Registered Charity No: 287803 AUTUMN 2019 NEWSLETTER · 2019. 11. 21. · Wonderbra, Shock Absorber sports bras and Playtex, I took on the role of Ottershaw Society Newsletter Editor

AUTUMN 2019 NEWSLETTER

Registered Charity No: 287803

Julie Last I moved toOttershaw in 1986 with myhusband Barry and we areboth happily retired now. Ipreviously worked in accountsand office management andwas with my last firm inChertsey for 11 years untilretirement.My main hobby is myallotment which I have hadfor over 15 years and it’s stilla work in progress......I tookon Hon Treasurer duties forour allotment Associationsome 8 years ago, and havealso joined the committee forthe annual Ottershaw Mayfairand that keeps us busy for 2or 3 months after Christmasand leading up to the event.Barry and I hope to includesome travel during ourretirement, fitting it aroundthe growing season obviously!I was prompted to volunteeras Hon Treasurer for theSociety after hearing that theSociety was in jeopardy offolding due to lack ofvolunteers for officerpositions and we are stillhopeful someone will stepforward as Secretary.

www.facebook.com/ottershawsociety www.ottershawsociety.org 2 | Page

Roger Pashley has been on theCommittee a number of years.He has just handed over thejob of Treasurer to Julie Last,but continues to send outALERTS and help with theadministration of theCommittee.Roger is a retired CharteredAccountant who worked forover 30 years as FinanceDirector of a national charity,Age Concern England, whichnow operates as Age UK.In the village he is a memberand Treasurer of Christ Church,Ottershaw, a bellringer andhelps with the IndependentExamination of several othervillage organisations.

Having lived in theOttershaw area sincebirth Graham Mitsonhas served on theOttershaw Societycommittee for aroundthe last 15 years with aspecial interest inplanning matters.Graham also organisesthe Village Christmasdecorations and sets upthe village hall for talksand meetings.

JanWaterhousehas served onthe OttershawSocietycommitteesince 2017.

The Society was formed in 1981 and works tohelp preserve and develop features of historic,natural and public interest in the village ofOttershaw. We look at planning applicationsof a mainly local nature but we also monitorissues that may impact on our community,representing on behalf of the communitywhere necessary.

Registered Charity No: 287803

Brian Williams I moved to Ottershawin 2004 with my wife Jacqui. My familymoved to Woking from the Isle ofWight, where I was born, in about1950 and I have lived in this generalarea ever since. I can rememberOttershaw before it had aroundabout!! After studyingAeronautical Engineering at the RoyalAircraft Establishment at Farnborough Ieventually joined British EuropeanAirways in 1967, now British Airways(BA), at Heathrow. I worked in a smallspecialist engineering departmentwhich carried out Non DestructiveInspection on aircraft engines andstructures. During my time there Irepresented BA as Chairman of theAerospace Group of a NationalEngineering Institute and latterly asVice Chairman of a National AerospaceEngineering Board which I helped toestablish at the requirement of the UKCivil Aviation Authority.I joined the Ottershaw Society at theMay Fair in 2005. I was encouraged tojoin the committee, at the persuasionof Reg Taylor, a couple of years later. Iam very keen to continue the goodwork that the Ottershaw Society hasachieved over many years and haverecently taken on the role of Chair.

JOINING THE OTTERSHAW SOCIETY Membership of the Ottershaw Society gives you anopportunity to support the local community and at the veryleast to know what is going on. We regard it as essential thatmembers make their views known to us, so that we canreflect this in any submissions we make. If you want to bekept informed about local issues and are not already amember, please do consider joining. The current subscriptionfees: Single person £6, Couple £9, Single pensioner £4, Couplepensioners £6. Please contact our Treasurer, Julie Last, if youwould like to join. e-mail: [email protected]

James Robinson has livedwith his wife Angela inOttershaw with their youngfamily for 7 years.Professionally James workswith brands who want toimprove their sales throughe-commerce. I enjoy thelocal park run andOttershaw’s close transportlinks to London from Wokingand further afield throughHeathrow airport. James hasbeen on the committee since2014 and believespassionately that Ottershawmust evolve to accommodatethe needs of its residentswhilst remaining a semi ruralsafe haven from city life.

Mark Burgess I moved toOttershaw in 2014 with myhusband Darren and weshare our house with our twolabradors Rusty andAlfie. After far too manyyears commuting into theCity I have now been selfemployed in the fitnessindustry for 8 years as a PT,sports massage therapist andrunning fitness classes atvarious gyms in the area. Ialso volunteer for OutlineSurrey, an LGBT+ charity,where I am also secretaryand a trustee. If I get anyspare time I like going to thecinema and theatre andenjoy meeting up withfriends and family for nightsout and weekends away.

mailto:[email protected]


2019 OTTERSHAW SOCIETY AGMThe Society AGM was held inthe Ottershaw Village Hall on24 September 2019. Afterbeing without a Chair forseveral years, Brian Williamshad agreed to take on this jobfor a year, with a possibility ofa second year. Julie Last tookover as Treasurer from RogerPashley, who had been in thispost for 32 years. A Secretarywas still, however, needed.Other committee members re-elected for 2019/2020 were:Mark Burgess, Graham Mitson,James and Angela Robinson,Roger Pashley, Trevor Youngand Jan Waterhouse.

It was reported that it hadbeen a busy year with muchhappening on the Planningfront, with the examination ofthe new Local Plan anddevelopments at Longcrossand possibly at Fairoaks. Therewas some discussion,particularly around mattersconcerning the A320, parkingand traffic calming issues. Thefinancial position was healthy,mainly due to the receipt ofsponsorship for the excellentNewsletter, produced byAngela. The full Annual Reportand Accounts can be found onthe Society website:www.ottershawsociety.org.

