Esher

Esher has been a place of settlement since prehistoric times and ancient relics have been found in the Warren in Sandown Park.

Despite the demands of ever increasing traffic, the village atmosphere of Esher has been maintained by the cottages and parish church which overlook a green at the back of the High Street. From Esher Green, the oldest building in Esher is to be found. Wayneflete Tower is all that remains of a palatial manor built in 1470 by Bishop William of Wayneflete. The house was demolished in 1670 but the gatehouse with its twin towers still stands in its own grounds besides the river Mole. It is not open to the public but can be viewed by walking from the Green down the estate road of Esher Place.

Behind The Bear public house in the High Street, which dates from the early 1800's when it had stabling for 100 horses for the coaches that plied the road from London to Portsmouth, lies the old parish church of St. George. Built in 1540, its congregations included Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, when they stayed nearby at Claremont. The church was not used once they built Christ Church in 1854 and remains almost exactly the same as it was 130 years ago. It can be visited on Saturday mornings during the summer.

Esher is the home of a new Civic Centre, headquarters of Elmbridge Borough Council, tucked away across the way from Sandown Park racecourse. As well as playing host on racedays, the Sandown Park Exhibition Centre is the venue for many rallies and exhibitions.

Just one mile south-west of Esher is Claremont, house and gardens. The house, designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown for Clive of India, is now the private Claremont Fan School but is open to the public some weekends.

The gardens are owned by The National Trust and known as Claremont Landscape Garden. Featuring in its 50 acres, landscaped treasures of the 18th century, it is renown for its 3 acre turf amphitheatre rising above the lake, one of only two surviving examples of its kind in Europe.