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59-578: Banstead is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in Surrey , England. It is 3 miles (5 km) south of Sutton , 5 miles (8 km) south-west of Croydon , 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Kingston-upon-Thames , and 13 miles (21 km) south of Central London . On the North Downs , it is on three of the four main compass points separated from other settlements by open area buffers with Metropolitan Green Belt status. Banstead Downs , although

118-434: A borough or district council. In these cases local government functions are divided between county and district councils, to the level where they can be practised most efficiently: Many districts have borough status , which means the local council is called a borough council instead of district council and gives them the right to appoint a mayor . Borough status is granted by royal charter and, in many cases, continues

177-510: A community based station which broadcast from Redhill . The Surrey Mirror is the local newspaper that covers the town. Much of the land is at about 125 m above sea level and as this descends to about 100 m it is bisected by a railway line in a relatively deep cutting. Underneath a variable depth humus topsoil, most of the village is on various flints or chalk. The Anglican parish church of All Saints, made of knapped flint, partially dressed in stone, with sturdy tower and medieval spire,

236-425: A district will consist of a market town and its more rural hinterland. However districts are diverse with some being mostly urban such as Dartford, and others more polycentric such as Thurrock. Non-metropolitan districts are subdivisions of English non-metropolitan counties which have a two-tier structure of local government. Two-tier non-metropolitan counties have a county council and several districts, each with

295-435: A four-year term of office. Surrey County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no borough council elections. The council is based at Reigate Town Hall on Castlefield Road, which had been completed in 1901 for the old Reigate Borough Council. The northern third of the borough is on the North Downs or its upper slopes. Commanding viewpoints exist in several locations in this area with

354-581: A fragment of its larger historic area and spread between newer developments, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). One of the Banstead wards is "Banstead Village". The contiguous ward of Nork , which contains Banstead station, shares in many amenities of Banstead and is included in county-level population analyses of Banstead but not the central-government-drawn Banstead Built-up Area. The latter takes in Burgh Heath and held 15,469 residents as at

413-457: A style enjoyed by a predecessor authority, which can date back centuries. Some districts such as Oxford or Exeter have city status , granted by letters patent , but this does not give the local council any extra powers other than the right to call itself a city council . By 1899, England had been divided at district level into rural districts , urban districts , municipal boroughs , county boroughs and metropolitan boroughs . This system

472-458: A temporary store in the former Woolworths . The rebuilt store opened in November 2009. There are various restaurants and coffee bars as well as largely upmarket independent stores and the professional offices: six estate agencies , three firms of solicitors and a notary public . Other than High Street jobs the large village has some in the public sector: in council offices and NHS facilities to

531-486: A type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties (colloquially shire counties ) in a two-tier arrangement. Non-metropolitan districts with borough status are known as boroughs , able to appoint a mayor and refer to itself as a borough council. Some shire counties now have no sub divisions so are a single Non-metropolitan district such as Cornwall. Typically

590-404: Is a large Site of Special Scientific Interest , covering 430 acres (170 ha). Banstead Golf Course is on the northern slopes. The Downs is one of four green areas in the north of the borough, which are overall referred to by their historic name "Banstead Commons"; the other three are: Banstead Downs is home to the rare Small Blue butterfly. The four tumuli (burial mounds) that can be seen on

649-446: Is as follows, with parts of Walton-on-the-Hill and Chipstead included in the 2001 and 2011 wards: The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%. The proportion of households who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The remaining %

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708-647: Is by the M25 motorway in Walton-on-the-Hill . Notably Sutton and East Surrey Water is headquartered in Redhill and SGN in Horley. A choice of hotels exists in and around Horley including its adjacent neighbourhood, sometimes named independently by businesses and residents, Hookwood , on the east and north outskirts of London Gatwick Airport respectively. In the late 20th century the airline Dan-Air had its head office in

767-681: Is diverse, with a strong local service sector, city workers as most locations are easily within the London Commuter Belt , trades, a developed public/education sector and several farms concentrated towards cereal and root vegetable agriculture . There is an extent of woodland management . Several employers with an international renown are found in force in and around the two most commercial towns centres of Reigate and Redhill: including Willis Towers Watson , Just , Kimberly Clark , Travelers Group (insurance), AXA Insurance breakdown, Black & Veatch and Esure . Pfizer UK headquarters