Angela Robinson, likeJames, has lived inOttershaw for 7 years.Surrey born and raised,I work full time as aparent to my tworascals. I have abackground in creativedesign and marketing,having worked withHarvey Nichols,Wonderbra, ShockAbsorber sports brasand Playtex, I took onthe role of OttershawSociety NewsletterEditor in 2015 and Ihave been in charge ofthe webpage and socialmedia sites for theSociety since I became acommittee member in2014.

I am passionate aboutour village and ensuringthat it is a safe andhappy place for peopleto live.

Trevor Young moved toOttershaw from Walton-onThames in October 1971 with hiswife Vicky and son Gordon.Those were the days before theroundabout came into existenceand the Shell Garage oppositeTrident was a vacant piece ofland. I was employed by MidlandBank (now HSBC) for 36 years ofwhich 24 years were inmanagement. I then took earlyretirement, which enabled me topursue other interests includinggiving some of my time tocharity. I always been interestedin sport, and played football,cricket and golf at various stagesin my life. I have been a memberof the Ottershaw Society formany years and joined thecommittee 15 years ago when Isaw an article in the Newsletterthat more committee memberswere required. In my time on thecommittee I have beenresponsible for the Newsletterdistribution, setting up our MayFair stall and other eventstogether with publicity andadvertising.

http://www.ottershawsociety.org/


TALKS FOR THE 2019-2020 SEASONOttershaw Village Hall, Brox Road, OttershawAll talks begin at 8:00pm

Everybody is welcome to these events, whether they be members or non-members. There is a fee of £1 for members and £2 for non-members paid at the door, tocover the speakers’ expenses and cost of refreshments.

26th November 2019 ‘Canaletto along the Thames’ by Nick Pollard

Giovanni Antonio Canal (18 October 1697 – 19 April 1768), better known asCanaletto was an Italian painter of city views or vedute, of Venice, Rome andLondon. He also painted imaginary views (referred to as capricci), although thedemarcation in his works between the real and the imaginary is never quiteclearcut.

He was further an important printmaker using the etching technique. In theperiod from 1746 to 1756 he worked in England where he painted many viewsof London, including Walton on Thames and Windsor.

28th January 2020 ‘Life at 51 degrees south (Falkland Islands)’ by Major RobMarshall

We were posted to the Falkland Islands for two years, the most remote Britishoverseas territory. With a lot of travelling experience and an open mind wefaced many hurdles, lack of fresh food, limited communication andunpredictable transport home. The presentation is an insight to living by yourwits embracing a totally unfamiliar lifestyle. With the war of 1962 within livingmemory we experienced modern garrison life, probably the only place left inthe British forces where this exists.

25th February 2020 ‘A Miscellany of Woking History’ by David Rose

Featuring the history of Woking; one of the many towns that started life withthe coming of the railways with lots of old photographs of the town.

Modern Woking was formed in the area to the south of the Basingstoke Canal(opened in 1794) around the railway station, built in 1838 at the junctionbetween the lines to London, the south coast, and the south-west of England,and the private railway to Brookwood Cemetery. As a result, the originalsettlement 1 mile to the south-east, on the River Wey, became known as OldWoking.

24th March 2020 ‘My Role as a Governor of St. Peters & Ashford Hospitals’ byDanny Sparkes

This will include her work as a Governor of these hospitals and all thedevelopments that are planned for the hospital site in the next few years, whichwill have started by the time of this talk.

OTTERSHAW MAY FAIR

BANK HOLIDAY FRIDAY 8TH MAY 2020The 2020 May Fair will be taking place on BankHoliday Friday 8th May – so please put the date inyour diaries now! If you are interested in helpingat the Fair, the Ottershaw Community Partnershipwould really appreciate the help.

Following this year’s successful Fair, the OCP arenow accepting applications for grants. As acommunity partnership they exist to re-distributethe proceeds from the Fair every year toorganisations that need financial support for itemssuch as equipment, tools, educational materialsand technology. If you are interested in applyingfor a grant or join the OCP’s team of volunteers,please email: [email protected]

SLOW DOWN!!! BEFORE SOMEONEGETS HURT!

increasingly been used as a rat run by driversavoiding the queues.

Fear of speeding cars with people and animalsrisking their lives to dodge the traffic sawpassionate 11yr old Evie Pashley decide to act bycreating and placing 30mph speed signs askingdrivers to respect the speed limit and slow downalong Brox Road.


THE MARTIANS ARE COMING…A film crew were recentlyspotted at Horsell Commonshooting a new version of theWar of the Worlds. This famousstory, written by HG Wells whilehe was living in Woking,features Horsell Common as thesetting for the first Martianlanding. The Horsell CommonPreservation Society urgepeople to "beware, theMartians are coming!“

NUMBER 1 PRACTICEIN SURREYCongratulations to NewOttershaw Surgery for beating115 other GP practices acrossSurrey to claim number oneposition as the patients' choicefor the second year running inthe 2019 GP Patient Survey byNHS England. The ranking isbased on patients' responses toseven key areas including howeasy it is to get an appointment,whether opening times areconvenient, whether peopletrust their GP, whether their GPlistens to them, whether theirGP treats them with care andconcern, whether receptionistsare helpful and how patientsrate their overall experience.The Surgery welcomesfeedback about all aspects ofits service so that they cancontinue to deliver a high levelof service for our community.

