Leatherhead. <> According to Hersham in Surrey:. A part suspended steel and timber deck bridge, spanning 42 metres (138ft). 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. 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Named after the Duchess of Albany (resident of Claremont). The largest STW in the Mole catchment (Reigate STW) discharges up to 118,500m3 (4,180,000cuft) per day into the Earlswood Brook. [2], During the second half of the 20th century pollution levels in the river were high; however, since 1995 the water quality has improved dramatically and the Mole now boasts the greatest diversity of fish species of any river in England. The antiquarian William Camden uses the Latinized form Molis in the 1586 edition of Britannia and Michael Drayton is the first to use Mole in his poem Poly-Olbion published in 1613. [6] From the source to Dorking, the river drains an area of 340km2 (130sqmi), of which approximately 60% is on Wealden or Atherfield Clay, 20% is on Tunbridge Wells Sand and 20% is on greensand. Robert Bloomfield (17661823) writes the following lines about the Mole Valley in his 1806 poem Wild Flowers. Surrey Fire and. In this manner it goes away, lessening the stream for above a mile, near two, and these they call the Swallows. River Mole at Stoke D'Abernon, Cobham and South Hersham flood warning area. [27] During this period, the Mole is thought to have merged with the River Wey near Byfleet and then flowed in a north-easterly direction via Richmond to meet the proto-Thames near Ware in Hertfordshire. Grade II listed. The first, in 1663, was passed by the House of Commons but was defeated in the House of Lords. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The Mummy was filmed in Hersham. The River Mole forms the western boundary of the common, flowing past a steep sandy area known locally as The Ledges. In World War II, in a daring daylight raid on 4th September 1940, German bombers successfully attacked the important Vickers aircraft factory at Brooklands killing nearly 90 people. Somewhere around 200 B.C. Other specialist Hersham firms include coachbuilders Compton & Herman Ltd based in Molesey Road in the 1920s before being renamed Compton Motor Body Builders and later moving first to Kingston and then to New Malden. Library, Hersham is 311 meters away, 5 min walk. vGc+R~g^Dq|( Pages on this website do NOT confer a right to fish, nor to fish in a certain way. Find a river, sea, groundwater or rainfall level in this area, Telephone: 0345 988 1188Textphone: 0345 602 6340Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekFind out more about call charges. The 18th-century weir at Betchworth was modified in 2004 to facilitate the installation of two 27.5kW low-head hydro turbines. The present bridge opened in 1971. It was occupied by pre-historic folk whose flint instruments have been found in large numbers beside the River on Southwood Manor Farm.These date mostly from the mesolithic period. An old timber structure was replaced by a brick building in the 1820s which can be seen from the bridge over the Ember in Hampton Court Way. 5 0 obj [92] The bridge was constructed as an ornamental feature in parkland laid out by Capability Brown in the late 18th century. Its housing is relatively low-rise and diverse and it has four technology/trading estates. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is a river in Surrey. ", "Manchester United's Luke Shaw signs new contract at Old Trafford until 2023", Parakeet population booming in borough Molesey News & Mail, 7 July 2004, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hersham&oldid=1134823525. [2], Between Cobham and Esher, the Mole's historic courses have deposited gravel on top of the London Clay. The current stones were dedicated in September 1946 by the then Prime Minister Clement Attlee, replacing those destroyed during the Second World War as an anti-invasion measure. [14] The course of the Mole within the airport perimeter has been altered several times since commercial flights began in 1945; however the meanders visible on the 1839 tithe map in the 1.5km (0.93mi) stretch immediately north of the runway were reinstated in 1999, in a 1.2 million project to facilitate airport expansion. [73] Remains of a flat-bottomed dug-out canoe were found at the confluence of the Mole and Thames in 1877 by a local boatman. Something went wrong, please try again later. It rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows northwest through Surrey for 80km (50 miles) to the Thames at Hampton Court Palace. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. It is home to Sandown Park Racecourse. Early to mid-19th-century brick bridge with two semi-circular arches and one elliptical arch. Concrete anti-tank dragon's teeth were built on both sides of the river, a short distance upstream of the bridge, as an obstacle to armoured vehicles.[89]. [136], East Molesey Lower Mill, also known as Sterte Mill, was associated with the manor of Molesey Prior. Hersham Village Golf Club is on the opposite, south side of the village, where snooker player John Virgo has been a longstanding president. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is 60.133 km long TV presenter John Inverdale has long been associated with the club, albeit the 2010s saw his involvement diminish. The manor remained in the possession of the Crown, and was granted by Philip II of Spain and Mary I of England to David Vincent. [1] At the confluence of the Mole and the River Thames at Hampton Court Palace it is possible to catch a wide variety of coarse fish species. The River Mole arises in Sussex and enters Surrey at Gatwick airport. The present building dates from the 18th century but it is inaccessible to the public. large bittercress (Cardamine amara) and the non-native Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. Always check you can fish lawfully before starting. Turn right on the wide track beside the river. [53][54] About six of these larger swallow holes were found to the west of the Burford Bridge Hotel, along the course of the A24 Mickleham Bypass during its construction in 1936. [note 1] The mean flow is 0.33m3/s (12cuft/s) and the river ran dry at this point for the first time in the summer of 1995. Youve accepted analytics cookies. There is a Waitrose at 105 High Street, KT10 9QE. Wed also like to use analytics cookies so we can understand how you use the service and make improvements. In the nucleus of the village is Hersham Green, 3.4 acres (1.4ha) of open space on which regular events take place throughout the year. The site is a rich habitat for birds including the redshank and little ringed plover. [43], The West End Common forms part of the Esher Commons, owned and managed by Elmbridge Borough Council. [7] A planned community also exists in the south almost entirely for the retired, Whiteley Village. In 1540 he purchased from John Carleton the "manor of Morehall or Sylkesmore" in Hersham, together with lands and woods in Burwood and Hatch in Hersham. It also takes in all six ponds of this part of Esher Common, some hidden deep in the woods. Surrey Fire and Rescue Service received the report at 7.13am and sent two fire engines, two Water Rescue teams and two officers to the site near Esher Road. The very modest High Street contains almost entirely only convenience and socialising stores; fashion and leisure shops are to be found less than 2 miles (3.2km) to the north, in Walton on Thames. This is a new service your feedback will help us to improve it. A single track bridge built in 1737 by Richard and Thomas Skilton. [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. Below Leatherhead the river has historically supported larger predatory fish including chub, perch, pike, and eels, however in recent years chub and eel numbers have begun to decline. Initially the surveyors tried to fill the holes with rubble to prevent the foundations of the new road subsiding. [81][82] The only Surrey river to have been made fully navigable is the combined lower section of the River Wey. Hersham is a charming little station in Surrey, with views over fields, the River Mole and a local golf course. The Ember flood relief channel has a diverse fish population, including chub, dace, roach, bleak, large pike and barbel. Esher is located to the east of Hersham, at the meeting point of the A244 and A307 (Portsmouth Road). [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]. [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. The bridge has a 15m (49ft) span with mass concrete abutments and a pre-stressed concrete deck. 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. [60] The water table in the chalk of the Wey Gap is significantly higher than might be expected from natural rainwater percolation alone. It was used for fulling woollen cloth and milling corn. Queen Victoria wrote in her diary how she saw her first steam train in Hersham when she was a young girl. It was occupied by pre-historic folk whose flint instruments have been found in large numbers beside the River on Southwood Manor Farm (Burhill Road KT12 4BJ) These date mostly from the mesolithic period. 26); This page was last edited on 20 January 2023, at 21:55. [10][11], Horley Mill was first mentioned in a deed of the early 13th century. [21], At Leatherhead, the Mole leaves the chalk and turns northwestwards to flow across impermeable London Clay, winding towards Cobham.