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For other uses, see Dorking (disambiguation).
Dorking


South Street in Dorking in about 1959
Dorking (Surrey)
Dorking

Dorking shown within Surrey
Population 17,000
OS grid reference TQ165496
District Mole Valley
Shire county Surrey
Region South East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Dorking
Postcode district RH4
Dialling code 01306
Police Surrey
Fire Surrey
Ambulance South East Coast
European Parliament South East England
UK Parliament Mole Valley
List of places: UK • England • Surrey

Coordinates: 51°14′02″N 0°19′55″W / 51.234, -0.3318

Dorking is a market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately 25 miles south of London, in Surrey, England. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Civil parishes These are Abinger Betchworth Brockham Buckland Capel Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South East England is one of the nine official Regions of England. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Redhill postcode area, is a group of twenty postal districts in Surrey and Sussex, which are subdivisions of eight Post towns The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Surrey Police is the Home Office police force of the county of Surrey in the south of England The force is lead by Temporary Chief Constable The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The Surrey Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the County of Surrey, England, with 24 fire stations The South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb is the NHS Ambulance Services Trust for south-eastern England, covering Kent (including Medway South East England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Mole Valley is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of cities, Towns and Villages in the ceremonial county of Surrey, England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets The North Downs are a ridge of Chalk hills in south east England that stretch for 120 miles (190 km from Farnham in Surrey to the White London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Contents

History and development

Dorking began life as a small staging post on Stane Street, the Roman Road which linked London to Chichester on the English Channel. There are several Roman Stane Streets - see also Stane Street (St Albans Stane Street, sometimes called Stone Street (Stane is simply an The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, England. It has a long history as a settlement its Roman past and its subsequent importance

Dorking appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as the Manor of Dorchinges. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey It was held by William the Conqueror. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages Its domesday assets were: 1 church, 3 mills worth 15s 4d, 16 ploughs, 3 acres of meadow, woodland and herbage worth 88 hogs. A grinding mill is a Unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces The plough ( American spelling plow; both plaʊ is a Tool used in Farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by Grass and other non- Woody plants. Ecologically a woodland is an area covered in trees differentiated from a Forest. Pigs, also called hogs or' swine', are Ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food leather and similar products since ancient times It rendered £18. [1].

Subsequent Lords of the Manor were to include the Dukes of Norfolk — who lived in Dorking until they moved to Arundel: one of whom is buried in Dorking churchyard. Arundel is a Market town and Civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. In the Medieval period, Dorking was a prosperous agricultural and market town, benefitting from its position on the junction of a number of important roads and tracks.

In 1750, the construction of a Turnpike Road made Dorking a staging post on the route to Brighton and the coast. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. The Bull’s Head in South Street had a famous coachman, William Broad, whose portrait hangs in Dorking Museum in West Street. The inn which now dominates the centre of Dorking, the White Horse, was developed in the 18th century; previous buildings on this site having belonged to the Knights Templar and later the Knights of St John. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St

Dorking held a big wheat and cattle market in the High Street. The poultry market was held in the corner of South Street and round Butter Hill. Here the famous Dorking fowl were sold. The Dorking is a breed of chicken that is believed to have originated in Italy during the period of the Roman Empire. This breed which has 5 claws instead of the normal four, was a favourite for 19th century tables, including Queen Victoria's. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Dorking lost its stage coaches when the railways arrived, but now attracted wealthy residents who built large houses in and around Dorking, such as Denbies House and Pippbrook House (now the library, with Council Offices in the grounds). Surrounding land and beauty spots such as Cotmandene and Box Hill were donated by landowners for public use and this, together with later planning controls, has enabled Dorking to remain one of the most pleasant towns within convenient reach of London, having escaped much of the modern development witnessed by its neighbours. Box Hill is a well known beauty spot in the North Downs of Surrey, England, close to the southern outskirts of London, overlooking Dorking to [Overell, B. 2005, Dorking Local History Group].