Following therecent works andclosure of theA320, Brox Roadand neighbouringroads have


http://inyourarea.co.uk/


PLANNING UPDATEBy Hannah LaneFAIROAKS AIRPORTThe developers of Fairoaks Airport have submitted revised plans to their RU.18/1615planning application to Runnymede and Surrey Heath Councils. The main development ofthe Garden Village and increased business/industrial park is in Surrey Heath, who will bethe main determinator of the application. However, all the open space---the SANGS(Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space) space that has to be provided to relievevisitors accessing the adjacent Chobham and Horsell Commons) is in Runnymede, just tothe south of Ottershaw Mansion. The development is up to 1,000 residential units, thebusiness/industrial park, new major access off the A319 at the present entrance, andchanges to the access roads in Chobham etc. This larger access will not only be the mainroad into the residential part but will continue onto the A320 to come out between WeyLodge and Durnford House at a major junction on this already busy road.This revised application has only minor changes; therefore the main principles of thedevelopment have not changed. If you wrote into RBC and/or Surrey Heath Councils, youshould have received a letter informing you of this matter. Those wishing to make furthercomments had to write into the two Councils by the end of September. If thisdevelopment on the borders of Ottershaw goes ahead the extra traffic generated willhave considerable impact on our village. At the present time Surrey Heath areprogramming in a decision on this application early in 2020, but as the timetable hasalready been delayed by a year, there is no guarantee when a decision will be taken.

RUNNYMEDE LOCAL PLAN EXAMINATIONThe final Stage 3 hearing will take place on 14th November 2019. This will be entirely onthe effect of all the new developments in Runnymede, especially in our area, on the A320and Junction 11 of the M25. Highways England had registered an objection to the LocalPlan on the extra traffic being generated onto the M25 at Junction 11 but have nowagreed mitigation measures with RBC and SCC. Therefore they have withdrawn theirobjection. RBC and SCC have also now reached a `Statement of Common Ground` ontaking the work on the improvements to the A320 forward. New consultants are beingappointed. The timetable for the detailed design and eventual actual work, hasprogrammed in a Public Consultation in May 2020. The Stage 3 hearing will only be aboutthese two traffic matters, it will NOT revisit all the other topics in the Local Plan that haveall been discussed in the Stage 1 and Stage 2 hearings in November 2018 and February2019 respectively. Brian Williams will be representing the Society as at the previousStages.If the Inspector approves the Plan, there are likely to be some alterations, which mayhave to be consulted on. So RBC is looking to approve the Plan in summer 2020. Shouldthe Inspector not approve the Plan, then that is a whole new situation for RBC and itsresidents. Details of the papers provided by the Council to inform this Stage 3 hearingand details of the examination and updates from the Inspector can be found on this linkhttps://www.runnymede.gov.uk/article/16273/Runnymede-2030-Local-Plan-Examination

https://www.runnymede.gov.uk/article/16273/Runnymede-2030-Local-Plan-Examination


JUBILEE HIGH: YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL AND MEET THE HEAD OF SCHOOLBy Mark Conroy, Head of School, Jubilee HighI am delighted to have been given the opportunity to introduce myself as the Head ofSchool of Jubilee High and to talk about the school that I am extremely proud of. Over theyears Jubilee High School and the site it occupies have been known by several differentnames. Do you remember St. Paul’s Middle School, the merger with The Meads inChertsey and Abbeylands? Despite the name changes over past years we are now (andwill stay) Jubilee High School, a small secondary school with fantastic students, facilitiesand great results.

I became Jubilee High’s Head of School over a year ago and I’ve been teaching for moreyears than I care to remember! I started my career in North-West London as a Maths andPhysical Education teacher and until last year was Deputy Headteacher at the MatthewArnold School in Staines. Despite the previous year being very busy, as any new job canbe, it has been the most professionally gratifying year I’ve ever had. It has been anabsolute joy to work with students, parents, staff and the local community culminating inan enormous sense of pride when last year’s extremely positive GCSE results werereleased, and I spent the morning with the students and their parents celebrating theirsuccess.

A student recently asked me what I actually did, what the job of a Head of School entailedas she often saw me visiting lessons throughout the day, out on duty during break andlunch times and greeting students on their journey to and from school at the start andend of the school day. I was delighted she summed my job up so succinctly, but I did addthat I lead the development of the whole school ensuring our standards are consistentlystrong and our students have access to great teachers and good resources.


It’s been a pleasure to see our new Year 7 students completing their first half-term atSecondary school so positively. The change from Primary school to Secondary school canappear daunting to Yr 6 children so our teachers and students visit our local Primaryschools to support the transfer to ‘big school’. Our Primary partners also have easy accessto our teachers, we lay on taster lessons and they regularly use our resources like ourwonderful theatre, science laboratories, design technology suites and our dance studios.These and all our other great facilities mean that we can provide our students with 50extra-curricular clubs and societies after school each week including rowing, the Duke ofEdinburgh Award and a huge range of other activities and sports.

You may be able to tell that I am really very ambitious for my students and I stand by ourschool mantra of ‘excellence in learning and teaching’. I make a point of talking to all thestudents about our high expectations, being life-long learners and how to make the bestpossible use of their learning experience at school and I apply this to my own teaching ofour Year11s. My ‘Team Conroy’ mathematicians are a superb group of students who Iknow are hungry to get the best in their GCSE exams.

We’ve just completed our season of Open Days for prospective Primary students but ifyou missed these and would like to see the school in action, please call 01932 884800 oremail us at [email protected] to book a visit. I’d be delighted towelcome you to Jubilee High.



LETS ALL DO OUR BITWHAT GOES IN YOUR RECYCLING BIN?

There have been a few changes to what the council will accept in your blue-lidded recycling bin because they are using a different sorting facility.

Please check below to find out what we can and cannot recycle in Runnymede.

If you have put the wrong items in your recycling bin, it will not be emptied. Putting the wrong thing inside your bin could:

• Spoil the lorry load of recycling and it would potentially have to be disposed of as waste

• Be dangerous and unpleasant for the people who sort it

• Waste taxpayers' money

WANT TO KNOW WHICH BIN TO PUT SOMETHING IN OR WHERE TO TAKE IT?

There is a handy app that will allow you to search for an item and tell you how to recycle, compost or dispose of it. Simply click on the links below or search “Surrey Recycles” at your preferred App store.

YES PLEASE!

