By Tim Lambert
Early Leatherhead
The town of Leatherhead in Surrey began as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. It’s not certain where Leatherhead got its name but it may have once been Leode rida, meaning public ford. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 It was a typical village with a population of about 125. Leatherhead had 2 mills which ground grain to flour. The Church of St Mary and St Nicholas also dates from the 11th century.
In the 13th century Leatherhead began holding weekly markets and annual fairs. The Running Horse pub was built at the beginning of the 15th century. However, for centuries Leatherhead was a large village rather than a town. There was a bridge in the town for centuries but Leatherhead Bridge was rebuilt in 1782-1783.
Modern Leatherhead
At the time of the first census in 1801 the population of Leatherhead was 1,837. However, it grew much larger during the 19th century. By 1901 it had risen to 4,694.
Amenities in Leatherhead improved during the 19th century. Leatherhead gained gas light in 1850 and a piped water supply in 1883. Meanwhile St John’s School was founded in 1851.
The railway reached Leatherhead in 1859. Once Leatherhead was connected London by train it was much easier to travel to and from the capital. Leatherhead was connected to Dorking by railway in 1867. In 1885 a railway to Guildford opened.
Leatherhead Institute was built in 1892. A cottage hospital opened in Leatherhead in 1903.
During the 20th century Leatherhead continued to flourish, although the town suffered a bad flood in September 1968. Leatherhead Theatre opened in 1969 and Leatherhead Museum opened in 1980. The same year, 1980 Leatherhead High Street was pedestrianised. The Swan Centre was built in 1982. Also, in 1982 Fire and Iron Gallery was founded.
Today Leatherhead is a thriving commuter town. The population of Leatherhead is about 12,000.
