Misplaced Pages

#292707

116-674: Walton-on-the-Hill is a village in the Reigate and Banstead district, in the county of Surrey , England. It is midway between the market towns of Reigate and Epsom . The village is a dispersed cluster on the North Downs centred less than one mile inside of the M25 motorway . The village hosts the Walton Heath Golf Club , whose former members include King Edward VIII , Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George . The M25 motorway , less than

232-464: 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 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

348-622: A Norman army gathered from London, Winchester and Salisbury under Geoffrey of Coutances . Meanwhile, William attacked the Danes, who had moored for the winter south of the Humber in Lincolnshire, and drove them back to the north bank. Leaving Robert of Mortain in charge of Lincolnshire, he turned west and defeated the Mercian rebels in battle at Stafford . When the Danes attempted to return to Lincolnshire,

464-603: 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 Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest )

580-592: A distance. A direct consequence of the invasion was the almost total elimination of the old English aristocracy and the loss of English control over the Catholic Church in England. William systematically dispossessed English landowners and conferred their property on his continental followers. The Domesday Book of 1086 meticulously documents the impact of this colossal programme of expropriation, revealing that by that time only about 5 per cent of land in England south of

696-566: A fleet of more than 300 ships carrying perhaps 15,000 men. Harald's army was further augmented by the forces of Tostig, who threw his support behind the Norwegian king's bid for the throne. Advancing on York, the Norwegians defeated a northern English army under Edwin and Morcar on 20 September at the Battle of Fulford . The two earls had rushed to engage the Norwegian forces before Harold could arrive from

812-574: A grant of some sort. This sophisticated medieval form of government was handed over to the Normans and was the foundation of further developments. They kept the framework of government but made changes in the personnel, although at first the new king attempted to keep some natives in office. By the end of William's reign, most of the officials of government and the royal household were Normans. The language of official documents also changed, from Old English to Latin. The forest laws were introduced, leading to

928-636: A hermit at Chester. After his victory at Hastings, William expected to receive the submission of the surviving English leaders, but instead Edgar the Ætheling was proclaimed king by the Witenagemot, with the support of Earls Edwin and Morcar, Stigand , the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Ealdred , the Archbishop of York. William therefore advanced, marching around the coast of Kent to London. He defeated an English force that attacked him at Southwark , but being unable to storm London Bridge he sought to reach

1044-509: A land army supported by a fleet, resulted in the Treaty of Abernethy in which Malcolm expelled Edgar the Ætheling from Scotland and agreed to some degree of subordination to William. The exact status of this subordination was unclear – the treaty merely stated that Malcolm became William's man. Whether this meant only for Cumbria and Lothian or for the whole Scottish kingdom was left ambiguous. In 1075, during William's absence, Ralph de Gael ,

1160-558: A large building to the north of the village which was formerly a boys' school. From 1948 it was a British Transport Police Training Centre with a police dog training school. The building has since been demolished and replaced with a small housing development. Prime Minister David Lloyd George Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins , author James Braid , champion golfer Mary Millington , pornographic actress The Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill , Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales . Reigate and Banstead Reigate and Banstead

1276-616: A mile from the centre, roughly marks the northern boundary of the Surrey Hills AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty); it contains the village among others and orbits London. The village except for one street is surrounded by Green Belt including farmland and protected heathland managed by the Banstead Common Conservators . Along its green buffers it borders to the north-east its post town , Tadworth and Kingswood , Headley and Box Hill . Tadworth railway station

SECTION 10

#1732852412293

1392-482: A range of between 7000 and 8000 English troops. These men would have comprised a mix of the fyrd (militia mainly composed of foot soldiers) and the housecarls , or nobleman's personal troops, who usually also fought on foot. The main difference between the two types was in their armour; the housecarls used better protecting armour than that of the fyrd . The English army does not appear to have had many archers, although some were present. The identities of few of

1508-422: A range of estimates for the size of William's forces: 7000–8000 men, 1000–2000 of them cavalry; 10,000–12,000 men; 10,000 men, 3000 of them cavalry; or 7500 men. The army would have consisted of a mix of cavalry, infantry, and archers or crossbowmen, with about equal numbers of cavalry and archers and the foot soldiers equal in number to the other two types combined. Although later lists of companions of William

1624-499: A significant portion of his army in the north. Harold's army confronted William's invaders on 14 October at the Battle of Hastings . William's force defeated Harold, who was killed in the engagement, and William became king. Although William's main rivals were gone, he still faced rebellions over the following years and was not secure on the English throne until after 1072. The lands of the resisting English elite were confiscated; some of