• Dry cardboard and paper• Rinsed tins and cans• Rinsed plastic pots, tubs and trays (lids

included but separate)• Plastic bottles including cleaning

bottles, toiletry bottles and drinkbottles

• Rinsed glass jars (with lids)• Glass bottles• Junk mail• Magazines and newspapers• Clean aluminum foil - scrunched up

into a ball• Shredded paper (please ensure this is

contained in a box or envelope)We can take excess if it is placed in acardboard box next to your recycling bin onyour collection day. We can only collect dryrecycling though so please do not put itnext to your bin if it is raining or going tobe a wet day as otherwise, we will have toleave it.

NO THANKS!

• Any type of plastic bags, including carrier bags, bin bags or liners, plastic film/wrapping, soil and fertilizer bags, sandwich bags, fruit and vegetable packaging and nappy sacks

• Cling film and bubble wrap• Batteries• Light bulbs• Polystyrene• Wet paper or card• Aerosol cans• Dirty aluminium foil• Crisp packets• Cartons and Tetra Pak• Nappies and sanitary/incontinence

products• Wood and metal objects• Takeaway pizza boxes

https://api.recollect.net/app/SurreyCC/waste/android?direct=1

https://api.recollect.net/app/SurreyCC/waste/ios?direct=1


New Role: My responsibilities as Cabinet Member for finance has been increased with the added portfolio of property. As you can imagine it is a large and complex portfolio which includes the country-side estates, office accommodation, fire stations, schools (except those which have transferred to Academies or new Free Schools where the property is transferred at no cost and taken out of the County owned assets) and all the Community recycling centres. A recent Cabinet decision to invest in providing over 883 places for children with special needs was approved at the September meeting and plans will shortly be presented for approval for the development on county owned land for ‘extra care’ housing for those ageing vulnerable adults who qualify for supported living. A new build fire station in Fordbridge (along the A308) near Sunbury has opened for operations.

Highways: Highways England have issued new guidelines which direct local authorities to cut grass verges only twice a year, down from four times a year. The move is hoped to encourage greater wildflower diversity across the country, as well as save money for councils and increase pollinator habitats. No doubt this guideline will become practice going forward.

Communication with the County: It is interesting to see the level of resident communications with the Council. Below are some of the subjects that the Contact Centre handled in the month of August 2019:

• Children’s services : 5690• Adult Social Care : 2450• Highways enquiries: 2433• School Transport: 1146

As a further indication of the growth in online activities the Council’s web site recorded 1,314,087 hits so far this year.

Climate Emergency: In line with this policy the Council has adopted a policy to plant one tree for each resident (circa 1.2m) over the next 5 years. Surrey is the most ‘tree’d’ County in the UK. The cost of this exercise will be shared with housing developers, businesses and other organisations. The first tree was planted at the Surrey Hills Wood Fair in Cranleigh on October 5th.Heathrow expansion: The County Council has written a strongly worded letter to both the Secretary of State for Transport and the Managing Director of Heathrow expressing its frustration at the lack of communication and feedback following the Council’s response to the recent consultation, which to date has provided no feedback on plans for providing access both rail and road, to the Airport from the South of the County. At the time of writing this report no response has been received.

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL NEWSBy Melville FewSurrey County Councillor for Virginia Water, Lyne, Thorpe, Longcross, OttershawCabinet Member: Finance & Property. [email protected] Tel: 07889126439.



OTTERSHAW AND WEST ADDLESTONE: WHAT IS IN A NAME?By Cllr Malcolm Cressey (supported by Cllr. John Olorenshaw and Cllr. IftiChaudhri)

Your Ward Councillors in conjunction with Runnymede Borough Council are preparing tobegin a consultation process to propose changing the name of the ward to ‘Ottershawand West Addlestone’ - after all, nearly 40% of our newly formed ward voters live in WestAddlestone! During the last local elections, some residents who came to the pollingstation on the Addlestone side of the M25 stated that they had considered not votingbecause they were offended by the ward name as it was not reflective of the physicalextent of the ward.

Ifti, John and I, as your ward councillors agree that there should be no real or perceivedbarrier to expressing your democratic right to vote. The proposed ward name properlyreflects the physical extent of the ward and putting the name of the largest area first isthe usual naming convention.

There will be a public consultation sometime in the next month or so by an electronicsurvey open to all qualifying residents in the Ottershaw Ward. Anyone not on theelectoral role will not have their vote counted. It’s going to be an electronic survey inorder to keep the costs to almost nothing. If we wrote to everyone, it would cost over£5,000 which is money we would rather have spent on the vulnerable, housing, streetcleaning, etc… but it doesn’t mean this isn’t important!!

If the consensus is to change the name of the ward, there will be no impact on how welive our lives or manage our communities – but it will far better reflect the arearepresented in the ward. We really would like everyone in the ward to vote on thismatter. It makes a difference at local level. Ottershaw ward generally has one of thehighest voter turnouts in the Borough – Let’s keep it that way! Here is a reminder aboutwhy it makes sense to vote.

Why Vote? – It Counts!

1. It gives you the power to create change: By voting you choose a candidate who best suits yourviews.

2. Support your demographic group: 71% of over 65s voted in 2017, compared to only 54% of 18-24-year olds (IPSOS Mori). The higher the turnout for a particular demographic group the more likelymore benefits will accrue to that group.

3. What’s the point in voting if you think your candidate can’t win: If everyone just ‘gives up’ changewill never happen. Reducing a majority is a first step to gaining a majority! By voting for a “losing”candidate you morally help them to keep fighting on.

4. Your right to vote has been hard won: People have given their lives to win the right to vote. Somesay it is disrespectful to them to waste your vote.

5. Your successful candidate represents your ward at the borough council: It’s their job to raise localissues and support you as much as they can.

