Weybridge

Weybridge is a town in Surrey, England.

Weybridge is in the administrative county and Lieutenancy area of Surrey, and in the district of Elmbridge. It is in the police area of Surrey and the health authority area of West Surrey. It is bounded to the North by the River Thames at the mouth of the river Wey, from which it gets its name.

The famous former Brooklands Aerodrome and Race Circuit is located here, just south of the railway station.

Weybridge was the location of Oatlands Palace built by Henry VIII in 1537. The palace was demolished in about 1650. Part of the original site is now occupied by Oatlands Park Hotel.

At the bottom of Monument Hill, close to the town centre is a monument to the Duchess of York.

At the top of Monument Hill, adjacent to the cricket green is a World War I war memorial.

In Weybridge heath many rare species of insects (particularly ants), rare birds and insectivorous plant formerly occurred. The heath was allowed to become vastly overgrown in recent years, but recently Surrey Wildlife Trust invoked a scrub clearance plan in an attempt to restore this valuable habitat.

Famous current inhabitants of Weybridge include singer/songwriter Cliff Richard, TV & Radio presenter Michael Aspel and golfer Nick Faldo. All three live on St Georges Hill, which was the founding place for the Diggers in the 17th century, whose early attempt at communal life heavily influenced the development of embryonic socialist thought.

Famous past inhabitants of Weybridge include John Lennon a member of the Beatles, the authors E. M. Forster and Warwick Deeping and the entomologist, Horace Donisthorpe.

Areas

Weybridge is made up of a number of distinct areas:

• Town Center Shopping Area
• Monument Hill / Queens Road Shopping Area
• St George's Hill
• Brooklands
• Oatlands Village