A game resembling rugby was once played here. The two sides were unlimited in number, representing the east and west of the town. The goals were the 2 bridges on the Pipp Brooke. The Town crier kicked off the ball at 2 o' clock and stopped play at 6 o'clock. The game was started at the Church gates and was "rioted" up and down the High Street. It was ceased in 1897 after complaints by tradesmen and it was officially stopped under section 72 of the Highway Act 1835. Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Highway Act 1835 is an Act (citation 5 & 6 Will IV c 50 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Topography, natural history and local landscape

Just north of the town the River Mole cuts a steep-sided valley through the North Downs. The River Mole is a river in Southern England, which rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows north west through Surrey On the left bank is Denbies Vineyard, the largest vineyard in the UK. Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking, Surrey has the largest Vineyard in England with under vines representing over 10% of the plantings in the On the right bank is Box Hill, owned by the National Trust and Britain's first Country Park. Box Hill is a well known beauty spot in the North Downs of Surrey, England, close to the southern outskirts of London, overlooking Dorking to The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment The hill has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, because of the large number of rare orchids which grow there in the summer. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom.

Further north is Norbury Park which contains the Druids Grove — a forest of ancient yew trees, some of which are more than 1000 years old.

To the south west of the town is Leith Hill — also owned by the National Trust, the highest point in the south of England, reaching 1,000ft at the tower on top of the hill. Leith Hill to the south west of Dorking, Surrey, England, reaches 294 metres (965 ft above sea level, the highest point on the Greensand Along with the adjacent hills of Holmbury Hill and Pitch Hill, as well as the nearby escarpment of the North Downs from Box Hill to Newlands Corner, the area is known as 'The Surrey Hills'. The North Downs are a ridge of Chalk hills in south east England that stretch for 120 miles (190 km from Farnham in Surrey to the White The Surrey Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB in Surrey, England, UK.

A new species of fish-eating dinosaur — Baryonyx walkeri was discovered in clay pits just south of Dorking. Baryonyx (ˌbæriːˈɒnɪks meaning "heavy claw" referring to its large claw ( Greek βαρως / barus meaning 'heavy' The creature had a long curved claw on each hand and remains of its last meal were discovered fossilised in its ribcage. The skeleton can be seen at the Natural History Museum in London. The Natural History Museum is one of three large Museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London (the others are the Science Museum One disused clay pit (Inholms lane) is now open to the public as a nature reserve.

Modern Dorking

The evolution of Dorking has been kind to the town centre. Much of the original character survives, whilst accommodating businesses that serve the needs of the 21st century. The town is known worldwide for its antique dealers.

The town's three main trading streets of High Street, West Street and South Street are complemented by a small open-air shopping centre, St Martin's Walk which is adjacent to the town's main car park and easily accessed from the High Street.

In the late 1990s Dorking Halls was given a huge refit, to make it a cinema and theatre complex. In 2003 a new modern leisure centre and swimming pool were added to the Dorking Halls Complex. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

There is now a giant statue of a Dorking cockerel located on the Deepdene roundabout.

Famous residents and literary connections

People born in the town include: Padre George Smith in 1845, he was a defender at Rorke's Drift; and Sir Laurence Olivier in 1907 — a blue plaque marking his birthplace can be found in Wathen Road. Reverend George Smith, Army Chaplain, was born in Docking in Norfolk on January 8 1845. Rorke's Drift was a mission station in Natal, South Africa, situated near a natural ford (drift on the Buffalo River at. Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron In the United Kingdom, a blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event

People who have lived in the town in the past include: Daniel Defoe who attended Rev. Daniel Defoe (1659/1661 — April 24, 1731 was an English Writer, Journalist, and Pamphleteer, who gained enduring fame for James Fisher's boarding school in Pixham Lane, and Defoe later mentioned Dorking in his tour through the whole Island of Great Britain. Daniel Defoe (1659/1661 — April 24, 1731 was an English Writer, Journalist, and Pamphleteer, who gained enduring fame for [2] Henry Hope and his nephew Thomas Hope spent summers at Deepdene in the beginning of the 19th century. Henry Hope (1735 - 1811 was an Amsterdam Merchant banker born in Boston, New England. Henry Thomas Hope ( 30 August 1769 &ndash 3 February 1830 /1831 was a British author philosopher and art collector best known for his novel "Anastasius" Deepdene was an estate and Country house, located in Dorking, Surrey, England. Benjamin Disraeli wrote his novel Coningsby also while staying in Deepdene House (now demolished) on the outskirts of the town. Benjamin Disraeli 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC, FRS (born Benjamin D'Israeli; 21 December 1804 &ndash 19 April 1881 was Coningsby (ˈkʌnɪŋzbɪ is a village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Deepdene was an estate and Country house, located in Dorking, Surrey, England. Emma Holland was brought up in the town. Emma Holland is an English Singer and Song writer originally from Dorking, Surrey.