6. Spoiling your ballot: By going to the polling station and not selecting any candidate beforesubmitting to the ballot box, you become a voice for the disengaged. If there are huge numbers ofspoiled ballots at election time, political parties will start to think more about what they need to doto reconnect with these voters.


OTTERSHAW ROAD NAMES. No.5.By Hannah LaneBROX ROADThe third hamlet, of what is now Ottershaw, was Brox. This was located around thejunction with Brox Lane, both on Brox Road and the cottages down Brox Lane. On the1865 Parish Map in the Church the present Brox Road from the junction with MurrayRoad down past where the shops are now, to the junctions with Slade Road / Bousley Risewas called Brox Lane. Brox Lane at this time was known as World’s End Lane. By the 1861census this section had its present name of Brox Road. The section on to the junctionwith the Guildford Road was Brox until by 1861 it had become Lower Brox. So sometimesSlade Road was referred to as `Brox Road` or `Lower Brox Road`, as it is a continuation ofthis part of `Lower` Brox Road when the part up to the crossroads was Brox Lane. Thiscontinuation of Brox Road to the Guildford Road was also called Upper Brox Road, i.e. inthe 1911 census. All very confusing when researching old deeds and documents. (Theother 2 hamlets were Spratts, and Chertsey Lane End around the Otter crossroads.)

c1960’s

Looking down Brox Road at the parade of shops c1997

Looking down Brox Road at the parade of shops, Otter Pub garden trees on the right c1953

Looking up Brox Road parade of shops towards the Otter roundabout c1960’s


SHAW CLOSE/MOAT COURTShaw Close is the road leading to theblocks of flats called Moat Court. Thesewere built on the site of the houses of St.Aubyns and Little Manor, these being 2 ofthe houses built for the sons of WilliamFletcher, the major nurseryman and landholder in the village in the late 1800s.These in turn were built on land formerlyowned by The Otter. The three blocks of12 flats were built in 1967. Called `Moat`after the firm Moat Ltd. who owned theestate before selling off the flats under theoverall registration of the Moat HousingSociety. The entrance of the Close is overthe original orchard and garden of TheOtter Inn.

OTTERMEAD LANEOttermead Lane is a private road. This wasthe back entrance to Ottermead House or`Tradesmen’s entrance`. But it is a mucholder lane as it is on 1816 maps, which isbefore Ottermead House was built inc1892 where Chaworth Road is now.Under Ottermead House it was owned bythe Earl and Countess of Meath, whobought the newly built house from theRev. Hichens (Vicar of Christ Church) astheir 1st `owned` house in Ottershaw.There were 4 cottages on the Lane by1865.

In 1933 the Meath’s Trustees, the Earl andCountess of Verulam, daughter of theCountess of Meath sold part of the Lane toCharles Arthur Goldring of the Post Office.It appears that the sale documents of theadjoining land by the Meaths did notinclude the actual lane, as so often is thecase when it is a private lane. It can bevery difficult to establish ownership inlater years if a dispute arises.

The two end cottages in January 1941 tookthe only direct hit by a German bomb inthe village and three of the children werekilled. Ursula and William (Billy) Sleet, andthe young baby of Mr. and Mrs. Driver.Two of the Sleet children survived, Fredaand Eileen. Both cottages weredemolished and the blast shatteredwindows etc. for some way across thevillage. They were replaced by the presenttwo bungalows.

BROX MEWSNo. 3, Lincoln Cottage, Brox Road, wasbuilt in the early 1930s on the site of anold thatched cottage called Eglantine. No.3 was sold in 1997 to Mr. Paul Sweeny ofAshfronts of Bousley Rise and hedemolished it. With this land, and the landat the back of the shops, he built a line ofhouses. Being at the back of Brox Road, hecalled the development `Brox Mews`

STRIDE COURTNo 25 was Stride`s Ironmongers. The landhad belonged to Maurice Mandry,nurseryman, who raised privet-hedgingplants on the land. He sold to the Strides,when they closed their former blacksmithsat No 127 Brox Road, and built the shophere in 1955. Having supplied all theironmongery needs of the village for somany years, they were slowly forced out ofbusiness by the building of the large `Do ItYourself` superstores. So by 1997 they hadsold the site for development. TheOttershaw Society asked RBC to call thedevelopment `Stride Close` tocommemorate the Stride Family and itsinvolvement in the village.


CRAWSHAW ROADThis was built in c1986 as part of theMurray House re-development `TheBrambles` when the NHS sold the oldWorkhouse site for development. It leadsto Palmer Crescent. There is no vehicleway through as the road is blocked bybollards at the junction of the two roads toprevent it becoming a short cut betweenMurray Road and Brox Road. So apedestrian way only. All the road namesfor this estate were selected by RBC, whenit was built, that were of people ofOttershaw in the 1800`s except forCrawshaw Road.

So who was this named after? Author`ssuggestion is that it should have beenafter Richard Crawshay of Ottershaw Parkc 1840`s, but somehow was mis-spelt?

On the right of the entrance to this roadwas the site of the two houses built by1870 by the Workhouse to house thechildren old enough to go to work, one forboys and the other for the girls, calledSummerfield and Gray. Mr. E. E. Summerwas the children`s Master. George Graywas the name of the nurseryman who soldhis land along Murray Road for thebuilding of the Isolation Hospital.

All of the children of inmates of theWorkhouse were separated from theirparents into separate buildings. Many ofthe children in the Workhouse wereorphans, others of unmarried mothers, theonly `home` they ever knew. Life was veryhard for them. They were not allowed tomix with the other children of the village,except at school.

There was a Master and Matronresponsible for them. They had to earntheir keep, even before they were oldenough to go out to work, by the boysworking in the gardens/fields and the girlsin the laundry. These buildings were notsold until 1992 to Wentworth Homes Ltd.Ltd. and in 1993 they built these sixterraced houses. They were namedSUMMERFIELD PLACE.

