The medieval bridge was rebuilt by Gwilt in 1786, but was washed away during the September 1968 floods. and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. The River Mole forms the western boundary of the common, flowing past a steep sandy area known locally as The Ledges. Built in 1957 as part of the scheme to divert the A23 around the eastern periphery of Gatwick Airport. The geology of the local area is complex, since the river leaves the chalk of the Mole Gap at this point and flows over gravel and clay, creating a patchwork of different habitats including scrub, woodland, hedges, banks, and meadows as well as the water itself. 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. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. We'll update this page when there's a flood warning in the area. The 1st XV play in a black-amber strip. [note 2], From Sidlow the Mole turns north west towards Brockham. Hersham is also home to Britain's largest colony of parakeets near Esher Rugby Club. 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). Hersham is a village in Surrey, within the M25. Surrey Fire and. In the 12th century it was written Haverichesham suggesting Haeferick's hamlet or river bend settlement. 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. Wed also like to use analytics cookies so we can understand how you use the service and make improvements. The trail is open year-round and is . esculentus) was introduced to a site at Newdigate in the early 1900s. [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. [30], Highly polluting discharges have become less common but have taken place since 2000. [53] A few much larger swallow holes were also observed separated from the main river by a channel[clarification needed] of about a metre. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is a river in Surrey. [135], East Molesey Upper Mill was associated with the manor of Molesey Matham. [16] Most important to the local economy is the accessibility of Central London see Rail below, with more than 500,000 train entries and exits per annum recorded across the two stations bordering and in the village itself. [6] The catchment area receives 761mm (30.0in) of rain each year; the greatest average level of rainfall is 800mm (31.5in) around Crawley. The first gauging station on the Mole is south of Gatwick Airport (57m[187ft] above OD). [86][87][88] An anti-tank ditch was dug from the Stepping Stones eastwards across the fields belonging to Bradley Farm (now Denbies vineyard). 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. In 1929 an aeroplane designed by Anthony Fletcher was constructed in the village by ABC Motors. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 32 min to complete. [136], East Molesey Lower Mill, also known as Sterte Mill, was associated with the manor of Molesey Prior. The River Mole and Stepping Stones are in front of you. Four of the victims were never identified but buried in Hersham's Burvale Cemetery and another Vickers worker, 36 year old William E Hunt, was buried close by. [54][55] In the late 1960s the domes were reopened and inspected and the alluvium in the largest swallow hole was observed to have subsided by 1.5 metres (4ft 11in) under the centre of one of the domes. This site, like many others, uses small files called cookies to help us improve and customize your experience. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. [4][5] The Mole Gap forms part of a Special Area of Conservation and is an SSSI of European importance. [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. 1952), Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density, Hersham in Surrey: a brief local history of the parish of St. Peter's, Hersham, in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, "William Lilly (1602-1681) By Barbara Dunn. [13] The first tributaries to join the young river drain the northernmost part of St Leonard's Forest, between Horsham and Crawley, although much of the forest is in the catchment area of the River Arun. It then runs along the west side of Horley, and heads north west towards Dorking. 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. large bittercress (Cardamine amara) and the non-native Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). The present bridge was constructed by George Gwilt in 1792, after responsibility for maintenance had been transferred to the county council by Act of Parliament. [38], In the Mole Gap between Dorking and Leatherhead the river supports populations of chub, dace, barbel, and brown trout. ", READ MORE: Emergency services find nothing after report of 'body part' in River Mole near Hersham - recap. 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. [83] In 1810 the engineer John Rennie proposed a canal linking the River Medway to Portsmouth which was to have a branch to London following the Mole for much of its length. Water is therefore able to flow out of the river through swallow holes in the bed and banks, decreasing the volume of water carried in the main channel. 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. The airport was fined 30,000 by Lewes Crown Court. Library, Hersham is 311 meters away, 5 min walk. Its housing is relatively low-rise and diverse and it has four technology/trading estates. [wa=}k [76], Significant Bronze Age finds include a bronze sword found close to the river north of Amberley Farm near Charlwood[77] and a small hoard of weaponry consisting of two palstave axes and a scabbard chape was discovered in 2003 in Norbury Park close to Ham Bank. [97], A wooden bridge is thought to have existed on the site of Cobham Bridge since the 12th century, the upkeep of which was the responsibility of the adjacent landowners. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is 60.133 km long The river passes under the airport in a 425m (465yd) long concrete culvert with 50cm (20in) thick walls and roof. The parish boundaries run from the South West Main Line railway in the North to the East and through St George's Hill in the West. TV presenter John Inverdale has long been associated with the club, albeit the 2010s saw his involvement diminish. Sun times, moon times, lunar phase, weather. There were a series of fires over a century and after the last in 1978 the buildings were demolished. [11], Five of the mills mentioned in Domesday Book were in the borough of Elmbridge.[10]. Look out for. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. [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. [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". 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. [13] In the 18th century and until 1802 at least, the estate, then known as 'the manor of Southwood and Silksmore,' appears to have been held by the Frederick family. 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Its roll holds approx. River Mole in Surrey. [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. The main shopping area of the town is around the High Street where the A307 meets the A244. I made up the walk using O/S Explorer Maps from a series of paths, tracks and roads which followed the course of the River Mole as near as possible. We use some essential cookies to make this service work. Above Meath Green (near Horley), the terrace corresponds to the flood plain of the river, however from this point downstream to Brockham, the river cuts a narrow trench no more than 150m (160yd) wide. [20] The meander was reinstated in 1997, in an attempt to enhance this area of the Park, although it has since become blocked by silt. View map of the flood alert area. History along the River Mole [12] The Mole passes Horley to the west, flowing north towards Sidlow and entering a largely rural area. Flood alert area: River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham, including Sidlow, Leigh, Betchworth, Brockham, Pixham, Dorking, Mickleham, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Stoke D'Abernon and Cobham. Gun mounts were also installed to protect both Boxhill and Deepdene bridges and several pillboxes were installed. Hersham is a village in Surrey, . [47] The amount of water lost from the river is significant and in very hot summers the channel can become dry between Mickleham and Thorncroft Manor; this was recorded most recently in 1949,[48][49] 1976[50] and 2022. A flood warning means flooding to some property is expected. [4], Hersham's first chapel of ease (Holy Trinity church, which was demolished in 1889 having been superseded) was built of yellow brick in Anglo-Norman style in 1839. This forum belongs to the other rivers. The beautiful demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) disappeared from the River Mole during the 1960s owing to deteriorating water quality, but has since recolonised. [40][41] The Mole is one of only three locations in England where the river shingle beetle (Meotica anglica) is found. Somewhere around 200 B.C. During the Second World War several sites along the course of the Mole were fortified for the defence of London against invasion from the south. 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. [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. A part suspended steel and timber deck bridge, spanning 42 metres (138ft). [44], Molesey Heath Local Nature Reserve lies on the west bank of the Mole, west of the Island Barn Reservoir. 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. ), Prior to the last ice age, the River Thames followed a more northerly route to the North Sea, from Reading via Marlow, Chorleywood, St Albans, Hertford and along the present SuffolkEssex border. The Thames was lapping the edge of Hurst road, but fortunately that major river had reached its peak. 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. Early to mid-19th-century brick bridge with two semi-circular arches and one elliptical arch. River Mole rises in Baldhorns Copse 700m (0.4mi) to the south of the village of Rusper in West Sussex. In 1579 Queen Elizabeth granted to Thomas Vincent "the manor, site, and demesne lands of Morehall, and the wood called Sylkesmore coppice". In 2003, the upper River Mole near Meath Green Lane, Horley, was enhanced to create a gravel spawning area to encourage chub and dace in addition to roach. The woodland, river and ponds are attractive at any time of the year. [86], The river crossing at Sidlow Bridge was heavily defended and a line of pill boxes was constructed on the north bank of the river. The path runs between high wire fences. [4], This private retirement village, which allocates some of its accommodation to disabled poor residents, is set in a lightly undulating, elevated, wooded part of Hersham and was created from a bequest of 1m left by a London department store pioneer William Whiteley.