Towns & Villages in Runnymede

HISTORY of CHERTSEY
Chertsey has a much more substantial history than Addlestone, mainly because it was the home of a 7th century Benedictine Abbey.

The Abbey was founded by Erkenwald on the 'Insula Ceroti', the Island of Cerotus, a name which reminds us that in those days much of England was marshy and undrained. The Abbey's development was hindered by the marauding Norsemen who raided the area in the 9th century, and the well-preserved Viking sword in Chertsey Museum will give us a real glimpse of history to those with good imaginations.

The Abbey had recovered by the time of the Doomsday Book and the records also show that by the Middle Ages the Abbey held over 50,000 acres of lands in Thorpe, Egham, Weybridge and elsewhere. It was frequently visited by the Plantaganet Kings, and in 1471 Henry VI was buried there after his murder during the Wars of the Roses (his funeral cortege is interrupted on its way to Chertsey by Richard III in Shakespeare's play). The Abbey, in common with so many others, was dissolved by Henry VIII and the buildings and lands were gradually whittled away, but its memory remains in the Armorial Bearings of Runnymede Borough Council.

The poet, Abraham Cowley, spent the last two years of his life in Chertsey (1665-1667) after an adventurous period serving the exiled Royalists during Cromwell's rule. However, he failed to gain Royal preferment at the Restoration and had to rely on the largesse of the Earl of St Albans and the Duke of Buckingham who found him £300 a year and a place to live at Chertsey. He is buried at Westminster Abbey but his name is remembered locally at Cowley Avenue and the Abraham Cowley Unit, St Peter's hospital. Chertsey was possibly still a damp place in his time because he caught a terrible cold the first night he arrived, and it is alleged that he literally caught his death of cold after locking himself out of his house following a night of revelry. His self-composed Latin epitaph is pithy. It concludes - "He feels not penury's chilling hand / nor slave to indolence and pleasure lies / the snares of wealth he firmly can withstand / and what the world enjoys, he can despise". Cowley's fame as a poet diminished rapidly in the 18th century but he is still celebrated for his Essays which were written during his retirement at Chertsey.

The town itself is situated midway between Weybridge and Egham, and the town centre lies close to the site of the old Abbey.

There are a number of interesting buildings in Chertsey, particularly in Windsor Street and London Street which run, respectively, west and east from the town centre. The focal point of the town is the junction of Guildford Street and London Street, a point which gives you an outstanding view of some of the more historic buildings in the town.

The excellent Chertsey Museum is situated in The Cedars, Windsor Street. It houses fascinating displays of local history, and also contains the Olive Matthews' Costume Collection and the Micklethwaite Collections of Meissen porcelain. There is also a permanent display of the superb Chertsey tiles, which were made between 1250 and 1310. Admission to the museum is free and well worth a visit.

Chertsey is rich in open spaces; Chertsey Meads, now owned by the Borough Council, encompasses 170 acres of riverside land which is a habitat for a variety of birds and wildlife. On the towns northern edge, overlooking Thorpe Park, is St Ann's Hill. This is a delightfully wooded viewpoint which gives rise to almost 250 feet and gives excellent views of the locality. More recently the Council completed a major programme of improvement to an overgrown area previously known as Gogmore Farm which has put a new green heart into Chertsey and provides a riverside park of high quality running through the centre of the town.

The revitalisation of the rundown area of Chertsey between Stevens Bridge and the Railway Station is now entering its final stages. The aim is to improve the prosperity of the town with a sympathetic scheme which will also enhance the environment and quality of life in this part of the Borough. The first four phases of this scheme, totalling some 76,000 sq.ft. of accommodation, are now complete and fully let.

The refurbishment of 49/55 Guildford Street has significantly improved the external appearance of these buildings which are now fully occupied providing commercial/retail usage on the ground floor and attractive residential areas above. The refurbishment of the listed building at 43 Guildford Street is now complete and will shortly open as a restaurant connected to the George Public House.

(Those interested in local history should read 'Chertsey and Addlestone in the Past' by H.J.M Stratton and published by Crouch Oak Press. It contains a wealth of photographs. Other recommended photographic records are 'A Chertsey Camera' and 'An Addlestone Album' by D.M and J.L. Barker. Another interesting publication is 'The Industrial History of Runnymede' by the Surrey Industrial History Group.)