1740-461: A single geographic block. To find the lands to compensate his Norman followers, William initially confiscated the estates of all the English lords who had fought and died with Harold and redistributed part of their lands. These confiscations led to revolts, which resulted in more confiscations, a cycle that continued for five years after the Battle of Hastings. To put down and prevent further rebellions

1856-404: A third of the council (one councillor for each ward) being elected each time for 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

1972-616: 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 the M25 motorway which encircles London . The neighbouring districts are Tandridge , Crawley , Mole Valley , Epsom and Ewell , Sutton and Croydon ,

2088-583: 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 the borough is Southern , with other services being operated by Thameslink and Great Western Railway . Through routes are

2204-508: 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 is by the M25 motorway in Walton-on-the-Hill . Notably Sutton and East Surrey Water

2320-673: 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 the Newman House in Horley , and Air Europe had its head office in Reigate . The M25 motorway passes from

2436-493: Is in the technique of Norman Shaw . Local oral history has it that the manor house was visited by Henry VIII , and his wife Anne of Cleves is also thought to have stayed here. Pharmaceutical company Pfizer 's offices were built on the site of the Hermitage country house at Walton Oaks. A separate entrance leads to the remaining Hermitage Lodge and farm cottages. Local planning guidance issued in 2001 notes that at Walton Oaks

SECTION 20

#1732852412293

2552-501: Is not known precisely how much English the Norman invaders learned, nor how much the knowledge of Norman French spread among the lower classes, but the demands of trade and basic communication probably meant that at least some of the Normans and native English were bilingual. Nevertheless, William the Conqueror never developed a working knowledge of English and for centuries afterwards English

2668-418: Is on the North Downs or its upper slopes. Commanding viewpoints exist in several locations in this area with 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

2784-586: Is that, from 1072 until the Capetian conquest of Normandy in 1204, William and his successors were largely absentee rulers. For example, after 1072, William spent more than 75 per cent of his time in France rather than England. While he needed to be personally present in Normandy to defend the realm from foreign invasion and put down internal revolts, he set up royal administrative structures that enabled him to rule England from

2900-534: Is the nearest station about 1 mile (1.6 km) from its centre which provides a commuter line into London Bridge Station . Its normal broad definition, the former civil parish , which resembles its ecclesiastical parish of ancient foundation, is in the Tadworth and Walton Ward of Reigate and Banstead Council. Across the motorway — within its long-established bounds — is the Headquarters of Pfizer UK at

3016-469: 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 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

3132-477: The Black Sea coast and established towns with names such as New London and New York. Before the Normans arrived, Anglo-Saxon governmental systems were more sophisticated than their counterparts in Normandy. All of England was divided into administrative units called shires , with subdivisions; the royal court was the centre of government, and a justice system based on local and regional tribunals existed to secure

3248-637: The Earl of Norfolk , and Roger de Breteuil the Earl of Hereford , conspired to overthrow him in the Revolt of the Earls . The exact reason for the rebellion is unclear, but it was launched at the wedding of Ralph to a relative of Roger's, held at Exning . Another earl, Waltheof, despite being one of William's favourites, was also involved, and some Breton lords were ready to offer support. Ralph also requested Danish aid. William remained in Normandy while his men in England subdued

3364-532: 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 the North Downs plateau in the north (to Tattenham Corner via Kingswood and to Epsom Downs via Banstead, all four stations being in

3480-451: The Tees was left in English hands. Even this tiny residue was further diminished in the decades that followed, the elimination of native landholding being most complete in southern parts of the country. Natives were also removed from high governmental and ecclesiastical offices. After 1075 all earldoms were held by Normans, and Englishmen were only occasionally appointed as sheriffs. Likewise in

3596-572: 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 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

Walton-on-the-Hill - Misplaced Pages Continue

3712-512: The see of York had become vacant following the death of Ealdred in September 1069. Both sees were filled by men loyal to William: Lanfranc , abbot of William's foundation at Caen , received Canterbury while Thomas of Bayeux , one of William's chaplains, was installed at York. Some other bishoprics and abbeys also received new bishops and abbots and William confiscated some of the wealth of the English monasteries, which had served as repositories for

3828-403: The " Norman yoke " arose in the 17th century, the idea that Anglo-Saxon society had been freer and more equal than the society that emerged after the conquest. This theory owes more to the period in which it was developed than to historical facts, but it continues to be used to the present day in both political and popular thought. In the 20th and 21st centuries, historians have focused less on

