The present bridge opened in 1971. Hersham is a village in Surrey, within the M25. [1], The geographical distribution of many species of invertebrate in the river reflects the geology of the catchment area. [137], 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 during the 1976 drought).[22][50]. The original viaduct was washed away by floods on 15 September 1968. Today the Mole and Wey are less than 2km (1.2mi) apart at their closest point near Painshill Park. 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. River Mole in Surrey - The Traditional Fisherman's Forum esculentus) was introduced to a site at Newdigate in the early 1900s. 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]. You can change your cookie settings at any time. There are around 3,500 measuring stations, and most are along main rivers and the coast. In more recent times the punk group Sham 69 with lead singer Jimmy Pursey, had its roots in Hersham. [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. 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. [28], Standard water quality of Mole and its tributaries has improved markedly since the 1990s. [30], Highly polluting discharges have become less common but have taken place since 2000. 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. Flood warning area: River Mole at Stoke D'Abernon, Cobham and South Hersham, Surrey. We'll update this page when there's a flood alert in the area, which means flooding to low lying land is possible. Built in 1990 to replace an existing ford. 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. Its housing is relatively low-rise and diverse and it has four technology/trading estates. The beautiful demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) disappeared from the River Mole during the 1960s owing to deteriorating water quality, but has since recolonised. Between Dorking and Leatherhead the Mole cuts a steep-sided valley (the Mole Gap) though the North Downs, carving a 170-metre-high (560ft) river cliff on the western flank of Box Hill and a smaller 50-metre (160ft) cliff at Ham Bank in Norbury Park. Mention of a court held at Hersham in 1272 by Reginald de Imworth and Matilda his wife, may indicate that he was then lord of the manor. Esher RFC is a multi-pitch rugby union club in Hersham since approximately 1939 (see notes). Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 4 h 51 min to complete. Fast trains stopping at Walton-on-Thames reach London Waterloo within 30 minutes. [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. River Mole, West End Recreation Ground NO FISHING. [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. Own label and private label building products. Part of a guide to angling in Surrey. [40][41] The Mole is one of only three locations in England where the river shingle beetle (Meotica anglica) is found. The presence of the trench protects the land from flooding, rendering it suitable for agriculture. Both barbel and brown trout are extremely sensitive to water quality and pollution. Robert Bloomfield (17661823) writes the following lines about the Mole Valley in his 1806 poem Wild Flowers. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. [86][87][88] An anti-tank ditch was dug from the Stepping Stones eastwards across the fields belonging to Bradley Farm (now Denbies vineyard). It also takes in all six ponds of this part of Esher Common, some hidden deep in the woods. 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. Emergency services scour River Mole near Esher after 'body part [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". The woodland, river and ponds are attractive at any time of the year. [85] The river may be paddled all year by canoe between Brockham and Fetcham with an appropriate licence from the British Canoe Union. 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. Esher play at The Rugby Ground, 369 Molesey Road. Acclaimed Astrologer", "They've been kept hangin' on for the X Factor live shows! % Library, Hersham is 311 meters away, 5 min walk. [note 8]. [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. Extract from The River Mole or Emlyn Stream by Mary Drinkwater Bethune, which was published in 1839. The author Daniel Defoe, who attended school in Dorking and probably grew up in the village of Westhumble,[56][57] described the swallow holes in the River Mole in his book A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain (first published in 1724): the current of the river being much obstructed by the interposition of those hills, called Box Hill it forces the waters as it were to find their way through as well as they can; and in order to do this, beginning, I say, where the river comes close to the foot of the precipice of Box-Hill, called the Stomacher, the waters sink insensibly away, and in some places are to be seen (and I have seen them) little channels which go out on the sides of the river, where the water in a stream not so big as would fill a pipe of a quarter of an inch diameter, trills away out of the river, and sinks insensibly into the ground. 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. The stones give their name to the pub in the nearby village of Westhumble. GHQ Line B ran along the North Downs from Farnham and Guildford, crossing the Mole Gap to the north of Dorking and following the river to Horley. Surrey Fire and. Hersham - Wikiwand It was used for fulling woollen cloth and milling corn. This is a new service your feedback will help us to improve it. [10] The bridge has nine low arches and is primarily built of red brick with stone coping. Shoreline Trail | Environment & Planning - Erie County, New York [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. 