Dorking and its environs, including Box Hill and the Deepdene Hotel, feature heavily in British author Robert Goddard's fictional thriller Closed Circle (1993). In this novel there are also several allusions to the notorious money-for-titles trader Maundy Gregory, the owner of the Deepdene Hotel in the interwar years. (Arthur Maundy Gregory (1 July 1877 &ndash 28 September 1941 was a British theatre producer and political fixer who is most famous for selling honours

The Cubitt family had links with the town also. Thomas Cubitt was born and lived in the town, and later built up large areas of London from the early 19th century. Thomas Cubitt (born Buxton Norfolk 1788–1855 was the leading master builder in London in the second quarter of the 19th century and also carried out several projects His politician son George also had connections with the town. George Cubitt 1st Baron Ashcombe ( 4 June 1828 &ndash 26 February 1917) was a British Politician, the son of

Marian Hemar, famous Polish poet is buried at the local cemetery. Marian Hemar (1901–1972 born Jan Maria Hescheles, was a Polish Jewish poet journalist playwright and comedy writer

"The Battle of Dorking" a fictional short-story written by Lt. The Battle of Dorking is a 1871 novel of the genre which has been termed Invasion literature. Col. Sir George Tomkyns Chesney in 1871 was set in the town. Sir George Tomkyns Chesney, KCB, CSI, CIE ( April 30 1830 &ndash March 31 1895) British Army general Describing a fictional invasion and conquest of Britain, it triggered an explosion of what came to be known as invasion literature. Invasion literature (or the invasion novel) was a historical Literary genre most notable between 1871 and the First World War (1914

Local government

Dorking is the administrative centre of Mole Valley District Council. Civil parishes These are Abinger Betchworth Brockham Buckland Capel It had been an urban district from 1894 to 1974. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of Local government district that covered an Urbanised area Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar.

It is situated in the Mole Valley parliamentary constituency, having formerly been the centre of its eponymous predecessor, the Dorking constituency. Mole Valley is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Dorking was a parliamentary constituency centred around the town of Dorking in Surrey.

Twin towns

The town is twinned with Gouvieux, France since 1997 and negotiations began in 2007 to twin with the German town of Güglingen. Gouvieux is a commune of the Oise département, in the Picardie région, in France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Güglingen is a town in the district of Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. [3]

Transport

Main article: Transport in Dorking

Road

Dorking is situated at the junction of the A24 (London to Worthing) and A25 (Maidstone to Guildford) roads. Dorking, a town in Surrey, England, has many road and rail links as part of the London commuter belt. The A24 is a major Road in England. It runs south from Clapham in southwest London through Morden before entering Surrey London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Worthing (ˈwɜrðɪŋ is a large seaside town and a local government borough in West Sussex, England The A25 road is one of the two cross-country two-digit numbered roads in the southeast of England, the other being the A27 along the south coast Maidstone is the County town of Kent, England, south-east of London. Guildford ( IPA /ˈgɪlfəd/ is the County town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the

Rail

The town has three railway stations.