CHESHIRE CLOSEThis site covered by the Close was part ofthe Murray House Workhouse site sold fordevelopment in 1986. Cheshire House wasoriginally built in 1988 by the BritishAirways Staff Housing Association for 28retirement flatlets. Opposite is Alan HiltonCourt, built by the Royal British LegionHousing Association Ltd. also in 1988, for39 individual rooms or flatlets, with awarden.

Looking up Brox Road from the junction with Slade Road. 1981. The original Summerfield House on the right. Photo by Roger Pashley

Looking up Brox Road from near the present entrance to Crawshaw Road, end of Post Office on the left side in the centre above the car. c 1953


THE CASTLE PUBLIC HOUSEBy Josie Macleod

Since taking over the pub, Josie has run a selection of events which have included a winequiz, BBQs, and recently the first poker evening which proved to be extremely popular.Look out for more events like these in the future.With winter fast approaching, cosy fires will be the order of the day and a warm welcomeis assured, whatever the weather. Have a look at our Christmas menu as the season to bejolly is nearly upon us and the orangery and restaurant make a perfect place to relax andcelebrate.Looking forward, the next project is the refurbishment of the front car park which willmake sitting outside a more enjoyable experience during the summer months.Josie looks forward to welcoming you to The Castle very soon, either for a meal withfamily and friends or a drink and conversation across the bar.Our website is; https://www.the-castle-ottershaw.co.uk/And we are also on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/castleinottershaw/And Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thecastleottershaw/

The landlady, Josie MacLeod, will soon be celebrating her one-year anniversary, having taken over the pub in November 2018.In this short time, the pub has undergone some major changeswhilst retaining its unique, friendly atmosphere. Variousimprovements have been undertaken including new kitchenand cellar equipment. The seasonal main menu has been wellreceived, along with light lunches, small plates and the ever-popular Sunday roast dinners. Every Friday is ‘Fish Friday’ witha special fish dish served. An example being ‘Monkfish and kingprawns on a lemon sole and cod fish cake with caper buttertopped with crispy Parma ham’.Of course, one of the main attractions of any pub is its drinkselection and The Castle aims to have something for everyone.There is a great selection of Cask Marque approved ales alongwith an extensive wine list and a wide range of gins to enjoy.For those wanting something non-alcoholic, we have Heineken00 on draught as well as the usual selection of soft drinks.

There has been a public house whereThe Castle stands, in the village ofOttershaw, for over a century, havingbecome a beer house in the early1840s. Today, it continues in its role asa traditional English pub, with a warmwelcome guaranteed, serving fine foodand beverages.


CHRIST CHURCH OTTERSHAWIn June, CAMEO the weekly Thursdaycoffee morning at Ottershaw Village Hallcelebrated its 10th birthday. A beautifullydecorated cake was shared by all thosewho attended. If you have not been alongbefore, you would be made very welcomeand enjoy some delicious cake!

A big thank you to everyone who hascontributed to the “FIX-THE-BRIX” appealwhich exceeded its target of £10,000 andhas covered the costs of fixing the bricksand related architect fees.

There was a magnificent response to theFunday held in July from donations,refreshment sales and the auction.Throughout the appeal the response fromchurch members, the village and manyothers in contact with the church has beenwonderful. The work that has now beendone to the brickwork pointing and roofwill help keep Christ Church in soundcondition for many years to come.

OTTERSHAW SOCIAL CLUBwww.ottershawsocialclub.co.ukOttershaw Social Club is a thriving villageclub founded in 1883 as the Working Men’sClub under the Presidency of Sir EdwardColebrooke, who also built and endowedthe village church. The subscription was 1penny a week. The rules stated that therewere no intoxicants to be sold, norgambling or bad language and no games onSundays.The building was designed by TheophilusAllen of Stanyards and opened in 1887 as areading room, it was paid for by the localgentry and has since been enlarged. It isheld in trust for the use of the village.In 1915 wounded soldiers from OttershawPark and Ottermead hospitals were madehonorary members and later the BritishLegion was amalgamated with the club.In 1962 women were admitted to the clubbut were not made full members until thelate 1980’s.

Nowadays it is a thriving family club, run bya dedicated committee of members. Theclub can now boast a large number ofmembers in the surrounding area in all ageranges, as well as excellent bar prices. Theclub is extremely friendly and runs regularevents for its members, which are alwayswell supported.

If you are interested in becoming amember, please drop into the club andspeak to a committee member or amember of staff.

http://www.ottershawsocialclub.co.uk/


ASH FARM ARENA POLO CLUB, OTTERSHAWAsh Farm Arena Polo Club in Ottershaw was founded in 1995 by keen polo enthusiast PaulSweeney. Paul had learnt to ride later in life and had tried most equestrian disciplines butnothing matched the adrenalin buzz that he got after his first polo lesson. He was hookedand quite soon he was playing chukkas a couple of times a week. The next naturalprogression was to buy some polo ponies and quite quickly after that the idea to build afacility that you can play in all year round, Ash Farm Arena Polo was born!

Summer polo is played outside on grass, typically played on a 10-acre field and is subjectto perfect weather condition through April to September but when that finishes thereweren’t many places to continue to develop those polo skills and keep the ponies fitthrough the winter. Arena polo is played on 100m by 50m space, enclosed by walls offour or more feet in height, on an artificial surface which suits all weather conditions. Therules are adapted for the safety of both players and ponies, it has 3 people in a teaminstead of 4.When the Ash Farm Club first started out it was more of a private facility where Paul usedto play with friends and family, at that time his wife Lesley and step-daughter Jemmaboth played. Word soon got out and it became more popular as there weren’t manyplaces in the UK that you could continue to play through the winter. Consequently in1998 the club was affiliated with the Hurlingham Polo Association which mean it was anaccredited facility to teach people how to play polo. Paul also continued his passion forthe sport by entering and winning many prestigious arena polo tournaments. He won the“Arena Gold Cup” over 3 consecutive years and the “Nations Cup” where he proudlyrepresented his Irish roots, not once but an incredible 2 years running.

Bottom Left; Paul Sweeney playingBottom Right: Paul Sweeney, Sebastian Dawnay and Jamie Morrison – winning

the Arena Gold Cup,


Paul Sweeney was also well known for his building passion in creating period stylecottages, all the benefits of new property with the charm and character of traditionalhouse. His building company Ashfronts Homes has a number of houses in the Village, allvisible from the heart of Ottershaw village, his unique style led to a number of designawards from the Runnymede Borough Council. He continued the theme into the poloclub where he created a beautiful clubhouse complete with a reclaimed church frontage,exposed brick open fire place and oak beams that give that warm and cosy feel in thedarkest depths of winter.

Paul’s ambition was always to make playing polo a less elitist sport where everyone waswelcome. Ash Farm Arena Polo quickly became a key facility and inherent part of thewinter season, many new people had their first lessons in Ottershaw and continue to playto this day..

Sadly, Paul passed away suddenly in 2009 but his daughters Charlotte and Georgia tookover the running of the club and continued with the same passion and enthusiasm thatPaul demonstrated over so many years. The club now has an exceptionally highproportion of female members and they are proud to be associated with Royal HollowayCollege and many junior schools teaching children and students to play polo. It continuesto be a friendly and welcoming establishment, still with the goal of catering for all.

Spectators are more than welcome with polo every weekend from October until April andtournaments once a month. The Paul Sweeney Memorial Cup Finals also take place nextyear on 17th February 2020.

For more information please contact Charlotte Sweeney on 01932872521 or07799812739. Email [email protected]

Clubhouse at Ash Farm Polo complete with a reclaimed church frontage Exposed brick open fire place.



LOCALLY LISTED BUILDINGS / LIST OF HERITAGE ASSETS FOR RUNNYMEDE BOROUGHBy Hannah Lane

This list was started in 1995, but abruptly terminated by RBC after only a few buildings inthe village had been listed. So this is a very welcome up-date. Please note: they are notreviewing the National Listed Buildings which is under English Heritage.

The Planning Committee on 11 September 2019 approved the updated Local List ofHeritage Assets for Runnymede Borough. In addition to nationally designated heritageassets (i.e. buildings contained within the National English Heritage statutory list of listedbuildings etc.), non-designated buildings and structures, which are considered to belocally significant to Runnymede’s heritage and make a positive contribution to thecharacter and distinctiveness of the area, can be included on a ‘Local List’ of locallyimportant heritage assets. Whilst sites on the Local List do not have the statutorydesignation of nationally listed buildings, designation on a Local List is a materialconsideration when determining planning applications. Registration does not mean anasset will be preserved in its current state in perpetuity. National and local planningpolicy allows change to heritage assets which preserves or better reveals their heritageinterest or, where change requires their loss, replaces the benefit to the public that theyprovide.

Runnymede has a rich historic environment, with seven designated Conservation Areasand over 320 listed buildings, as well as a number of scheduled ancient monuments andregistered Parks and Gardens. The Council’s adopted Local Plan 2001 includes PolicyBE13, which commits the Borough Council to keeping a list of buildings of localarchitectural or historic interest and ensures the preservation and enhancement of theircharacter. The emerging Runnymede Local Plan 2030 includes updated Policy EE8 whichcontinues that approach.

In February 2018, the Government awarded the Council design quality grant funding fortwo years. Part of the funds awarded enabled the Council to review its Local List ofHeritage assets. The review was undertaken by consultants, Purcell. As part of theproduction of this Local List, public nominations for buildings and structures for inclusionwere sought and nominations for over 40 local buildings were received from members ofthe public in addition to buildings etc. identified by the Council and the consultants whendrafting the updated Local List.

Under the same review there was a review of RBC`s Conservation Areas. The 7Conservation Areas in Runnymede are:- Egham, Chertsey, Egham Hythe which will bereviewed by the Consultants, to produce updated criteria for planning, leaflets and otherinformation for those residents/businesses in the Conservation Areas. The rest of theConservation Areas will be reviewed later in 2019. These are the Basingstoke Canal,Englefield Green, Thorpe and Wey Navigation.

The existing pre 2019 list for Ottershaw and its surrounding area:-• Anningsley Cottage, Brox Road• The Castle Public House, Brox

Road• Colebrook Place, Guildford

Road• Raymond Slade Autos, now

Anvilautos, Guildford Road• Workhouse Chapel, Murray

Road• Church Farm House and Barn,

Guildford Road• Botleys Park Barn and Ice

House, Stonehill Road

The following were removed from the original list:-• Colebrook Place, Guildford Road,

as no longer its original use, too altered and modernised.

• Barn to Botley Park, Stonehill Road, Ottershaw, burnt down in 1998.

The updated Local List proposes the following additions in the village and its surrounds:• Woking Lodge, Guildford Road. Part of the

original Ottershaw Park Estate.• Dunford House, Guildford Road. Part of the

original Ottershaw Park Estate.• Lamp post at rear of Trident Honda garage,

Guildford Road. Made by Chertsey Iron foundry.

• 2 and 4 Murray Road. The Workhouse School and Master`s house.

• War Memorial, Christ Church, Guildford Road.• Greatwood House, 209-211 Brox Road.