3944-625: The 1070s, when a group of Anglo-Saxons in a fleet of 235 ships sailed for the Byzantine Empire . The empire became a popular destination for many English nobles and soldiers, as the Byzantines were in need of mercenaries. The English became the predominant element in the elite Varangian Guard , until then a largely Scandinavian unit, from which the emperor's bodyguard was drawn. Some of the English migrants were settled in Byzantine frontier regions on

4060-595: The 1920 formal gardens, pond and temple by the architect Morley Horder and the adjoining rhododendron walks are of interest. The Victorian sunken garden and Georgian parkland trees of the Hermitage within the Walton Oaks site are also of interest. There is a wide variety of housing, in size, type and age. The earliest buildings include Walton Manor with its 14th-century foundations and a number of 16th- and 17th-century properties in Walton Street and Deans Lane. Closer to

4176-616: The 1st century AD: a substantial villa has been excavated in Sandlands Road, and is believed to have been inhabited until around 400 AD. Roman finds have been discovered here and in the neighbouring village of Headley . Walton-on-the-Hill lay within the Copthorne hundred , an administrative division devised by the Saxons . Walton-on-the-Hill was called Waltone in Domesday Book of 1086. It

4292-730: The Church, senior English office-holders were either expelled from their positions or kept in place for their lifetimes and replaced by foreigners when they died. After the death of Wulfstan in 1095, no bishopric was held by any Englishman, and English abbots became uncommon, especially in the larger monasteries. Following the conquest, many Anglo-Saxons, including groups of nobles, fled the country for Scotland, Ireland, or Scandinavia. Members of King Harold Godwinson's family sought refuge in Ireland and used their bases in that country for unsuccessful invasions of England. The largest single exodus occurred in

4408-463: The Conqueror are extant, most are padded with extra names; only about 35 individuals can be reliably claimed to have been with William at Hastings. William of Poitiers states that William obtained Pope Alexander II 's consent for the invasion, signified by a papal banner, along with diplomatic support from other European rulers. Although Alexander did give papal approval to the conquest after it succeeded, no other source claims papal support before

4524-516: The Danes the Fenland rebels remained at large, protected by the marshes, and early in 1071 there was a final outbreak of rebel activity in the area. Edwin and Morcar again turned against William, and although Edwin was quickly betrayed and killed, Morcar reached Ely , where he and Hereward were joined by exiled rebels who had sailed from Scotland. William arrived with an army and a fleet to finish off this last pocket of resistance. After some costly failures,

4640-474: The Danish king's brother, Cnut , had finally arrived in England with a fleet of 200 ships, but he was too late as Norwich had already surrendered. The Danes then raided along the coast before returning home. William did not return to England until later in 1075, to deal with the Danish threat and the aftermath of the rebellion, celebrating Christmas at Winchester. Roger and Waltheof were kept in prison, where Waltheof

4756-687: The English Channel. William assembled a large invasion fleet and an army gathered from Normandy and all over France, including large contingents from Brittany and Flanders. He mustered his forces at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and was ready to cross the Channel by about 12 August. The exact numbers and composition of William's force are unknown. A contemporary document claims that William had 726 ships, but this may be an inflated figure. Figures given by contemporary writers are highly exaggerated, varying from 14,000 to 150,000 men. Modern historians have offered

Walton-on-the-Hill - Misplaced Pages Continue

4872-635: The English leaders surrendered to William at Berkhamsted , Hertfordshire. William was acclaimed King of England and crowned by Ealdred on 25 December 1066, in Westminster Abbey . The new king attempted to conciliate the remaining English nobility by confirming Morcar, Edwin and Waltheof, the Earl of Northumbria , in their lands as well as giving some land to Edgar the Ætheling . William remained in England until March 1067, when he returned to Normandy with English prisoners, including Stigand, Morcar, Edwin, Edgar

4988-511: The English system of taxation that included a land tax, or the geld. English coinage was also superior to most of the other currencies in use in northwestern Europe, and the ability to mint coins was a royal monopoly. The English kings had also developed the system of issuing writs to their officials, in addition to the normal medieval practice of issuing charters . Writs were either instructions to an official or group of officials, or notifications of royal actions such as appointments to office or

5104-457: The English throne in 1042. This led to the establishment of a powerful Norman interest in English politics, as Edward drew heavily on his former hosts for support, bringing in Norman courtiers, soldiers, and clerics and appointing them to positions of power, particularly in the Church. Childless and embroiled in conflict with the formidable Godwin, Earl of Wessex , and his sons, Edward may also have encouraged Duke William of Normandy's ambitions for

5220-567: The English throne. When King Edward died at the beginning of 1066, the lack of a clear heir led to a disputed succession in which several contenders laid claim to the throne of England. Edward's immediate successor was the Earl of Wessex , Harold Godwinson, the richest and most powerful of the English aristocrats. Harold was elected king by the Witenagemot of England and crowned by the Archbishop of York, Ealdred , although Norman propaganda claimed

5336-502: The English troops appear to have pursued the fleeing Bretons. Norman cavalry then attacked and killed the pursuing troops. While the Bretons were fleeing, rumours swept the Norman forces that the duke had been killed, but William rallied his troops. Twice more the Normans made feigned withdrawals , tempting the English into pursuit, and allowing the Norman cavalry to attack them repeatedly. The available sources are more confused about events in

5452-461: The Englishmen at Hastings are known; the most important were Harold's brothers Gyrth and Leofwine . About 18 other named individuals can reasonably be assumed to have fought with Harold at Hastings, including two other relatives. The battle began at about 9 am on 14 October 1066 and lasted all day, but while a broad outline is known, the exact events are obscured by contradictory accounts in

5568-575: 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 the River Mole in Horley and Sidlow. The roundel on the lion has a tanner's (or flaying) knife,

5684-461: The Norman forces there again drove them back across the Humber. William advanced into Northumbria, defeating an attempt to block his crossing of the swollen River Aire at Pontefract . The Danes fled at his approach, and he occupied York. He bought off the Danes, who agreed to leave England in the spring, and during the winter of 1069–70 his forces systematically devastated Northumbria in the Harrying of

5800-496: The Normans constructed castles and fortifications in unprecedented numbers, initially mostly on the motte-and-bailey pattern. Historian Robert Liddiard remarks that "to glance at the urban landscape of Norwich, Durham or Lincoln is to be forcibly reminded of the impact of the Norman invasion". William and his barons also exercised tighter control over inheritance of property by widows and daughters, often forcing marriages to Normans. A measure of William's success in taking control

5916-531: The Normans managed to construct a pontoon to reach the Isle of Ely, defeated the rebels at the bridgehead and stormed the island, marking the effective end of English resistance. Morcar was imprisoned for the rest of his life; Hereward was pardoned and had his lands returned to him. William faced difficulties in his continental possessions in 1071, but in 1072 he returned to England and marched north to confront King Malcolm III of Scotland . This campaign, which included

SECTION 50

#1732852412293

6032-475: The North , subduing all resistance. As a symbol of his renewed authority over the north, William ceremonially wore his crown at York on Christmas Day 1069. In early 1070, having secured the submission of Waltheof and Gospatric, and driven Edgar and his remaining supporters back to Scotland, William returned to Mercia, where he based himself at Chester and crushed all remaining resistance in the area before returning to

6148-635: The Vikings in the region became known as the "Northmen" which "Normandy" and "Normans" are derived from. The Normans quickly adopted the indigenous culture as they became assimilated by the French, renouncing paganism and converting to Christianity . They adopted the Old French language of their new home and added features from their own Old Norse language, transforming it into the Norman language . They intermarried with

6264-604: The Wild , in alliance with the Welsh rulers of Gwynedd and Powys , raised a revolt in western Mercia , fighting Norman forces based in Hereford . These events forced William to return to England at the end of 1067. In 1068 William besieged rebels in Exeter , including Harold's mother Gytha, and after suffering heavy losses managed to negotiate the town's surrender. In May, William's wife Matilda

6380-462: The ability to dispose of their property as they wished. Debate over the conquest started almost immediately. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , when discussing the death of William the Conqueror, denounced him and the conquest in verse, but the king's obituary notice from William of Poitiers, a Frenchman, was full of praise. Historians since then have argued over the facts of the matter and how to interpret them, with little agreement. The theory or myth of

6496-470: The afternoon, but it appears that the decisive event was the death of Harold, about which different stories are told. William of Jumieges claimed that Harold was killed by the duke. The Bayeux Tapestry has been claimed to show Harold's death by an arrow to the eye, but this may be a later reworking of the tapestry to conform to 12th-century stories that Harold had died from an arrow wound to the head. Other sources stated that no one knew how Harold died because

6612-543: The assets of the native nobles. In 1070 Sweyn II of Denmark arrived to take personal command of his fleet and renounced the earlier agreement to withdraw, sending troops into the Fens to join forces with English rebels led by Hereward the Wake , at that time based on the Isle of Ely . Sweyn soon accepted a further payment of Danegeld from William, and returned home. After the departure of

6728-620: The battle remain obscure, with contradictory accounts in the sources, but all agree that William led his army from his castle and advanced towards the enemy. Harold had taken up a defensive position at the top of Senlac Hill (present-day Battle, East Sussex ), about 6 miles (10 kilometres) from William's castle at Hastings. Contemporary sources do not give reliable data on the size and composition of Harold's army, although two Norman sources give figures of 1.2 million or 400,000 men. Recent historians have suggested figures of between 5000 and 13,000 for Harold's army at Hastings, but most agree on