826-457: Is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible % of households living rent-free). The centre of Banstead has a High Street from its war memorial to its public library . A churchyard occupies part of the south side. Local Scouts and Guides parade the street on Remembrance Day and May Day. In December 2008 a fire destroyed the Waitrose supermarket. While being rebuilt, Waitrose opened

885-726: Is taken from an ancient couplet and refers to the defeat of the Danes by King Alfred in a battle in the Vale of Holmesdale in the 9th century, now remembered in the name Battlebridge. Reigate Castle has also been known as Holmesdale Castle. A translation is "Never conquered nor never shall". The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. References Non-metropolitan district Non-metropolitan districts , or colloquially " shire districts ", are

944-476: The Bishop of Bayeux . Its assets were: 9½ hides , 1 church, 1 mill worth £1, 17 ploughs , woodland worth 20 hogs . It rendered £ 8 per year. The Manor had two ploughs, and there were 28 villeins and 15 cottars (people with a small cottage but no land) with 15 ploughs. This was a farming area that later became well known for its high quality wool. The manor was owned by increasingly wealthy gentry, then by

1003-584: The District Councils' Network , special interest group which sits within the Local Government Association . The network's purpose is to "act as an informed and representative advocate for districts to government and other national bodies, based on their unique position to deliver for local people." This is a list of two-tier non-metropolitan counties and their districts. All unitary authorities are also non-metropolitan districts, which, with

1062-591: The Greensand Way . The Mole forms a section of the western border of the borough down to Wonham Mill at the western extreme of Flanchford in the Reigate post town , itself at a millpond at the foot of the wooded Snag Brook a tributary which rises near the A25 Dorking Road . Much of the borough is Metropolitan Green Belt . There are significant areas of forest and heath management, including five reserves within

1121-471: The M25 motorway which encircles London . The neighbouring districts are Tandridge , Crawley , Mole Valley , Epsom and Ewell , Sutton and Croydon , the latter two being London boroughs . The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 , covering the whole of two former districts and part of a third, which were all abolished at the same time: The new district

1180-415: The North Downs plateau in the north (to Tattenham Corner via Kingswood and to Epsom Downs via Banstead, all four stations being in the borough). The borough is twinned with: The coat of arms is a combination of the elements of the Reigate shield, the device of Banstead and symbols of the parishes of Horley and Salfords and Sidlow. The shield has a background of blue and yellow chequers taken from

1239-489: The River Mole in Horley and Sidlow. The roundel on the lion has a tanner's (or flaying) knife, the emblem of St Bartholomew , the patron of Horley, who is said to have been flayed or skinned before he was crucified. The roundel on the shoulder of the horse has a sallow leaf, a reference to Salfords, which is derived from Sallow Ford. The Sallow tree is commonly known as Pussy Willow. The motto "Never Wonne ne never shall"

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1298-586: The 2011 census. The earliest recorded mention of Banstead was in an Anglo-Saxon charter of AD 967, in the reign of King Edgar. The settlement appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Benestede . The first element is probably the Anglo Saxon word bene , meaning bean, and the second element stede refers to an inhabited place without town status (as in farmstead ). Banstead's non-ecclesiastical land and 50 households were held by Richard as tenant-in-chief, under

1357-575: The Beacon School , is known as the Tumble Beacon. Originally a Bronze Age bowl barrow , it was enlarged circa the sixteenth century, and is believed to have been the site of one of a series of beacons/bonfires that stretched from the south coast towards London warning of the arrival of the Spanish Armada . On the site of Downview and Highdown Prisons by the end of the 19th century stood one of

1416-496: The Council House. Banstead Urban District was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 , becoming part of the new borough of Reigate and Banstead . The civil parishes within the former urban district, including Banstead, were abolished at the same time, although they had had no practical functions since 1933. The former Banstead Urban District Council's headquarters at the Council House served as additional offices for

1475-567: The Downs have been identified as dating from Saxon times and are known as the Gally Hills because they are the site of a 15th-century gallows. Banstead Athletic F.C play home games in Tadworth, near the town. Banstead Woods Parkrun runs on Saturday mornings, since 2007, exceptions permitting. Banstead Cricket Club have played at Avenue Road since its formation in 1842 making it one of the ten oldest in

1534-482: The London County Lunatic Asylums, Banstead Asylum, a psychiatric hospital from 1873 to 1986. After being sent by panel to treatment there in the late 1960s, singer-songwriter Vincent Crane wrote the song "Banstead," which featured on the 1970 album sharing his band's name Atomic Roooster . In the 1890s the asylum had two small lodges, a small hospital, a cemetery and a coal-gas works. Banstead Downs

1593-649: The Newman House in Horley , and Air Europe had its head office in Reigate . The M25 motorway passes from the middle of the east of the borough to just south of the tripoint with Epsom and Ewell and Mole Valley and has two junctions, one for the M23 motorway that passes through the eastern side of the borough north–south and starts in the northeast of the borough, the other at Reigate Hill. The A23 road from London splits into

1652-527: The Worlds . Reigate and Banstead Reigate and Banstead is a local government district with borough status in Surrey , England. Its council is based in Reigate and the borough also includes the towns of Banstead , Horley and Redhill . Parts of the borough are within the Surrey Hills , a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . Northern parts of the borough, including Banstead, lie inside

1711-449: The areas for Wales and England had been enacted separately and there were no Welsh metropolitan areas, the term 'non-metropolitan district' does not apply to Wales. A similar system existed in Scotland , which in 1975 was divided into regions and districts, this was also abolished in 1996 and replaced with a fully unitary system . In England most of the district councils are represented by

1770-527: The arms of the de Warenne family. William de Warenne accompanied William the Conqueror from Normandy and was the first Earl of Surrey and the builder of Reigate Castle . Against this pattern is the Reigate Castle Gate and oak tree. The top of the shield has a black background as in the original Reigate arms but on which is a gold woolpack between two sprigs of oak. The woolpack or woolsack refers to

1829-524: The borough is Southern , with other services being operated by Thameslink and Great Western Railway . Through routes are the North Downs Line and the more heavily used London to Brighton line that has several operators plus several branch service routes operating to London (the destination in the borough of one such service is Reigate ). Although these are the main railways for long and short-distance travel, two branch lines cut through lower parts of

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1888-531: The borough. With its close proximity to London , television signals are received from the Crystal Palace TV transmitter, placing Banstead in the BBC London and ITV London areas. The town is served by both BBC Radio Surrey and BBC Radio London . Other radio stations including Heart South , Capital Xtra , Greatest Hits Radio London , Greatest Hits Radio Surrey & East Hampshire , and SUSY Radio,

1947-515: The church, before it fell into the hands of the Crown in the 13th century; Edward I visited more than once. Henry VIII made Banstead part of Catherine of Aragon 's dowry, but took it away again and gave it to a court favourite, Sir Nicholas Carew . Carew was later beheaded for treason, but the manor, once covering most of the village but mostly sold piecemeal, stayed in his family until the 18th century. Banstead Downs, which for many centuries meant all

2006-482: The council was: The two residents' associations and the independent councillor sit together as a group. The next election is due in May 2026. Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 45 councillors representing 15 wards , with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected each time for

2065-447: The county. The Lady Neville Recreation Ground is on Avenue Road. It is named after the wife of Sir Ralph Neville a local High Court judge who bought the land in 1895 when for sale as building plots. The couple's daughter, Edith gifted the land to the civil parish as such in 1925. Banstead appears as a destination in the 1895 novel The Time Machine by H. G. Wells and also gains a brief mention in another of his novels, The War of

2124-487: The exception of those of Berkshire , are coterminous with non-metropolitan counties. For a full list of districts of all types including unitary authorities, metropolitan districts and London boroughs , see Districts of England . This is a list of former two-tier districts in England which have been abolished, by local government reorganisations such as the 2009 structural changes to local government in England . It does not include districts that still exist after becoming

