Warlingham — A Concise History

The village was originally largelydependent on farming and alsocatering for travellers. In 1821there were 80 homes with 421inhabitants.Today the population is c.9,000.

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH. Dates from 12th century. In 1764there were additions but with theexpansion of the village anextension was built in 1894. Thelarge churchyard has tombs ofsome notables, especiallyinteresting is that of Sir JosephWilson Swan (1828 -1914) whoinvented, amongst other things,the electric light bulb, dulypatented in 1880.

THE CHURCH HALL. Work started on this new parishhall in 1914 although at first itwas used as a military hospitaland a soldiers' club. It revertedto parish use after World War I.

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Warlingham — A Concise History

THE ALMSHOUSES. These were built in 1675 with twoside blocks and a central houseand are Grade II listed. They arestill in use today as homes forlocal people. Improvementswere carried out over the yearsand another wing added in1996/97.

THE COMMON. This was established as acommon after 1866 and laterknown as 'The CommonRecreation Ground'. Itsubsequently became 'TheSchool Common'.

THE SCHOOL. This was opened in 1874 andused for over a hundred years. Itclosed in 1982 and the buildingwas adapted for use as flats.

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Warlingham — A Concise History

COURT FARM.This old farm along TithepitShaw Lane was also used as aTea Garden and PleasureGround at the end of the 19thcentury. In World War I it wasalso the base of training quartersfor volunteers of the RoyalFusiliers. The house wasdemolished in 1968.

THE FORGE.The business closed in the1950s and the forge itself nolonger exists but the adjacentforge cottages dating from the17th and 18th centuries remainin Farleigh Road.

THE GREEN. This was established as acommon after the Enclosure Actof 1866. Houses and shops werebuilt around it from around 1900and it is now the centre ofWarlingham and also anassembly point for local events.

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Warlingham — A Concise History

THE WAR MEMORIAL. The memorial was built ofPortland stone on the Green withfunds collected after 1919. It wasunveiled in 1921.The First World War Field Gun,behind the memorial (middleright), was removed during theSecond World War.

'THE LEATHER BOTTLE'.This lies on the north-west of theGreen. The core dates from the 18thcentury and was enlarged laterwhilst in the 1930s, a majorrebuilding was carried out. Now 'LaBotija' tapas bar and restaurant.

'THE WHITE LION’. This 17th century inn lies at thesouth-east corner of The Green. Originally it was set back behinda pond and trees and has beenmuch altered over the years.

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Warlingham — A Concise History

THE VILLAGE HALL. This was previously the WorkingMen's Club built in 1902 to thesouth-east of The Green.

WESTHALL ROAD. In 1884 there was a majorchange to Warlingham whenWesthall Farm to the south-westwas sold to William Gilford. Hecarefully controlled its develop-ment for housing. The farmhouse was demolished in 1910.

JACOB'S LADDER. This long and steep run of stepsleading from Well Farm Roadwas built in the 1880s on an oldroute to Westhall Farm. It is stillin use.

WESLEYAN CHAPEL. A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was built inLeas Road in 1839 but replaced in 1871 by a larger building on thecorner of what became Chapel Road with the main Limpsfield Road.It closed in 1960 and was then demolished.

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Illustrations and text by KenHarman except whereindicated. Design by RobertWarner.

© The Bourne Society 2016