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Oatlands
Oatlands as a separate parish only dates from1869 but its history goes back to prehistoric
times. An extensive Bronze Age cemetery stretched along the north side of the present
railway line between Haines and Sir Richard's bridges and over fifty cinerary urns were
exposed here early in the century.
Oatlands, literally "lands where
oats were grown", gave its name to the Tudor Palace in Oatlands Park, which was
already an established residence when Henry VIII forced its owner to cede him the title in
1538. He hastened the building of a sumptuous Palace for the reception of his new Queen,
Anne of Cleves, and although she never lived there, it did become the home of Elizabeth I,
James I, and Charles I, who is believed to have planted the fine cedar tree beside the
driveway of the Oatlands Park Hotel, to celebrate the birth of his son, Prince Henry of
Oatlands.
Prince Rupert made Oatlands Park his
temporary headquarters during the Royalist march on London before the Civil War,
1642-1649. After a parliamentary survey in 1650, the palace was pulled down and the name
Oatlands was passed to a former Tudor Lodge, built on the 'highest part of the park'.
After the Restoration, the Earl of Torrington lived
there until the estate was bequeathed, around 1716, to the 7th Earl of Lincoln, who built
a new mansion. His second son, the 9th Earl of Lincoln who became Duke of Newcastle,
destroyed his father's elaborate formal garden, converting the canal and other adjoining
ponds into a long lake known as the Broadwater. The most notable feature of the gardens of
Oatlands was the famous Grotto. Possibly the finest in England, the Grotto, with a ceiling
studded with artificial stalactites, was built around 1760 with additions in the 1770's by
Joseph and Josiah Lane, masons of Tisbury, perhaps on the recommendation of Charles
Hamilton of Painshill Park fame. Sadly demolished in 1948, shells identical to those
lining the walls of the Grotto exist in the wall at the top of the driveway into the car
park at Oatlands Park Hotel.
In 1790, the Duke of York, 2nd son of George III, took up residence in Oatlands with his
new Duchess, the daughter of the King of Prussia. He was the "Grand Old Duke of York,
who had ten thousand men". His wife, the Duchess of York, who loved animals and was
always surrounded by pets, spent her days helping the poor and needy. Her dogs' cemetery
was situated near the Grotto and many of the surviving stones are set in the lawn on the
north-west side of the hotel. A map of this cemetery and a gravestone to
"Billey" are displayed at Weybridge Museum. Such was the Duchess of York's
popularity with local villagers that, on her death, a monument to her memory was erected
on Weybridge Green, now known as Monument Green. After his wife's death, the Duke of York
sold Oatlands to Edward Hughes Ball-Hughes, a regency dandy, nicknamed 'The Golden Ball'
on account of his great wealth. Nevertheless, he went bankrupt and the estate was put up
for sale eventually being leased to Leveson-Gower until 1847.
During this period, the London-Southampton Railway was being constructed and Weybridge
station was opened in 1838. Many workmen's cottages and three public houses - The Nag's
Head, The Sailors' Inn and The Lion House - were built for the labourers in Balls
Road, now renamed to St. Mary's Road.
In 1856, the Oatlands Mansion became a hotel and new large houses overlooking the
Broadwater were built. Others followed south of the railway and Oatlands Village dates
from 1859. Now these great Victorian villas have been demolished in favour of modern
developments and it is pleasant to record that the estate at Templemere won a Civic Trust
Award in 1965.
In 1862, Oatlands church was built to the design of F.& H. Francis. Enlarged twice, it
gained its chief glory "a truly noble tower" by Compton Hall, in 1909. The tower
houses the eight bells which were intended to go with George V to the Imperial Durbar in
Delhi but were seen, admired and acquired by "some Oatlands Parishioners" in
1913. The Church Hall was added in 1962, the church's centenary year.
Oatlands Village Hall, formely the original church school, stands in the heart of the
village. On the corner of Vale Road and Oatlands Drive stands the War Memorial Shrine in
rememberance of the fallen in two World Wars.
In 1867, Oatlands Park Cricket Club was established and cricket was played in the hotel
grounds. In 1925, Mr. J.S. Latham of Albany House allowed the use of his fields off
Oatlands Drive for cricket together with some primitive stables as changing rooms. In
1967, the club's centenary year, the Club house and facilites were extended and top class
cricket flourished. Unfortunately, in 1997, it has been agreed to sell off the land for
redevelopment.
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