Designed by M. H. Baillie-Scott.• Meath School, Brox Road.• Toad Hall Children's Nursery, The Old School

House, Brox Road. • Lake View, Guildford Road, Ottershaw; • Barn at Geesemere (Botleys), Ottershaw; • Ottershaw Social Club, Brox Road.• Tanglewood Cottage/Lodge. Part of the

original Ottershaw Park Estate. • Foxhills Country Club, (original building only)

Stonehill Road, Ottershaw

NATIONAL LISTING: OTTERSHAW PARISH AND ITS SURROUNDS:• Barn Bousley Farm, Bousley Rise• 192 Brox Road• 2 Chobham Road, (Curchods)• The Mansion, Ottershaw Park

and its Chertsey and The Gate House Lodges, Coach Road

• Christ Church, Guildford Road• Old Farmhouse, Guildford Road • Murray House (Workhouse)

facade, Murray Road• Silverlands, Holloway Hill• Anchor House, Longcross Road• Ivy Cottage, Stonehill Road• Botleys Park Mansion and North

Lodge of Botleys Park, Stonehill Road

THE CRITERIA FOR LOCALLY LISTED BUILDINGS. Heritage assets must meet all the following criteria to beeligible for local listing:• They must be a building or built structure.• They must have heritage interest that can be conserved and enjoyed. There are two main types of heritage

interest - Historic interest and Architectural interest.• The heritage interest they possess must be of value to the local community i.e. beyond personal or family

connections, or the interest of individual property owners.• They must have a level of interest and value that is greater than that of the general surrounding area.


WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON AT FOXHILLS CLUB & RESORT?www.foxhills.co.ukBlending history with modern technology is never an easy task. Different trends,requirements and construction methods contrasting with the advance of technology andmodern comforts, can sometimes create a style conflict.But at Foxhills Club & Resort, there’s all the evidence you need that a balance can beachieved successfully if you move with the times while remembering your roots.

Finding the right mix is in keeping with the ethos of the resort, which offers a huge varietyof leisure pursuits and activities to cater for so many interests from the members andhotel guests, who can all enjoy many of those same benefits during their stay.It’s a family-friendly destination and is also in the midst of a £25m investmentprogramme as existing buildings are overhauled or rebuilt, others are extended orupgraded and some brand-new additions are launched.

But for those concerned that Foxhills’ long history is set to be erased for a shiny, newleisure complex, the Manor House – built in the 19th century and still the heartbeat ofthe 400-acre estate –remains as integral as ever.Foxhills’ history goes back even further and forged its early reputation when themercurial 18th century politician, Charles James Fox, came to live in the area in the1780s.

Fast forward 200 years and in 1983, Pam and Ian Hayton purchased the club in 1983, withtheir son Marc taking over as managing director in 2010 and still at the helm nine yearslater. And there’s a healthy dose of family pride bursting through the Foxhills fabric.

http://www.foxhills.co.uk/


In its current guise, Foxhills features two Championship golf courses, one par-threecourse (the first of its kind in Britain), 70 bedrooms, three restaurants, eleven tenniscourts, three squash courts, four swimming pools, an award-winning healthspa,conference and meeting facilities. There are many clubs within the framework of themembership and opportunities for mingling with others at frequent social events.

But time doesn’t stand still at Foxhills and plans for the future generations are wellunderway. Just in the past few months, four projects have come to fruition. The Foxdining rooms is the refurbished main restaurant in the Manor House with a vibrant,brasserie style with plenty of nods on the menu to traditional favourites, while TheWoodie is another new food outlet for ‘grab and go’ snacks.

For golfers, already well-served by two superb courses and outstanding facilities, thePractice Den is another new addition with the focus on perfecting short-game skills.

The Yoga Cabin – a £500,000 building – has become a popular addition with membersflocking to the bespoke studio set in serene woodland for yoga and pilates classes sinceits opening.

The next phase of development is a brand-new building for family and indoor sportsfacilities – at an estimated cost of £7m. But there are many more already planned andothers on the horizon to increase the standards throughout the resort, increase bedroomcapacity and generally make the resort even more attractive to members and guests.

The history has long been a draw at Foxhills. But the future is just as exciting.

Why not come and enjoy the unique splendour of your local countryside, witha wealth of trees, wildlife, birds and plants waiting to be discovered on yourdoorstep. Runnymede Borough Council has designated its own Open Spaces sites.Within the Ottershaw area these are: Timber Hill, Chaworth Copse, Ottershaw Chase,Ether Hill and Queenwood (the Memorial Field is too formal to be a SANG site), Hare Hilland Homewood Park. These public areas provide a great space for walking the dog, takethe children on a nature trail or have a ramble with friends and family. Grab your bootsand get out and about and enjoy the great outdoors of Ottershaw!

Located on either side of the Guildford Road A320, Ottershaw Chase, Timber Hill andChaworth Copse are ideal for dog walkers and ramblers. With footpaths that intersect atall three sites, you will be able to choose from a selection of routes catering for all agesand levels of fitness.

Starting at the car park opposite Christ Church is the entrance to Timber Hill, andOttershaw Chase. You have a choice of routes from here, all clearly waymarked. There’sthe 1.2km Timber Hill Loop, that takes you around the woodland, down throughChaworth Copse, popping out briefly onto Brox Road; then there’s the shorter 0.8kmcircuit of Ottershaw Chase. Combine these two in a figure of eight or stretch your legsfurther and take in Ether Hill, it’s easily reachable from Cross Lane, the lane that leads toOttershaw Chase.

DID YOU KNOW THAT TIMBER HILL WAS ONCE AN ALLOTMENT? Not the modern kind ofallotment, where people grow vegetables as in the twentieth century, but an area setaside for the benefit of the poor, where local people could collect firewood. The naturalhistory of these woodlands is also fascinating, supporting all manner of birds fromnuthatch and great-spotted woodpecker, to the less common firecrest.


WALK: OTTERSHAW CHASE, TIMBER HILL, CHAWORTH COPSE

Map courtesy of RBC

Documents

Registered Charity No: 287803 AUTUMN 2019 NEWSLETTER · 2019. 11. 21. · Wonderbra, Shock Absorber sports bras and Playtex, I took on the role of Ottershaw Society Newsletter Editor