6844-424: 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 the arms of the de Warenne family. William de Warenne accompanied William the Conqueror from Normandy and was the first Earl of Surrey and

6960-541: 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 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

7076-399: The business park known as The Hermitage. Walton-on-the-Hill has a large pond, a green , a primary school, an independent preparatory school for girls, convenience/repair shops and public houses . The village is home to Walton Heath Golf Club , whose former members include King Edward VIII , Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George . The Romans are known to have settled here in

SECTION 60

#1732852412293

7192-546: The capital by a more circuitous route. William moved up the Thames valley to cross the river at Wallingford , Berkshire; while there he received the submission of Stigand. He then travelled north-east along the Chilterns , before advancing towards London from the north-west, fighting further engagements against forces from the city. Having failed to muster an effective military response, Edgar's leading supporters lost their nerve, and

7308-459: The centre are smaller Victorian houses, while further out and especially to the south of the village are larger detached houses on private roads . Many of these were built in the early to mid-20th century and include designs by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and his followers. Prime Minister David Lloyd George owned one such property, Pinfold Manor on Nursery Road. On 19 February 1913, Pinfold Manor

7424-407: The ceremony was performed by Stigand , the uncanonically elected Archbishop of Canterbury . Harold was immediately challenged by two powerful neighbouring rulers. Duke William claimed that he had been promised the throne by King Edward and that Harold had sworn agreement to this; King Harald III of Norway, commonly known as Harald Hardrada , also contested the succession. His claim to the throne

7540-415: The conquest on the lower levels of English society is difficult to assess. The major change was the elimination of slavery in England , which had disappeared by the middle of the 12th century. There were about 28,000 slaves listed in the Domesday Book in 1086, fewer than had been enumerated for 1066. In some places, such as Essex, the decline in slaves was 20 per cent for the 20 years. The main reasons for

7656-587: The conquest was the introduction of Anglo-Norman , a northern dialect of Old French with limited Nordic influences, as the language of the ruling classes in England, displacing Old English. Norman French words entered the English language, and a further sign of the shift was the usage of names common in France instead of Anglo-Saxon names . Male names such as William , Robert , and Richard soon became common; female names changed more slowly. The Norman invasion had little impact on placenames , which had changed significantly after earlier Scandinavian invasions . It

7772-494: 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 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

7888-519: The decades after 1066. Although earlier historians argued that women became less free and lost rights with the conquest, current scholarship has mostly rejected this view. Little is known about women other than those in the landholding class, so no conclusions can be drawn about peasant women's status after 1066. Noblewomen appear to have continued to influence political life mainly through their kinship relationships. Both before and after 1066 aristocratic women could own land, and some women continued to have

8004-501: The decline in slaveholding appear to have been the disapproval of the Church and the cost of supporting slaves who, unlike serfs , had to be maintained entirely by their owners. The practice of slavery was not outlawed, and the Leges Henrici Primi from the reign of King Henry I continue to mention slaveholding as legal. Many of the free peasants of Anglo-Saxon society appear to have lost status and become indistinguishable from

8120-401: The elite fled into exile. To control his new kingdom, William granted lands to his followers and built castles commanding military strong points throughout the land. The Domesday Book , a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales, was completed by 1086. Other effects of the conquest included the court and government, the introduction of a dialect of French as

8236-427: 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" is taken from an ancient couplet and refers to the defeat of the Danes by King Alfred in

8352-445: The forces of Eadric the Wild, together with his Welsh allies and further rebel forces from Cheshire and Shropshire, attacked the castle at Shrewsbury . In the southwest, rebels from Devon and Cornwall attacked the Norman garrison at Exeter but were repulsed by the defenders and scattered by a Norman relief force under Count Brian. Other rebels from Dorset , Somerset and neighbouring areas besieged Montacute Castle but were defeated by

8468-496: The invasion until he could make an unopposed landing. The Normans crossed to England a few days after Harold's victory over the Norwegians at Stamford Bridge on 25 September, following the dispersal of Harold's naval force. They landed at Pevensey in Sussex on 28 September and erected a wooden castle at Hastings , from which they raided the surrounding area. This ensured supplies for the army, and as Harold and his family held many of

8584-399: The invasion, but William claimed ultimate possession of the land in England over which his armies had given him de facto control, and asserted the right to dispose of it as he saw fit. Henceforth, all land was "held" directly from the king in feudal tenure in return for military service. A Norman lord typically had properties scattered piecemeal throughout England and Normandy, and not in

