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Surrey Heath

  • Bagshot This village is in the extreme north-western pa...
  • Bisley This village is famous for the National Rifle A...
  • Camberley The town is situated on the Surrey border with ...
  • Chobham Chobham, located in the northwest corner of Sur...
  • Frimley The name is derived from the Saxon name ‘Fremma...
  • Surrey Heath Panel Click on the image to view a larger, expandable...
  • West End West End is a village between Woking and Camber...
  • Windlesham Originally part of Windsor Forest and the haunt...

Surrey Heath draws its name from the extensive areas of heath and woodland in the borough. This landscape is evidence that Surrey Heath had been populated since Prehistoric times, as heathland was caused by overgrazing during the Neolithic period.

Chobham is the only village mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and this and Frimley were held by Chertsey Abbey in the medieval period.

Bagshot Heath was notorious for highwaymen during the 17th and 18th centuries. Bagshot was a prosperous village and many inns stood alongside the main road to London serving the coaching trade.

Bagshot, the Square 1901. (Neg. 46848) © Copyright The Francis Frith Collection 2008. http://www.francisfrith.com

Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection

Bagshot, The Square, 1901

The heathland is also suited to military uses, and army camps began to appear in the 18th century. With the construction of the Royal Military College, now RMA Sandhurst, a small community began to form nearby, which is now Yorktown.

Nearby Cambridge Town was set up in 1862, with the establishment of the Staff College further to the east. To avoid confusion the town changed name to Camberley in 1877.

 

Click here for a link to the Surrey Heath Local History Club.

Contributor:Surrey Heritage

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