[11], The first mill at Sidlow was built during Saxon times. esculentus) was introduced to a site at Newdigate in the early 1900s. Fast trains stopping at Walton-on-Thames reach London Waterloo within 30 minutes. Mesolithic sites at Wonham, Flanchford and Sidlow. Frederick Loring Vaux (1842-1933), local resident and a significant village benefactor. [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. 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. The woodland, river and ponds are attractive at any time of the year. The original viaduct was washed away by floods on 15 September 1968. 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. Col. Terry of Burvale, Hersham. The culvert was constructed in 1957. The most recent mill was demolished in 1959, although the mill house still stands. [88][90] The location is popular with anglers and families, but swimming is strongly discouraged as the water is polluted in places. . During the Middle Pleistocene period,[note 6] a large ice sheet built up across much of the East of England, reaching as far south as St Albans and Chelmsford, blocking the path of the proto-Thames. This is a new service your feedback will help us to improve it. [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. [4][5] The Mole Gap forms part of a Special Area of Conservation and is an SSSI of European importance. Hersham is a charming little station in Surrey, with views over fields, the River Mole and a local golf course. [132], Slyfield Mill near Stoke d'Abernon is first mentioned in Domesday Book. In 1953 the larger mill was demolished by Surrey County Council to allieviate traffic congestion on Mill Road. 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. [7] A planned community also exists in the south almost entirely for the retired, Whiteley Village. 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. 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. Music is "Oxygen Garden" and "Out of the. [81][82] The only Surrey river to have been made fully navigable is the combined lower section of the River Wey. The journey to Waterloo takes about 50 minutes. Tonawanda to Buffalo via Shoreline Trail Riverwalk Leaving Dorking, the River Mole skirts the south west of Leatherhead and then Cobham, before heading north between Hersham and Esher. The stones give their name to the pub in the nearby village of Westhumble. The dividing line was what then officially termed the "London and South Western Railway line" and all borders remain almost unchanged by later local government and ecclesiastical parish decisions. However the river's name is unlikely to have derived from this behaviour: The Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names suggests that Mole either comes from the Latin mola (a mill) or is a back-formation from Molesey (Mul's island). Just over a mile long and several feet wide, the Bird Island Pier takes you out onto the Niagara River. A mean flow of 3.74m3/s (132cuft/s) is measured at a fourth gauging station, located at Castle Mill (39m[128ft] above OD). The Mole descends 15m[49ft] in the 10km[6mi] stretch between Brockham and Leatherhead, compared to 3m[9.8ft] in 19km[12mi] between Horley and Brockham. A severe flood warning means there's a danger to life. Within a few minutes walk of this suburban-urban bulk of Hersham in the east are green fields and meadows alongside the River Mole and footpaths by fields used for mixed farming. 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. 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. It also takes in all six ponds of this part of Esher Common, some hidden deep in the woods. and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. [45], The Mole rises south of Rusper in West Sussex, where an outcrop of the Hastings Beds sandstone dips below the impermeable Weald Clay. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. % a huge defensive earthwork was erected on top of St George's Hill (ecclesiastically in . 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. [9] Domesday Book lists twenty mills on the river in 1086, of which Sidlow Mill was the oldest, dating from Saxon times. Just before the gate take the footpath on the right between 2 tree stumps. Opened as part of the A3 Esher Bypass in December 1976. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 4 h 51 min to complete. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. River Mole at Stoke D'Abernon, Cobham and South Hersham flood warning [note 3]. Viviparid snails and water scorpions (of the genus Nepidae) are commonly found where the river runs over the London Clay. [80], During the 17th century, two bills came before parliament to make sections of the river navigable. <> %PDF-1.3 Frederick Wicks (18401910), author and inventor, retired to the village and died there. [47], In a survey in 1958, the geologist C.C. Fagg identified 25 active swallow holes between Dorking and Mickleham; the majority were only a few centimetres in diameter and were located in the vertical banks of the river below the water line. Hersham - Wikipedia The main shopping area of the town is around the High Street where the A307 meets the A244. Constructed between January and March 2008, replacing an earlier bridge on the same site. The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. It then runs along the west side of Horley, and heads north west towards Dorking. Something went wrong, please try again later. 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. [53] Most holes were difficult to observe in times of normal or heavy flow and were susceptible to silting up as new holes were continually being formed. Mole Valley - Walking London's Waterways Mole (Horley to Hersham) is a river in Surrey 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. Use our species pages to find the fisheries that suit you. [37] A second non-native species, the edible frog (Pelophylax kl. [64], The river is first recorded in the Red Book of Thorney in AD 983 as Emen and in the AD 1005 Cartulary of the Abbey of Eynsham as both Emen and men. [94] The bridge was constructed in 1867 and, at the insistence of Thomas Grissell the landowner, was given lavish architectural treatment. There's also a correlation between the . [38], In the Mole Gap between Dorking and Leatherhead the river supports populations of chub, dace, barbel, and brown trout. [29], In 1972 a sub-debate on the future cleanliness of the Mole was had by the House of Lords, involving a member of the South-East Strategic Committee of the Thames Conservancy (succeeded by the Environment Agency) and four others. [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. However, during the early 1930s, when Hampton Court Way and the bridge were built, the River Mole was redirected to flow into the River Ember and both rivers now enter the Thames in a single widened and straightened channel once occupied only by the River Ember. Google Adsense runs on our website; your personal data will be used for personalisation of ads and cookies may be used for personalised and non-personalised advertising. Either take a right at the rivers' edge and follow the riverside path (you can cross the river at the bridge a little further along), or cross the Stepping Stones and follow the path running parallel to the river on the other side. Robert Bloomfield (17661823) writes the following lines about the Mole Valley in his 1806 poem Wild Flowers. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. We produce, brand and supply for some of the biggest names in the industry. Today the Mole and Wey are less than 2km (1.2mi) apart at their closest point near Painshill Park. Erected in 1992 to replace the original bridge presented by the, A five-arch brick viaduct constructed by the. [43] Although much of the surrounding land has been taken by residential and commercial development, this section of the Mole supports 20 different mammal species, 20 butterfly species and 15 species of dragonfly. 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. 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. The island where it stood now forms part of the ornamental gardens of a housing development called "The Wilderness". The River Mole near Esher Road in Hersham. 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. The River Mole forms the western boundary of the common, flowing past a steep sandy area known locally as The Ledges. Learn more about how we use cookies in our Privacy Policy, and also find links to the privacy policy of Google and other data holders whose applications are present on or integrated with this website. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is a river in Surrey. In 1990 the Environment Agency assessed 23% of the watercourses as Grade B (good) or better. 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. [39] Burwood Park - Wikipedia It dates back way before the Doomsday book and this is what makes it such an interesting river to paddle. 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. 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 restoration project was dedicated to the memory of the Canadian servicemen who were billeted in the manor during the Second World War. The path runs between high wire fences. However the river's name is unlikely to have derived from this behaviour: The Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names suggests that Mole either comes from the Latin mola (a mill) or is a back-formation from Molesey (Mul's island). The Mole Valley has been polluted. Turn right on the wide track beside the river. Colonel Sir William Heaton Horrocks, KCMG, CB, was buried in St Peter's Churchyard in 1941, as was his late wife, Lady Minna Horrocks in 1921. Bushy park, rivers mole and ember, west end common - Visorando Hersham contained one manor alone known as Morehall alias Sylkesmore or Southwood. The flood alert is in place until 1pm tomorrow (November 28) (Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) Two flood alerts have been issued for the River Mole on Wednesday (November 27) warning that flooding is . The River Mole originally flowed into the River Thames at the point where the present Hampton Court bridge now crosses the Thames (approximately 500 m upstream of the present confluence, on the reach above Teddington Lock). [1] In 1974 zander, a non-indigenous coarse fish native to Europe, were introduced legally to Old Bury Hill Lake which supplies the Pipp Brook. This area of the County has a wealth of natural, recreational and scenic . The presence of the trench protects the land from flooding, rendering it suitable for agriculture. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is a river 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. [36], The River Mole has the most diverse fish population of any river in England. 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. A multi-span composite deck supported on steelwork tresses with a total span of 48m (157ft) and a main span of 22m (72ft) over the river itself. This is a new service your feedback will help us to improve 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. [72] The Lower Mole appears to have been settled during the same period and a flint axe dating from Mesolithic period found on spit of land close to River Mole in Cobham in 1965. The chalk aquifer also feeds the springs at the southern end of Fetcham Mill Pond, which have never been known to run dry. Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. [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. 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. Youve accepted analytics cookies. 26); This page was last edited on 20 January 2023, at 21:55. The beautiful demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) disappeared from the River Mole during the 1960s owing to deteriorating water quality, but has since recolonised. A principal tributary of the Earlswood Brook is the Redhill Brook, which includes The Moors wetland nature reserve within its catchment area. The bedrock is permeable chalk and the water table lies permanently below the level of the riverbed, allowing water to drain out of the river through swallow holes in the bed and banks. [86] Between Betchworth and Box Hill, the north bank of the River Mole was stabilised and made steeper to prevent wheeled vehicles from crossing. Box Hill Stepping Stones walk Surrey | National Trust The proportion of households in the settlement who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. What does Hersham mean? - definitions Known as depot 'W15', this site supplied essential sheet metal parts parts for Vickers Wellington and Vickers Warwick aircraft manufactured at Brooklands. The airport was fined 30,000 by Lewes Crown Court. 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. [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). 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 then swings east and joins the Thames between East . For the river in Devon, see, River Ember Flood Relief Channel and confluence with the Thames. 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]. [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]. [10] The bridge has nine low arches and is primarily built of red brick with stone coping. The final mill on the site was demolished in 1790, however remains of the mill leat are still visible. [2] Brickearth deposits are common in the valley around Betchworth and east of Dorking. The parapets were rebuilt in 1914 and the structure was given a GradeII listing in 1953. It has in 2008 been recorded in tributaries of the River Mole at Capel and Brockham. [60] The water table in the chalk of the Wey Gap is significantly higher than might be expected from natural rainwater percolation alone. [1] The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley.