On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Fished the river years ago in the Esher/Hersham and Molesey areas before the giant flood of Molesey in the 60's. . There have been further alterations to the courses of these two rivers in a major flood prevention scheme since serious flooding in the area in 1947 and 1968. [33], The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus, a non-native species introduced from Europe in the 1930s) is now commonly found in the upper Mole and its tributaries around Newdigate and Gatwick. The sudden change from impermeable Weald Clay to permeable chalk and the increased gradient[note 4] of the river, allow the water table to drop below the bed of the river. Fast trains stopping at Walton-on-Thames reach London Waterloo within 30 minutes. In the nucleus of the village is Hersham Green, 3.4 acres (1.4ha) of open space on which regular events take place throughout the year. Named after the Duchess of Albany (resident of Claremont). The nearest stations to River Mole Pre School are: Thrupps Lane, Hersham is 89 meters away, 2 min walk. King George III visited Weylands farm in Hersham where he saw the first drill plough. The Mole descends 15m[49ft] in the 10km[6mi] stretch between Brockham and Leatherhead, compared to 3m[9.8ft] in 19km[12mi] between Horley and Brockham. There were a series of fires over a century and after the last in 1978 the buildings were demolished. It was occupied by pre-historic folk whose flint instruments have been found in large numbers beside the River on Southwood Manor Farm (Burhill Road KT12 4BJ) These date mostly from the mesolithic period. [15][16], The Mole enters Surrey to the south of Horley, where it meets the Gatwick Stream, a tributary draining Worth Forest to the southeast of Crawley. Hersham began as a strip of woodland beside the River Mole. The 18th-century weir at Betchworth was modified in 2004 to facilitate the installation of two 27.5kW low-head hydro turbines. This is a new service your feedback will help us to improve it. In 1579 Queen Elizabeth granted to Thomas Vincent "the manor, site, and demesne lands of Morehall, and the wood called Sylkesmore coppice". Within a few minutes walk of the village centre in the east are green fields and meadows alongside the River Mole and footpaths both through and by fields used for mixed farming. Turn right on the wide track beside the river. [136], East Molesey Lower Mill, also known as Sterte Mill, was associated with the manor of Molesey Prior. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. A police spokesperson said: "Officers were called to the riverside at Esher Road in Walton-on-Thames by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, after a report of what was believed to be a body part in the water this morning. . Grade II listed. [4][5] The Mole Gap forms part of a Special Area of Conservation and is an SSSI of European importance. A website by Gorge Services Ltd. All rights reserved. Hersham is in the borough of Elmbridge, in northwest Surrey and has no particular sub-localities except for Burwood Park, which alongside certain other addresses in the village is, when published for any purposes, due to its proximity to Walton-on-Thames railway station, done so under the name of Hersham's post town only, Walton on Thames. [64], The river is first recorded in the Red Book of Thorney in AD 983 as Emen and in the AD 1005 Cartulary of the Abbey of Eynsham as both Emen and men. This trail is great for road biking, running, and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The Mummy was filmed in Hersham. Another well-established commercial business is the popular Squires Garden Centre adjacent to the Burvale Cemetery in Burwood Road. The river also provides a corridor for wildlife through the centre of Leatherhead. [135], East Molesey Upper Mill was associated with the manor of Molesey Matham. [9] In John Rocque's 1768 map of Surrey, the name Moulsey River is used. Hersham has an interesting industrial history with notable companies such as ABC Motors, Air Products, Faulkners, Hackbridge & Hewittick and Vickers-Armstrongs all having factories in the village during the last century. An epic 9 hour paddle/tree climb/portage-fest, down the River Mole from Fetcham to Hersham with friends from London. Barker, J L & D M (1996) 'Hark Back to Hersham' (self-published); Greenwood, George (1986, 3rd Edition Revised) 'Hersham in Surrey' (Elmbridge Museum Service); Pulford, J S L (1988) 'The Church of St Peter Hersham - Monumental Inscriptions' (Walton & Weybridge Local History Society, Paper No. The River Mole near Esher Road in Hersham. [31] The Environment Agency estimated that up to 5200 fish of 14 different species were killed as the pollution drained downstream. Find a river, sea, groundwater or rainfall level in this area, Telephone: 0345 988 1188Textphone: 0345 602 6340Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekFind out more about call charges. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is 60.133 km long and is not designated artificial or heavily modified. It is home to Sandown Park Racecourse. However, a search of the scene uncovered no evidence of any body parts and the fire service handed over control of the incident to Surrey Police. However the river's name is unlikely to have derived from this behaviour: The Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names suggests that Mole either comes from the Latin mola (a mill) or is a back-formation from Molesey (Mul's island). [25] Finally the Mole splits into two branches at the Island Barn Reservoir near Molesey: the northern (and smaller) branch continues as the River Mole and the southern branch is known as the River Ember. Enjoy this 5.3-mile out-and-back trail near Tonawanda, New York. Read more 2021 munki-boy design, All Rights Reserved. Above Meath Green (near Horley), the terrace corresponds to the flood plain of the river, however from this point downstream to Brockham, the river cuts a narrow trench no more than 150m (160yd) wide. [note 8]. [14] The course of the Mole within the airport perimeter has been altered several times since commercial flights began in 1945; however the meanders visible on the 1839 tithe map in the 1.5km (0.93mi) stretch immediately north of the runway were reinstated in 1999, in a 1.2 million project to facilitate airport expansion. Today the Mole and Wey are less than 2km (1.2mi) apart at their closest point near Painshill Park. The Stepping Stones [71], In common with much of the rest of the Weald, the earliest evidence of human settlement along the Upper Mole is from the Mesolithic Period (20,0007000BC). Downside Mill, Cobham was the mill of the manor of Downe. Not all of the water removed from the river by the swallow holes is returned to the channel at Leatherhead. There's also a correlation between the . [47] A survey in March 1883 estimated that the Fetcham springs were producing about 3.6million imperial gallons (16,000m3) every day. In this manner it goes away, lessening the stream for above a mile, near two, and these they call the Swallows. KT10 9RA. Sun times, moon times, lunar phase, weather. =? [43] Although much of the surrounding land has been taken by residential and commercial development, this section of the Mole supports 20 different mammal species, 20 butterfly species and 15 species of dragonfly. The bridge was rebuilt in 1991. The original viaduct was washed away by floods on 15 September 1968. It rises in West Sussex near Gatwick Airport and flows northwest through Surrey for 80km (50 miles) to the Thames at Hampton Court Palace. [81][82] The only Surrey river to have been made fully navigable is the combined lower section of the River Wey. [61], At Leatherhead the river leaves the chalk bedrock, moving onto London Clay. [13] The first tributaries to join the young river drain the northernmost part of St Leonard's Forest, between Horsham and Crawley, although much of the forest is in the catchment area of the River Arun. [8] In John Speed's 1611 map of Surrey this stretch of the river is denoted by a series of hills accompanied by the legend "The river runneth under". Always check you can fish lawfully before starting. Designed by Anthony Fletcher and fitted with an ABC Scorpion aero engine, this was test flown from nearby Brooklands and had could have been built in quantity but became a victim of the economic depression of 1929-32. The westbound carriageway on Esher Road was down to one lane for much of the morning rush hour as the incident was investigated due to a line of emergency vehicles parked by the curb in the left lane. The only contiguous settlement is Walton-on-Thames, its post town. It was occupied by pre-historic folk whose flint instruments have been found in large numbers beside the River on Southwood Manor Farm[n 2]. [30], Highly polluting discharges have become less common but have taken place since 2000. [note 1] The mean flow is 0.33m3/s (12cuft/s) and the river ran dry at this point for the first time in the summer of 1995. Surrey Fire and Rescue Service received the report at 7.13am and sent two fire engines, two Water Rescue teams and two officers to the site near Esher Road. The present bridge was constructed by George Gwilt in 1792, after responsibility for maintenance had been transferred to the county council by Act of Parliament. View map of the flood alert area. When the Burford Bridge was rebuilt in 1937, excavations revealed a "flint-surfaced approach to [a] ford at low level having all the signs of Roman workmanship" suggesting that Stane Street (which ran from London to Chichester via Dorking) crossed the river at this point. The path runs between high wire fences. The Beaches sections of the Shoreline Trail consists of the construction of a multi-use pathway in the Town of Evans and Town of Brant. [27] During this period, the Mole is thought to have merged with the River Wey near Byfleet and then flowed in a north-easterly direction via Richmond to meet the proto-Thames near Ware in Hertfordshire. Flood alert area: River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham, including Sidlow, Leigh, Betchworth, Brockham, Pixham, Dorking, Mickleham, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Stoke D'Abernon and Cobham. [137], The river has captured the imagination of several authors and poets,[7] particularly since in very hot summers the river channel can become dry between Dorking and Leatherhead (most recently during the 1976 drought).[22][50]. 5 0 obj %PDF-1.3 Location. Part of a guide to angling in Surrey. [12] There is only one aquifer in the drainage basin, at Fetcham, which means that the majority of the water in the river is from surface drainage, particularly from Gatwick Airport and the urban areas of Horley and Crawley, and that the flow rate responds rapidly to rainfall.[1]. Mole (Horley to Hersham) is a river in Surrey. [note 3]. The bridge is largely composed of flint and has a large inverted scallop shell in the place of the keystone and similar shells in the spandrels at each side. [6] The catchment area receives 761mm (30.0in) of rain each year; the greatest average level of rainfall is 800mm (31.5in) around Crawley. [13] [40] The white-legged damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes) is also found along the river, and the downy emerald (Cordulia aenea) is found between Box Hill and Leatherhead. River Mole rises in Baldhorns Copse 700m (0.4mi) to the south of the village of Rusper in West Sussex. Leaving Dorking, the River Mole skirts the south west of Leatherhead and then Cobham, before heading north between Hersham and Esher. [68] In John Speed's 1611 map of Surrey this stretch of the river is denoted by a series of hills accompanied by the legend "The river runneth under". It then swings east and joins the Thames between East . The North Downs Way crosses the river at Box Hill via seventeen hexagonal stepping stones, which are frequently submerged after heavy rainfall. The flood alert is in place until 1pm tomorrow (November 28) (Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) Two flood alerts have been issued for the River Mole on Wednesday (November 27) warning that flooding is . Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. [93], A few metres downstream of Leatherhead Bridge stands the GradeII listed railway viaduct which carries the Leatherhead to Dorking line over the river. [53][54] About six of these larger swallow holes were found to the west of the Burford Bridge Hotel, along the course of the A24 Mickleham Bypass during its construction in 1936. Flood alert area: River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham, including Sidlow, Leigh, Betchworth, Brockham, Pixham, Dorking, Mickleham, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Stoke D'Abernon and Cobham. During the Middle Pleistocene period,[note 6] a large ice sheet built up across much of the East of England, reaching as far south as St Albans and Chelmsford, blocking the path of the proto-Thames. In 1540 he purchased from John Carleton the "manor of Morehall or Sylkesmore" in Hersham, together with lands and woods in Burwood and Hatch in Hersham. We'll update this page when there's a flood warning in the area. Get flood warnings by phone, text or email. [12] The Mole passes Horley to the west, flowing north towards Sidlow and entering a largely rural area. Glacial meltwater from the Anglian ice sheet caused the Thames to divert southwards and flood the valley of the MoleWey river, thus adopting its present route through London. quickly develops into a wild ramble along the River Mole and then over beech- and pine-clad hills. The antiquarian William Camden uses the Latinized form Molis in the 1586 edition of Britannia and Michael Drayton is the first to use Mole in his poem Poly-Olbion published in 1613. North of Esher the old river channel is dominated by floating pennywort, a highly invasive weed, which cuts off all light to the river bed, reducing oxygen levels and resulting in a poor habitat for fish. Very little angling is available in this area as the local lakes are closed to fishing and the River Mole is controlled by the local authority who do not permit fishing on their land. xmqV$@$"HQmJy'T\bU`l)qJYk[{BR&5~xr><97o?oyo?iQ/Og~wo;>OaO=_|o|o?|M~.toI%8mx?u?oV^0 zqO~~6s?;SS|sW\}N2omlc]GCxvWPwN`Tim'Ba~Vr:? [92] The first bridge on this site was probably constructed during the late Middle Ages and was rebuilt and enlarged by the county surveyor, George Gwilt in 178283.