2183-542: The first and later triangulation points. The old village well stands to the east of the town centre in Woodmansterne Lane. It is almost 300 feet (91 m) deep and was last used around the end of the 19th century. The wellhead cover dates from the 18th century and holds old winding gear. Nork Park contains the remains of the Colman family mansion (associated with Colman's Mustard). A large mound off The Drive, close to

2242-486: The former importance of sheep rearing and wool production in Banstead. The oak sprigs represent the two parishes of Horley and Salfords and Sidlow. Above the shield is a helmet with a wreath and draped cloth also in the blue and gold of the de Warennes. On top of the helmet is a pilgrim referring to the ancient route along the escarpment of the North Downs by Banstead and Reigate, the Pilgrims Way . On either side of

2301-437: The hamlet of Nork. At the 2011 Census it had 7,556 residents. The area historically had many other hamlets, which gradually gained their own village or town status; they stretched as far as Reigate across the widest part of crest of the North Downs . Thus, historic demography does not give a fair indicator of population change. Identifying this swathe of land in 21st century figures with the parish, historical population growth

2360-761: The high street. Within the area there is also Banstead Community Church, St Anne's Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, St Paul's Church, the United Reformed Church and Crown Family Church that meets at the Banstead Community Centre. There are several schools in and around Banstead. Further education is not available in the town, most students go to institutions in Sutton , Epsom or Reigate . The neighbouring London Borough of Sutton has five grammar schools , which accept pupils from outside

2419-399: The late 19th century when the improved roads and the building of the railways led to gradual growth, which continued with low density social housing and post- Blitz rehousing projects in the mid 20th century. Banstead's housing stock is generally low density and set in overwhelmingly green surroundings; there are a few listed buildings of some historical and architectural interest. Banstead

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2478-426: The national wildlife trust scheme: see Surrey Wildlife Trust . There are only two civil parishes in the borough, being Horley, and Salfords and Sidlow. The parish council for Horley has declared its parish to be a town, allowing it to take the style "town council". The pre-1974 borough of Reigate and urban district of Banstead form an unparished area . Settlements and suburbs in the borough include: The economy

2537-518: The new Reigate and Banstead Council for some years, before being mostly demolished in 2002 and rebuilt as flats called Holmewood House. The frontage of the original building was incorporated into the new building, with the old part now being a locally-listed building. At the 2011 census the population of Banstead (including Nork) was 16,666. The population of Banstead Village ward was 8,510 in 2001 and 9,110 in 2011. Banstead Parish now only exists for church purposes, there being no civil parish as it

2596-404: The new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Reigate and Banstead. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council . The leaders since 2003 have been: Following the 2024 election and a subsequent change of allegiance later in May 2024, the composition of

2655-577: The ongoing A23 from the south and the M23 at Hooley . The A217 road is a second London road starting in Reigate via Banstead and Sutton and on to London. Two traditional, mostly up to county distance alternatives inspired the names of the north–south/east-west motorway: the low A25 between Godstone / Guildford and the A23 , the latter being used for the London to Brighton events . The main train operator in

2714-502: The open land stretching from Epsom to Croydon and Reigate, became well known for horse racing in the 17th century. On 20 November 1683, King Charles II and the Duke of York attended a race meeting near the core of the village. The town also gained a reputation as a health resort during that era, famous for its "wholesome air", and London physicians recommended a visit to Banstead to their ailing patients. Banstead's population remained low until

2773-548: The shield is a white lion and a white horse. The lion comes from the arms of the de Mowbray family who were briefly Lords of the Manor of Banstead in the 12th century. The horse refers to the tradition of horse racing on Banstead Downs in the 17th century and immortalised in the Oaks race of Epsom Derby Friday. On the necks of the animals are wreaths again in the blue and yellow. On the shoulders are roundels of blue and white waves indicating

2832-411: The south of the borough are two civil parishes at Horley and Salfords and Sidlow , which form a third tier of local government for their areas. The council has been under no overall control since March 2024, being led by a Conservative minority administration. The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until

2891-508: The southern aspects of Colley Hill and Reigate Hill noteworthy enough to have had a major memorial and a picnic area with large café respectively. Historically much of this third was named Walton Heath and Banstead Heath . The softer Greensand Ridge which is parallel to the south breaks up in the middle of the borough, forming the Redhill basin and various mounds around Reigate before continuing in both directions at higher elevations, see