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. [36], The River Mole has the most diverse fish population of any river in England. PDF Six Ponds and a River Bank - Fancy Free Walks The nearest stations to River Mole Pre School are: Thrupps Lane, Hersham is 89 meters away, 2 min walk. It then runs along the west side of Horley, and heads north west towards Dorking. [36], The Mole catchment area includes twelve Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) that include wetland habitats,[6] The Mole Gap forms part of a Special Area of Conservation and is an SSSI of European importance. The bridge has a 15m (49ft) span with mass concrete abutments and a pre-stressed concrete deck. River Mole rises in Baldhorns Copse 700m (0.4mi) to the south of the village of Rusper in West Sussex. Bushy park, rivers mole and ember, west end common - Visorando The water table rises at this point and much of the water which drained out of the channel through the chalk returns through springs in the riverbed. [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. [98], Domesday Book listed twenty mills on the River Mole in 1086. river mole fishing - dorking | The River Mole arises in Suss | Flickr Music is "Oxygen Garden" and "Out of the. quickly develops into a wild ramble along the River Mole and then over beech- and pine-clad hills. [68][69][70][note 7], The name Mole does not appear until the 16th century, first occurring as Moule in Harrison's Description of Britain of 1577. 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. Robinsway, Hersham is 634 meters away, 9 min walk. =? 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. These date mostly from the mesolithic period. 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. [53] A few much larger swallow holes were also observed separated from the main river by a channel[clarification needed] of about a metre. Zander have been caught in the Lower Mole below Dorking since the 1980s. [13] Use our species pages to find the fisheries that suit you. The River Mole near Esher Road in Hersham. [21], At Leatherhead, the Mole leaves the chalk and turns northwestwards to flow across impermeable London Clay, winding towards Cobham. [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. This is part of a larger effort to form a continuous multi-use pathway along Erie County's Lake Erie and Niagara River coast line. [26] (For the purposes of the remainder of this article, the River Mole and the River Ember are treated as a single entity. [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. The Mole catchment reaches a maximum elevation of 265m (869ft) above Ordnance Datum at Leith Hill to the southwest of Dorking. 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. [47] A survey in March 1883 estimated that the Fetcham springs were producing about 3.6million imperial gallons (16,000m3) every day. Leaving Dorking, the River Mole skirts the south west of Leatherhead and then Cobham, before heading north between Hersham and Esher. A severe flood warning means there's a danger to life. The parapets were rebuilt in 1914 and the structure was given a GradeII listing in 1953. 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. [65] Remains of a further gravel terrace, containing cherts and flints to a depth of 4m (13ft), line the east side of St George's Hill. A similar trench is runs up several of the Mole's tributaries, notably along Deanoak Brook which follows a local strike. River Mole in Surrey. [136], East Molesey Lower Mill, also known as Sterte Mill, was associated with the manor of Molesey Prior. [1] The river gives its name to the Surrey district of Mole Valley. [7] A planned community also exists in the south almost entirely for the retired, Whiteley Village. It was used to process corn, brass wire, iron, paper, linoleum, and books. In the 12th century it was written Haverichesham suggesting Haeferick's hamlet or river bend settlement. The canoe is preserved at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. The band's biggest hit was Hersham Boys. The river flows initially southwards for 1 km (0.6 mi) to a small lake at Baldhorns Park, before running eastwards through a largely rural area towards Crawley. 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. How to get to River Mole Pre School in Walton-On-Thames by Bus or Train? [61], At Leatherhead the river leaves the chalk bedrock, moving onto London Clay. %PDF-1.3 However this proved to be impractical and they were instead covered by concrete domes, up to 18 m in diameter, each fully supported by the surrounding chalk and provided with a manhole and access shaft to allow periodic inspection. 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. 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. 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. 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. Original wooden Victorian bridge replaced by a stone parapet bridge in 1907 and the present concrete bridge dates from 1965. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Known as depot 'W15', this site supplied essential sheet metal parts parts for Vickers Wellington and Vickers Warwick aircraft manufactured at Brooklands. Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. The medieval bridge was rebuilt by Gwilt in 1786, but was washed away during the September 1968 floods. The walk begins beside the Prince of Wales Pond, grid ref 129639, postcode The River Mole rises in West Sussex and flows for 50 miles until it meets the River Ember. A part suspended steel and timber deck bridge, spanning 42 metres (138ft). [_ch MP=e(3+K}h;,x5K_>. Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. 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. 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). 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 river also provides a corridor for wildlife through the centre of Leatherhead. History along the River Mole 5 0 obj 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. It then flows into the River Thames at Hampton Court. This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 07:13. The Mummy was filmed in Hersham. 