[6]. [28], Standard water quality of Mole and its tributaries has improved markedly since the 1990s. River Mole rises in Baldhorns Copse 700 m (0.4 mi) to the south of the village of Rusper in West Sussex. This is a new service your feedback will help us to improve it. Cp-o{ kh/smY$Q$ ;^/%wh xHeZ?!Lku'Foki7# Dc|zNgnQ/I|G7#-[;Xeet?wi0v\v^S}"5K%zx MO9z5N.w?m?yuWFG (mVg! Places within Hersham therefore technically include part of Saint George's Hill, all of Burwood Park and Whiteley Village. The Beaches sections of the Shoreline Trail consists of the construction of a multi-use pathway in the Town of Evans and Town of Brant. Plant species typical of ancient woodland are found in this area, including bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scriptus), marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) and golden saxifrages (Chrysosplenium sp.). It dates back way before the Doomsday book and this is what makes it such an interesting river to paddle. Something went wrong, please try again later. It then swings east and joins the Thames between East . [85] The river may be paddled all year by canoe between Brockham and Fetcham with an appropriate licence from the British Canoe Union. [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 addition Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Bing also collects the data of visitors including device used and links clicked; other third party applications also collect this sort of data. Downside Mill, Cobham was the mill of the manor of Downe. This was estimated in 2004 to have consisted of around 7,000 birds.[15]. [citation needed]. 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. [92] The first bridge on this site was probably constructed during the late Middle Ages and was rebuilt and enlarged by the county surveyor, George Gwilt in 178283. Not all of the water removed from the river by the swallow holes is returned to the channel at Leatherhead. [2] Much of the catchment area lies on impermeable rock (including Weald Clay and London Clay), meaning that the river level responds rapidly to heavy rainfall. The remaining% is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible% of households living rent-free). 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. There is a Waitrose at 105 High Street, KT10 9QE. Rules can change, and fishing may become banned on waters.A small commission is made from the sale of products in the fishing tackle section. [6], The river has captured the imagination of several authors and poets,[7] particularly since in very hot summers the river channel can become dry between Dorking and Leatherhead, most recently in 2022. Both barbel and brown trout are extremely sensitive to water quality and pollution. 0.7km (0.4mi) south of Sidlow the mean flow is measured as 2.21m3/s (78cuft/s) at Kinnersley Manor gauging station (48m[157ft] above OD). [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 gauging station south of Gatwick Airport was installed in 2005, replacing an earlier station located 200m (220yd) downstream. Very little angling is available in this area as the local lakes are closed to fishing and the River Mole is controlled by the local authority who do not permit fishing on their land. In 1953 the larger mill was demolished by Surrey County Council to allieviate traffic congestion on Mill Road. 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. Turn right on the wide track beside the river. Hersham has an interesting industrial history with notable companies such as ABC Motors, Air Products, Faulkners, Hackbridge & Hewittick and Vickers-Armstrongs all having factories in the village during the last century. [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. The parapets were rebuilt in 1914 and the structure was given a GradeII listing in 1953. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 4 h 51 min to complete. The Stepping Stones 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. yes that is it olly had a walk round the pond as well did find some intense feeding going on in one corner very few fishing it in fact the third person . A number of minor tributaries join the river from the west and are typically second order streams draining the woodland and arable land between Horsham and Dorking. [10] The bridge has nine low arches and is primarily built of red brick with stone coping. The Ember flood relief channel has a diverse fish population, including chub, dace, roach, bleak, large pike and barbel. The Anglo-Saxons may well have been the first permanent settlers here; they gave the name to the place and no older remains of actual dwellings in areas not mentioned above have been found. Hersham Village Golf Club is on the opposite, south side of the village, where snooker player John Virgo has been a longstanding president. The present building dates from the 18th century but it is inaccessible to the public. As part of the development of Hersham a new shopping centre was built in the early 1980s with a large supermarket (30k sq feet ) now occupied by Waitrose, although the whole complex is currently under consideration for major redevelopment by the owners. In response to heavy flooding of East Molesey and Thames Ditton in September 1968, the river was modified downstream of Albany Bridge to the Thames and new flood defences were constructed. According to Hersham in Surrey:. It was used for fulling woollen cloth and milling corn. The original road bridge on this site was destroyed during flooding in 1968. [39] [1][3] Twelve Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) that include wetland habitats are located within the Mole catchment area, and the stretch of river through Leatherhead has been designated a Local Nature Reserve. [33], The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus, a non-native species introduced from Europe in the 1930s) is now commonly found in the upper Mole and its tributaries around Newdigate and Gatwick.