2950-526: The two-tier structure, but reforms in the 1990s and 2009 reduced their number to 192. A further 55 non-metropolitan districts are now unitary authorities, which combine the functions of county and borough/district councils. In Wales , an almost identical two-tier system of local government existed between 1974 and 1996 (see Districts of Wales ). In 1996, this was abolished and replaced with an entirely unitary system of local government, with one level of local government responsible for all local services. Since

3009-447: The west of the Banstead's centre, and in various local schools . Self-employed such as contracting engineers and domestic tradespeople make up some of the labour force but most of Banstead's residents commute out of the district for employment: annual exits from the town's station rose from 93,069 in the tax year 2004–05 to 128,148 in 2011–12. Banstead has several churches. All Saints' Church and Christ Church Banstead are on

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3068-711: Was a spring line settlement whose main source of water was The Old Well until the arrival of pumped water. The 18th-century well-head cover, which still houses the elaborate winding gear, is a listed building . In 1930, the ecclesiastical parish of Nork was formed, taking in part of Epsom as far as Wallace Fields and Higher Green in the west of the parish, loosely termed Epsom Downs. There are two tiers of local government covering Banstead, at district and county level, being Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and Surrey County Council , both of which are based in Reigate . There are no civil parishes covering Banstead, which has been an unparished area since 1974. Banstead

3127-611: Was abolished by the London Government Act 1963 and the Local Government Act 1972 . Non-metropolitan districts were created by this act in 1974 when England outside Greater London was divided into metropolitan counties and non-metropolitan counties. Metropolitan counties were sub-divided into metropolitan districts and the non-metropolitan counties were sub-divided into non-metropolitan districts. The metropolitan districts had more powers than their non-metropolitan counterparts. Initially, there were 296 non-metropolitan districts in

3186-682: Was abolished in 1974. Due to the aridity of the surface of the higher south, the old parish stretched far and wide to take in the width of the widest section of the North Downs and still today Banstead is drawn more widely than its narrow village or county or borough electoral wards and divisions under three measures: Taking the last, broadest definition, in 2001, the upland settlements loosely associated with Banstead such as Tadworth had some 46,280 people across an area of approximately 16 square miles (41 km) (four miles by four miles). The ward of Nork includes areas which were not historically part of

3245-758: Was an ancient parish . The parish was included in the Epsom Poor Law Union from 1836, and therefore became part of the Epsom Rural Sanitary District in 1872. When elected parish and district councils were established in 1894, Banstead was given a parish council and the Epsom Rural Sanitary District became the Epsom Rural District . In 1933 the Epsom Rural District was abolished, and a new Banstead Urban District

3304-489: Was built in the 12th and 13th centuries. It was restored to the specifications of architect G. E. Street in 1861. The west window was designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and produced by William Morris 's workshop. Records survive showing the site of the church was donated by Nigel de Mowbray, Lord of the Manor . The spire was a guiding marker for the first proper, scientific, mapping baseline made in Great Britain. This

3363-478: Was created, covering the parishes of Banstead, Chipstead , Kingswood , Walton-on-the-Hill , and Woodmansterne . The parish councils in the area were all abolished at the same time; as urban parishes the new urban district council was their lowest level of local government. Later in 1933 the urban district council bought a large Victorian house called The Lodge at the corner of Brighton Road and Chipstead Road and converted it to become their headquarters, renaming it

3422-703: Was for the Anglo-French Survey (1784–1790) which sought to measure the exact distance and direction between the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the Paris Observatory . As a result precisely scaled mapping of the country was enabled, led by General William Roy . Several hundreds of yards NNE , a spur of slightly lower upland, Hundred Acres, likely marked with a tower or post, was used to make sightings north to Hanger Hill Tower, south-east to Botley Hill , east to Upper Norwood , and west to St Ann's Hill ,

3481-414: Was named Reigate and Banstead after two of the former districts. The district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor . Reigate and Banstead Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Surrey County Council , which is also based in Reigate, having its headquarters at Woodhatch Place . In

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