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. In 1990 the Environment Agency assessed 23% of the watercourses as Grade B (good) or better. Hersham Village Golf Club is on the opposite, south side of the village, where snooker player John Virgo has been a longstanding president. What does Hersham mean? - definitions Cp-o{ kh/smY$Q$ ;^/%wh xHeZ?!Lku'Foki7# Dc|zNgnQ/I|G7#-[;Xeet?wi0v\v^S}"5K%zx MO9z5N.w?m?yuWFG (mVg! [1] The next major tributary, The Rye, (which drains Ashtead) joins to the north of Leatherhead, before the river is crossed by the M25 motorway. For the hamlet in Cornwall, see, The artefact-rich manor is at Burhill Road KT12 4BJ, Will of Dame Dorothye Edmondes, widow of Sir Christopher Edmondes, of 'Est Moulsey, Surrey', line 39 of her registered will; National Archives; PROB 11, proved 21 Sept 1615: 'And the lease of the Coppice called the Hurst Coppice, lying & being in Haversham, in the parish of Waltoun, in the said county' (spelling modernized), 'The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover, The Cabinet & Presidency 19201933' (Pub. Information about angling in Esher, covering fishing venues, tackle shops, supermarkets, and local weather. However, a search of the scene uncovered no evidence of any body parts and the fire service handed over control of the incident to Surrey Police. [38], In the Mole Gap between Dorking and Leatherhead the river supports populations of chub, dace, barbel, and brown trout. 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. The bridge was designed by the architect Howard Humphreys and the westernmost section is a drawbridge which may be raised to prevent access to Painshill Park. a huge defensive earthwork was erected on top of St George's Hill (ecclesiastically in Hersham, but in Weybridge post town), probably as a refuge camp against invaders coming up the Thames Valley. Hersham - News, views, gossip, pictures, video - Surrey Live Hersham is a charming little station in Surrey, with views over fields, the River Mole and a local golf course. The original road bridge on this site was destroyed during flooding in 1968. A flood warning means flooding to some property is expected. South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) also attended the incident. Riverwalk: Tonawanda Parks. Always check you can fish lawfully before starting. 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. Hersham - Wikipedia [44], Molesey Heath Local Nature Reserve lies on the west bank of the Mole, west of the Island Barn Reservoir. There is a Waitrose at 105 High Street, KT10 9QE. [9] Domesday Book lists twenty mills on the river in 1086, of which Sidlow Mill was the oldest, dating from Saxon times. There are three listed bridges in Leatherhead of which the 14 arch Leatherhead Town Bridge is the oldest. 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. [132], Slyfield Mill near Stoke d'Abernon is first mentioned in Domesday Book. The island where it stood now forms part of the ornamental gardens of a housing development called "The Wilderness". 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. 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. [11], Five of the mills mentioned in Domesday Book were in the borough of Elmbridge.[10]. The River Mole is a tributary of the River Thames in southern England. Burwood Park - Wikipedia Hersham is a village in Surrey, . Early to mid-19th-century brick bridge with two semi-circular arches and one elliptical arch. Crayfish are common in areas associated with high alkalinity, particularly around Brockham, and the tributaries which run over the Weald Clay provide an excellent habitat for stoneflies, caddisflies, fast swimming mayflies and riffle beetles. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is 60.133 km long Hersham contained one manor alone known as Morehall alias Sylkesmore or Southwood. The River Mole and Stepping Stones are in front of you. In 1953 the larger mill was demolished by Surrey County Council to allieviate traffic congestion on Mill Road. Hersham Station | Trains to Hersham | Trainline The Mole skirts the northern suburbs of Crawley where it is joined by its first major tributary, Ifield Brook, which drains Ifield Mill Pond. 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. Hersham's large second golf club is Burhill Golf Club (with North and South courses, the latter of which has been added near Burwood Park. [22] The aquifer at Fetcham is the only one in the entire catchment area. Hersham is in the borough of Elmbridge, in northwest Surrey and has no particular sub-localities except for Burwood Park, which alongside certain other addresses in the village is, when published for any purposes, due to its proximity to Walton-on-Thames railway station, done so under the name of Hersham's post town only, Walton on Thames. Tonawanda to Buffalo via Shoreline Trail Riverwalk. Mole Valley - Walking London's Waterways Home Mole Valley This walk was rather different in that it didn't follow an existing long distance path. The remaining red brick mill dates from the 1822 and was in use until 1928. Hersham is served by Hersham and Walton-on-Thames railway stations with a minimum of two trains per hour and differing types of services on the South West Main Line. In 1929 an aeroplane designed by Anthony Fletcher was constructed in the village by ABC Motors. . [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. The culvert was constructed in 1957. quickly develops into a wild ramble along the River Mole and then over beech- and pine-clad hills. Queen Victoria wrote in her diary how she saw her first steam train in Hersham when she was a young girl. . Location. [12] At Pixham the Mole meets the Pipp Brook, a tributary draining the northeastern slopes of Leith Hill. The Molesey Floods 50 years ago September 1968 By Molesey Resident John 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.). large bittercress (Cardamine amara) and the non-native Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). In this manner it goes away, lessening the stream for above a mile, near two, and these they call the Swallows. [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. Look out for. [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. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was owned by Chertsey Abbey. 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. [11], The first mill at Sidlow was built during Saxon times. [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. A flood warning means flooding to some property is expected. 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. 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. [81], In 1798 William Marshall advocated the canalisation of a short stretch of the River Mole between Betchworth and Dorking to facilitate the movement of chalk from quarry to market. The major tributaries of the River Mole are the Ifield Brook, Gatwick Stream, Earlswood Brook, Pipp Brook and The Rye, which drains Ashtead.