Bus

Most bus services are run by Arriva, the main locations served being Guildford, Horsham, Redhill and Reigate including villages in between, as well as some local services. Guildford ( IPA /ˈgɪlfəd/ is the County town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the Horsham is a Market town situated on the River Arun in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England with a population of roughly 50000 Redhill can refer to Redhill South Australia, Australia Redhill Nottinghamshire, England Redhill Shropshire, England Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. Sunray Travel operates a Surrey CC supported route to Leatherhead and Epsom, and running via Box Hill. Sunray Travel is a bus and coach operator based in the Surrey town of Epsom, England. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. Leatherhead is a small town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole. See also Epsom New Hampshire, and Epsom New Zealand. For the chemical compound see Epsom salts. Box Hill is a well known beauty spot in the North Downs of Surrey, England, close to the southern outskirts of London, overlooking Dorking to TfL London Buses contracted route 465 goes to Kingston, and is also run by Arriva. Transport for London ( TfL) is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the Transport system in Greater London in England. London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. London Buses route 465 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough

Local music

The Star on West Street has open mic evenings and a recording studio.

The jazz club at the Friends Provident social club on Pixham Lane has hosted many famous musicians' performances and is open every Thursday evening (http://www.watermilljazz.co.uk).

The Lincoln Arms hotel used to host gigs by local bands every Friday night, but this ceased at the end of 2007, due to changes in the venue management. The event used to be run by the Dorktownpunks; a voluntary group aiming to make sure all the local bands and teens have a place to enjoy and play live music.

Education

Various Primary Schools cater for 5–11 year olds:

Secondary education is largely provided for by:

Emergency Services

Dorking is served by these emergency services:

Leisure and culture

Vines at Denbies Wine Estate, looking towards Ranmore Common (taken in Autumn)
Vines at Denbies Wine Estate, looking towards Ranmore Common (taken in Autumn)

On June 15 2004, Dorking was granted Fairtrade Town status. Fairtrade Town is a marketing tool in which this status is awarded by a recognized Fairtrade certification body (i

The Dorking Halls is a cinema, theatre, leisure centre and swimming pool complex. Cinemaaustraliajpg|thumb|A movie theater in Australia ]]A movie theater, movie theatre, picture theatre or cinema is a venue Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site usually owned and operated by the Borough Councilor district A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed Body of water intended for Swimming or Each year in April, the town plays host to the Leith Hill Music Festival for choirs. This was founded by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music There is also an "Arts Alive" Festival which takes place annually during the last two weeks of October.

Dorking also has a museum, a library and about thirty pubs. There are antique and art shops on West Street.

The town has an active collection of sports clubs; the most recent of which to attract national attention was the Dorking rugby football club winners of the Powergen Vase 2005/2006. [4][5] The Dorking and Mole Valley Athletics Club is based at Pixham Sports Ground. They host the annual Dorking ten road race starting from Brockham Green. Brockham in a village in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England. [6] The Mole Valley Bowmen are located in the grounds of St Martin's primary school. [7]

Near to Dorking lies the Leith Hill area, along with the adjacent hills of Holmbury Hill and Pitch Hill, as well as the nearby escarpment of the North Downs from Box Hill to Newlands Corner. Leith Hill to the south west of Dorking, Surrey, England, reaches 294 metres (965 ft above sea level, the highest point on the Greensand The North Downs are a ridge of Chalk hills in south east England that stretch for 120 miles (190 km from Farnham in Surrey to the White This place is notable in southern England for mountain biking. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Mountain biking entails the Sport of riding Bicycles off-road often over rough terrain whether riding specially equipped Mountain bikes or hybrid road bikes As a whole this area is known as 'The Surrey Hills'. Also adjacent to Dorking is Denbies Vineyard. Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking, Surrey has the largest Vineyard in England with under vines representing over 10% of the plantings in the The Dorking Group of Artists exhibit locally twice a year, in Betchworth and at Denbies. Betchworth is a village and Civil parish in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England. Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking, Surrey has the largest Vineyard in England with under vines representing over 10% of the plantings in the [8] They celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2007.

Underneath the town lies the Dorking Caves which are open occasionally to the public. The Dorking Caves are a network of caves underneath Dorking, a small market town located close to Box Hill in Surrey, England.

References

  1. ^ Surrey Domesday Book
  2. ^ Notes on Defoe
  3. ^ Surrey Advertiser twinning info
  4. ^ Dorking Rugby Football Club
  5. ^ 2005/2006 Powergen Vase
  6. ^ Dorking and Mole Valley Athletics Club
  7. ^ Mole Valley Bowmen
  8. ^ Dorking Group of Artists

External links

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