Fetcham
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:Infobox England place Fetcham is a residential area in Surrey, England. It is west of Leatherhead, on the other side of the River Mole and Mill Pond springs and the associated nature reserve.
Although some would call it a suburb of Leatherhead, Fetcham is actually a busy village with good local shops, and has easy access to London, Guildford, Cobham, Epsom and, of course, Leatherhead.
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History
The name Fetcham is derived from the Anglo-Saxon “Fecca’s ham” - Fecca's settlement.
Indeed, there is evidence that there were even earlier settlements, with the discovery of Stone and Bronze Age tools and Roman artefacts, as well as three ancient burial grounds. Fetcham was referenced in the Domesday survey as three manors; one known as King’s Manor was probably Fetcham Park; another was given to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux after the Norman Conquest. The third was an Augustinian foundation from Merton Priory, at Cannon Court, which Henry VIII dissolved in 1538. Its small manorial farming community was numbered 176 in the survey, but with the Black Death in 1349, tragically it was reduced by half.
The Fetcham Conservation Area includes the impressive 18th century mansion of Fetcham Park House. The Well House, The Dower House and Ballands Hall are three of a cluster of old buildings in the area.
St Mary’s Church has been a place of Christian worship for over 1000 years. Built during Anglo-Saxon and early Norman periods, it is probably on the site of an even earlier timber church. There are many hints of its past in its structure. These include the south-west quoin of the nave, and a single splay window high on the south wall with traces of Roman brick as well as arches which are presumed to pre-date 1066.
Village
The village of Fetcham is quite large; extending from the River Mole at the village's east side, it is bounded by the neighbouring villages of Great Bookham and Little Bookham on its west.
To non-residents, Fetcham is regarded as part of Leatherhead. In its postal address, Royal Mail prefer you to use the format of "Fetcham, Leatherhead".
The centre of the village has a number of shops, various in nature, and has free car parking to compliment these. These are sufficient for the day to day demands of the local population. Food and drink is catered for by restaurants and food outlets supplying Indian, Chinese, and Italian cuisine, as well as a friendly Fish and Chips shop and a pleasant Bakery coffee shop.
There are four Christian congregations in the village:
- Church of the Holy Spirit(RC) in Bell Lane,
- Cannon Court Evangelical Church in Cannonside,
- Community Church which meets in Fetcham Infant School
- The Parish Church of St Mary's.
To its south are the Fetcham and Leatherhead Downs, which are a part of the North Downs.
Education
There are two popular village schools that offer places for children up to 11 years of age.
- Fetcham Infants School
- Oakfield Primary School
Social Life
Fetcham has just one pub, called The Bell. It had a major refit in late 2004 by its new owner the Youngs brewery chain.
There is just one Social Club the called Fetcham Sports and Social Club.
Transport
Road
The main village thoroughfare is the Cobham Road.Rail
There is no British Rail link to Fetcham. The nearest stations are Leatherhead and Bookham.Emergency Services
Fetcham is served by the following emergency services:
- Surrey Police, based at Leatherhead
- Surrey Ambulance Service, based at Leatherhead
- Surrey Fire & Rescue Service, the local branch of whom are actually located in Fetcham, but called Leatherhead Fire Station.