8700-428: The invasion. William's army assembled during the summer while an invasion fleet in Normandy was constructed. Although the army and fleet were ready by early August, adverse winds kept the ships in Normandy until late September. There were probably other reasons for William's delay, including intelligence reports from England revealing that Harold's forces were deployed along the coast. William would have preferred to delay

8816-404: The lands in the area, it weakened William's opponent and made him more likely to attack to put an end to the raiding. Harold, after defeating his brother Tostig and Harald Hardrada in the north, left much of his force there, including Morcar and Edwin, and marched the rest of his army south to deal with the threatened Norman invasion. It is unclear when Harold learned of William's landing, but it

8932-409: The language of the elites, and changes in the composition of the upper classes, as William enfeoffed lands to be held directly from the king. More gradual changes affected the agricultural classes and village life: the main change appears to have been the formal elimination of slavery , which may or may not have been linked to the invasion. There was little alteration in the structure of government, as

9048-461: 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 was named Reigate and Banstead after two of the former districts. The district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of

9164-439: The leading men of the city, on 24 September the Norwegians moved east to the tiny village of Stamford Bridge . King Harold probably learned of the Norwegian invasion in mid-September and rushed north, gathering forces as he went. The royal forces probably took nine days to cover the distance from London to York, averaging almost 25 miles (40 kilometres) per day. At dawn on 25 September Harold's forces reached York, where he learned

9280-625: The local population and used the territory granted to them as a base to extend the frontiers of the duchy westward, annexing territory including the Bessin , the Cotentin Peninsula and Avranches . In 1002, English king Æthelred the Unready married Emma of Normandy , the sister of Richard II, Duke of Normandy . Their son Edward the Confessor , who spent many years in exile in Normandy, succeeded to

9396-437: The location of the Norwegians. The English then marched on the invaders and took them by surprise, defeating them in the Battle of Stamford Bridge . Harald of Norway and Tostig were killed, and the Norwegians suffered such horrific losses that only 24 of the original 300 ships were required to carry away the survivors. The English victory was costly, however, as Harold's army was left in a battered and weakened state, and far from

9512-518: The middle of the borough, forming the Redhill basin and various mounds around Reigate before continuing in both directions at higher elevations, see 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

9628-498: 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 the ongoing A23 from the south and the M23 at Hooley . The A217 road

9744-661: The new Norman administrators took over many of the forms of Anglo-Saxon government. In 911, the Carolingian French ruler Charles the Simple allowed a group of Vikings under their leader Rollo to settle in Normandy as part of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte . In exchange for the land, the Norsemen under Rollo were expected to provide protection along the coast against further Viking invaders. Their settlement proved successful and

9860-412: The non-free serfs. Whether this change was due entirely to the conquest is unclear, but the invasion and its after-effects probably accelerated a process already underway. The spread of towns and increase in nucleated settlements in the countryside, rather than scattered farms, was probably accelerated by the coming of the Normans to England. The lifestyle of the peasantry probably did not greatly change in

9976-476: The press of battle was so tight around the king that the soldiers could not see who struck the fatal blow. William of Poitiers gives no details about Harold's death. The day after the battle, Harold's body was identified, either by his armour or marks on his body. The bodies of the English dead, who included some of Harold's brothers and his housecarls , were left on the battlefield, although some were removed by relatives later. Gytha , Harold's mother, offered

10092-608: The revolt. Roger was unable to leave his stronghold in Herefordshire because of efforts by Wulfstan , the Bishop of Worcester , and Æthelwig , the Abbot of Evesham . Ralph was bottled up in Norwich Castle by the combined efforts of Odo of Bayeux, Geoffrey of Coutances, Richard fitzGilbert , and William de Warenne . Norwich was besieged and surrendered, and Ralph went into exile. Meanwhile,

10208-524: The rightness or wrongness of the conquest itself, instead concentrating on the effects of the invasion. Some, such as Richard Southern , have seen the conquest as a critical turning point in history. Southern stated that "no country in Europe, between the rise of the barbarian kingdoms and the 20th century, has undergone so radical a change in so short a time as England experienced after 1066". Other historians, such as H. G. Richardson and G. O. Sayles, believe that

10324-406: The rights of free men. Shires were run by officials known as shire reeves or sheriffs . Most medieval governments were always on the move, holding court wherever the weather and food or other matters were best at the moment; England had a permanent treasury at Winchester before William's conquest. One major reason for the strength of the English monarchy was the wealth of the kingdom, built on

