Chipstead, Surrey

Chipstead
The upper Chipstead Valley, Chipstead from Banstead Wood.
Chipstead  Chipstead shown within Surrey
Area	9.6 km2 (3.7 sq mi)
Population	3,136 (2011 census)[1]
– density	327/km2 (850/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TQ278569
District	Reigate and Banstead
Shire county	Surrey
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Coulsdon
Postcode district	CR5
Dialling code	01737
Police	Surrey
Fire	Surrey
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Reigate
List of places UK England Surrey

Coordinates: 51°18′54″N 0°09′47″W / 51.315°N 0.163°W / 51.315; -0.163

Chipstead is a predominantly commuter village in north-east Surrey, England, that has been a small ecclesiastical parish since the Domesday Survey of 1086. Its rolling landscape meant that Chipstead's development was late and restricted compared to parishes of comparable distance from London. Formerly and formally including Hooley and Netherne-on-the-Hill, according to the 1831 census, Chipstead had 66 homes – today, excluding those two parts, the village has 1,212 homes spread across part of the North Downs.

Geography

The land within and to all sides forms curved valleys of downland. Beyond Chipstead's boundaries are the villages of Woodmansterne and slightly more distant Coulsdon, Banstead, Hooley and Kingswood. Woodmansterne is in two parts, one of which is in Greater London (as is Coulsdon) – the nearest, the Surrey part is the western follow-on to the built-up valley street of Chipstead. Housing and parks span the east slopes of a narrow valley known as Chipstead Valley or Chipstead Bottom which is a dry valley. This has some subterranean flows common in the chalk hills of the North Downs, a long hill range south of Woking, Croydon and the Thames Estuary.

Conservation

The residents of Chipstead have prevented installation of street lighting, particularly in the southern parts of the village. Two residents associations exist, both founded in the 20th century. One caters broadly for all parts from Chipstead Valley to Hooley, while the second concentrates on architectural beauty and views from public places in areas where these may be at risk. Identified as among Chipstead's characteristics are its mature trees, hedgerows, rural wildlife and dark skies at night:

Villagers value the mature trees and hedgerows, the open fields and farmland, the narrow, winding lanes and the absence of street lighting

— Chipstead Residents Association^[2]

Chipstead Downs is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). To the north-west of the village is Banstead Heath, a rolling plateau of open common land. This area is maintained by the Banstead Commons Conservators.

Today Chipstead does not have a clearly defined village centre; instead there are several small areas of economic activity in a largely residential area.

The village is home to many societies, some of which are linked to the church. Another focal point of the village is a small parade of shops, near to the railway station.

History

The village lay within the Reigate hundred.

Chipstead appears in Domesday Book as Tepestede. It was held by William de Wateville. Its Domesday assets were: 3 hides; 7 ploughs, 1 mill worth £1, woodland worth 5 hogs. It rendered £8.^[3]

The Grade I listed church of St Margaret is in Hooley, the official hamlet of the village, with somewhat isolated geography and its own article. It was restored in 1827 when its patron was the Jolliffe family of Chipstead Court keeping its 12th century arch and foundations.^[7][8] The school in the Victorian era here was endowed by Mary Stephens in 1746 with land producing £70 per annum. Sir Edward Banks (builder) enterprising building contractor for public works, was in 1835 buried in the churchyard – his business partner and daughter's husband being the patrons of the church and owners of Chipstead Court since 1788.^[7][9][10]

From 1894 until 1934 Chipstead was part of Reigate Rural District.

Demography

The current three-member electoral ward Chipstead, Hooley and Woodmansterne had a population of 6,912 as at the United Kingdom 2011 Census.^[11]

The census areas which Chipstead occupied were drawn as Reigate and Banstead 004C and 004D.^[12] As such, Chipstead has 7.4% of the borough's area and has 2.3% of borough's population. Less than a third of the borough's own proportion of dwelling types, 8% of Chipstead homes were flats or apartments. In total 380 Chipstead residents, 24% of the population in 2011, were retired. Further common comparators for places in the United Kingdom are as shown below.

Sport and leisure

Within the vicinity of Chipstead, there are several sports clubs, many taking the Chipstead name.

• Chipstead F.C. a Non-League football club has a minor claim to fame as some of Footballers' Wives was filmed here.
• Chipstead Rugby Football Club. They play in Surrey League 1 and have been open since 1959.^[13]

Transport

Chipstead railway station is on the Tattenham Corner Line.

There are no bus services through the village – route 166, run by Arriva London for London Buses, passes its suburban northern edge to serve neighbouring Woodmansterne. Other services are at Banstead and Coulsdon.

Notable persons

• Actress June Brown lives in Chipstead.
• Professional golfer Charles Mayo lived there in 1906.^[14]
• Former footballer Danny Murphy and his actress wife Joanna Taylor are residents of Chipstead.
• Singer-songwriter David Wiffen spent his early childhood in Chipstead.
• Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, lives in Chipstead.

See also

• List of places of worship in Reigate and Banstead

References

External links

Media related to Chipstead, Surrey at Wikimedia Commons

Borough of Reigate and Banstead
Towns, villages, neighbourhoods and hamlets	Banstead Banstead Nork Woodmansterne Coulsdon Chipstead Hooley Netherne-on-the-Hill Epsom Tattenham Corner Horley Horley Redhill Earlswood Meadvale Merstham New Merstham St John's Salfords Redhill Whitebushes Reigate Flanchford Reigate Skimmington Sidlow South Park Woodhatch Tadworth Burgh Heath Kingswood Margery Mogador Mugswell Tadworth Walton-on-the-Hill
Most notable parks	Chipstead Downs Colley Hill Priory or Reigate Park
Places of worship	Church of Jesus Christ and the Wisdom of God, Kingswood St John the Evangelist's Church, Earlswood
Education	Aberdour School The Beacon School Chinthurst School Dunottar School for Girls East Surrey College Oakwood School Priory Preparatory School Reigate College Reigate Grammar School Reigate School The Royal Alexandra and Albert School St. Bede's School The Warwick School
Transport	Railway stations Banstead Chipstead Earlswood Horley Kingswood Merstham Redhill Reigate Salfords Tattenham Corner Woodmansterne Roads M25 M23 A23 A25 A217 A240
Buildings and structures	Archway Theatre East Surrey Hospital Netherne Hospital Redhill Aerodrome Reigate Heath Windmill Royal Earlswood Hospital The Children's Trust, Tadworth
Sport	Banstead Athletic F.C. Chipstead F.C. Horley Town F.C. Merstham F.C. Redhill F.C. Reigate Priory F.C. South Park F.C.
Politics and Administration	Crispin Blunt Reigate Constituency Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
Places listed are articles notable as settlements, arranged by post town The two principal towns are emboldened The M23 motorway follows approximately a boundary and is chiefly included for its regional importance.