By Tim Lambert
Early Reigate
The town of Reigate in Surrey began as a Saxon village. At the time of the Domesday Book, in 1086 it probably had a population of about 350. By the standards of the time it was quite a large settlement. It had two watermills to grind grain to flour. In 1086 the name of the settlement was Cherchefelle. The name Reigate was not recorded till more than a century later and nobody is sure where it came from.
The Normans built a castle at Reigate. At first it was of wood but later it was rebuilt in stone. By the 13th century Reigate had weekly markets. It was mainly an agricultural settlement. Reigate Priory was built in the 13th century. It was closed by Henry VIII and it became a private home. It was purchased by Reigate Borough Council in 1947.
For centuries Reigate was a tiny market town. In 1648 the Parliamentarians demolished Reigate Castle to prevent it ever being used by Royalists. Reigate Grammar School opened in 1684. Cranston Library was founded in 1701. The Old Town Hall was built c. 1728.
Modern Reigate
By 1801 Reigate had a population of over 2,246. By the standards of the time it was a small town. However Reigate grew rapidly in the early 19th century. By 1851 it had a population of nearly 5,000.
Reigate Cage was built in 1811. It served as the town prison. Reigate Tunnel was built in 1823. It’s the oldest road tunnel in Britain.
During the 19th century amenities in Reigate gradually improved. In the early 19th century many stagecoaches passed through Reigate. However Reigate Railway Station opened in 1849. Reigate Hospital was founded in 1866. Reigate gained an electricity supply in 1901.
Meanwhile Reigate Fort was built in 1898.
The Great Sale of Reigate happened in 1921 when the priory was sold again. Many people in the town were residents of the estate owner but this time they were given the opportunity to buy their houses. In the 20th century Reigate flourished as a commuter town. Reigate is also known for the Reigate Caves. They were originally caverns carved out by mining sandstone. Later they were used for storage. Today the population of Reigate is 22,000.