10440-401: The setting aside of large sections of England as royal forest . The Domesday survey was an administrative catalogue of the landholdings of the kingdom, and was unique to medieval Europe. It was divided into sections based on the shires, and listed all the landholdings of each tenant-in-chief of the king as well as who had held the land before the conquest. One of the most obvious effects of

10556-454: 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 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

10672-411: The sources. Although the numbers on each side were probably about equal, William had both cavalry and infantry, including many archers, while Harold had only foot soldiers and few archers. The English soldiers formed up as a shield wall along the ridge, and were at first so effective that William's army was thrown back with heavy casualties. Some of William's Breton troops panicked and fled, and some of

10788-464: The south, the Danes joined forces with a new Northumbrian uprising, which was also joined by Edgar, Gospatric and the other exiles from Scotland as well as Waltheof. The combined Danish and English forces defeated the Norman garrison at York, seized the castles and took control of Northumbria, although a raid into Lincolnshire led by Edgar was defeated by the Norman garrison of Lincoln . At the same time resistance flared up again in western Mercia, where

10904-466: The south. Papal legates arrived and at Easter re-crowned William, which would have symbolically reasserted his right to the kingdom. William also oversaw a purge of prelates from the Church, most notably Stigand, who was deposed from Canterbury. The papal legates also imposed penances on William and those of his supporters who had taken part in Hastings and the subsequent campaigns. As well as Canterbury,

11020-465: The south. Edwin and Morcar again submitted, while Gospatric fled to Scotland, as did Edgar the Ætheling and his family, who may have been involved in these revolts. Meanwhile, Harold's sons, who had taken refuge in Ireland, raided Somerset , Devon and Cornwall from the sea. Early in 1069 the newly installed Norman Earl of Northumbria, Robert de Comines , and several hundred soldiers accompanying him were massacred at Durham. The Northumbrian rebellion

11136-426: The south. Although Harold Godwinson had married Edwin and Morcar's sister Ealdgyth , the two earls may have distrusted Harold and feared that the king would replace Morcar with Tostig. The result was that their forces were devastated and unable to participate in the rest of the campaigns of 1066, although the two earls survived the battle. Hardrada moved on to York, which surrendered to him. After taking hostages from

11252-504: 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 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

11368-595: The throne. Edward died in January 1066 and was succeeded by his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson . The Norwegian king Harald Hardrada invaded northern England in September 1066 and was victorious at the Battle of Fulford on 20 September, but Godwinson's army defeated and killed Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September. Three days later on 28 September, William's invasion force of thousands of men and hundreds of ships landed at Pevensey in Sussex in southern England. Harold marched south to oppose him, leaving

11484-414: The transformation was less radical. In more general terms, Singman has called the conquest "the last echo of the national migrations that characterized the early Middle Ages". The debate over the impact of the conquest depends on how change after 1066 is measured. If Anglo-Saxon England was already evolving before the invasion, with the introduction of feudalism , castles or other changes in society, then

11600-463: The victorious duke the weight of her son's body in gold for its custody, but her offer was refused. William ordered that Harold's body be thrown into the sea, but whether that took place is unclear. Another story relates that Harold was buried at the top of a cliff. Waltham Abbey , which had been founded by Harold, later claimed that his body had been buried there secretly. Later legends claimed that Harold did not die at Hastings, but escaped and became

11716-411: The village's manor house , which is equally Grade II* listed. The interior of the church features examples of 16th-century artwork and stained glass. Another old church font was set up as a mounting stone outside the nearby public house. The house has features from the 14th century onwards, though was remodelled in the 16th century and the late 19th century and has been much reduced. Some of the tilework

11832-630: The village. In 1951 the civil parish had a population of 2158. On 1 April 1974 the parish was abolished. This is a scheduled ancient monument built at a date in period from the 11th to 13th centuries, covering a small area in Walton Place by the public road, standing 2.4 metres above the land to all sides. The manor of Walton was held by Richard de Tonbridge soon after the Norman Conquest and later by Gilbert de Clare (or Fitz Richard) , both of whom are known to be prolific castle builders, but it

11948-427: The years before 1100, but such marriages were uncommon. Most Normans continued to contract marriages with other Normans or other continental families rather than with the English. Within a century of the invasion, intermarriage between the native English and the Norman immigrants had become common. By the early 1160s, Ailred of Rievaulx was writing that intermarriage was common in all levels of society. The impact of

12064-446: The Ætheling, and Waltheof. Despite the submission of the English nobles, resistance continued for several years. William left control of England in the hands of his half-brother Odo and one of his closest supporters, William fitzOsbern . In 1067 rebels in Kent launched an unsuccessful attack on Dover Castle in combination with Eustace II of Boulogne . The Shropshire landowner Eadric

12180-452: Was also owned by the Carew family in the early 17th century at which time the manor house was extensively rebuilt, who English Heritage believe therefore slightly altered it as a garden feature. The church of St Peter partially dates to the 12th century; one of its oldest features is an 800-year-old font, constructed in lead, although this is thought to have originally stood in a chapel alongside

12296-723: Was based on an agreement between his predecessor, Magnus the Good , and the earlier English king, Harthacnut , whereby if either died without an heir, the other would inherit both England and Norway. William and Harald at once set about assembling troops and ships to invade England. In early 1066, Harold's exiled brother, Tostig Godwinson , raided southeastern England with a fleet he had recruited in Flanders , later joined by other ships from Orkney . Threatened by Harold's fleet, Tostig moved north and raided in East Anglia and Lincolnshire , but he

12412-448: Was bombed by the Women's Social and Political Union , a militant suffragette group led by Emmeline Pankhurst . The house was repaired and still stands today. In the centre of the village are more recent developments of flats , including retirement flats . Bramley School, an independent day school for girls aged three to eleven was located in the village. but closed in 2017. St Cross was

12528-557: Was crowned queen at Westminster, an important symbol of William's growing international stature. Later in the year Edwin and Morcar raised a revolt in Mercia with Welsh assistance, while Gospatric , the newly appointed Earl of Northumbria, led a rising in Northumbria, which had not yet been occupied by the Normans. These rebellions rapidly collapsed as William moved against them, building castles and installing garrisons as he had already done in

12644-451: Was crushed by the garrison of York. Harold's sons launched a second raid from Ireland and were defeated at the Battle of Northam in Devon by Norman forces under Count Brian , a son of Eudes, Count of Penthièvre . In August or September 1069 a large fleet sent by Sweyn II of Denmark arrived off the coast of England, sparking a new wave of rebellions across the country. After abortive raids in

12760-509: Was driven back to his ships by the brothers Edwin, Earl of Mercia , and Morcar, Earl of Northumbria . Deserted by most of his followers, Tostig withdrew to Scotland, where he spent the summer recruiting fresh forces. King Harold spent the summer on the south coast with a large army and fleet waiting for William to invade, but the bulk of his forces were militia who needed to harvest their crops, so on 8 September Harold dismissed them. Hardrada invaded northern England in early September, leading

12876-499: Was executed in May 1076. By that time William had returned to the continent, where Ralph was continuing the rebellion from Brittany. Once England had been conquered, the Normans faced many challenges in maintaining control. They were few in number compared to the native English population; including those from other parts of France, historians estimate the number of Norman landholders at around 8000. William's followers expected and received lands and titles in return for their service in

12992-610: Was held by John from Richard Fitz Gilbert . Its Domesday assets were: 2 hides and 1 virgate . It had 5½ ploughs , 1 house in Southwark . It rendered £6. There is an early post-conquest motte within the grounds of Walton Place, the remains of a timber castle. The name Walton comes from settlement/farmstead of Wealas – Anglo-Saxon ( Old English ) for "Celtic-speaking tribes" or by derivation, "strangers/foreigners", see later form Welsh people and related old-fashioned phrases. A legal record of 1418 mentioning ' Wauton Athill may refer to

13108-559: Was joined by Edgar, Gospatric, Siward Barn and other rebels who had taken refuge in Scotland. The castellan of York, Robert fitzRichard, was defeated and killed, and the rebels besieged the Norman castle at York. William hurried north with an army, defeated the rebels outside York and pursued them into the city, massacring the inhabitants and bringing the revolt to an end. He built a second castle at York, strengthened Norman forces in Northumbria and then returned south. A subsequent local uprising

13224-411: Was not well understood by the nobility. An estimated 8000 Normans and other continentals settled in England as a result of the conquest, although exact figures cannot be established. Some of these new residents intermarried with the native English, but the extent of this practice in the years immediately after Hastings is unclear. Several marriages are attested between Norman men and English women during

13340-461: Was probably while he was travelling south. Harold stopped in London for about a week before reaching Hastings, so it is likely that he took a second week to march south, averaging about 27 miles (43 kilometres) per day, for the nearly 200 miles (320 kilometres) to London. Although Harold attempted to surprise the Normans, William's scouts reported the English arrival to the duke. The exact events preceding

13456-499: Was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman , French , Flemish , and Breton troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy , later styled William the Conqueror . William's claim to the English throne derived from his familial relationship with the childless Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor , who may have encouraged William's hopes for

#292707