CHAPTER V. SURVEY OF THE HUNDRED OF REIGATE. THE hundred of Reigate, which, with its principal CHAP. V. town, was anciently denominated Cherchfield, adjoins Hundred of to Sussex on the south; is bounded on the east by Reigate. Tandridge; on the north by Croyuon; and on the west by the hundreds of Dorking and Copthorn. It lies in the deanery of Ewel, and contains the parishes of AND THE BOROUGHS OF REIGATE AND GATTON. The borough of REIGATE is situate at the base of the Reigate. ridge of chalky downs, which cross the county, north of the town, and consists of two streets, the principal, or the High street, running nearly east and west, and the other, called Bell street, from north to south. It has a good weekly market on Tuesday, the charter for which was obtained by John, earl of Warren, 6 Edward II. In 1673 Charles II. granted a charter for another market to be held on the first Wednesday in every month, which for some time fell into disuse, but has lately been revived. Which Domesday book and modern maps place in the hundred of Wotton. Part of this parish is in the hundred of Copthorne. BOOK V. Borough. The town stands on a rock of beautiful white sand, which, it is said, cannot be equalled for colour by any in the kingdom.* From wells dug in this rock the place is supplied with excellent water. In the returns of 1821 the population of the parish is stated at two thousand nine hundred and sixty one, inhabiting four hundred and ninety-nine houses. This place, till about eighty years ago, carried on a considerable trade in oatmeal, in the manufacture of which nearly twenty mills were employed; but the trade gradually declined, and one mill only now remains. At the time of the conqueror's survey, this place was called Cherchefelle, i. e. Churchfield, and was in the possession of the king. The manor was of great extent, and probably included the present parishes of Leigh, Newdigate, Charlwood, Horley, and Burstow. In the Testa de Neville of the 18th of Henry III. the earl of Warren is said to hold this manor. It afterwards was part of the possessions of the earl of Arundel, and passed through various hands until about two centuries ago, when the noble family of Somers became possessed of it, and their descendants still hold it. Reigate has sent two members to parliament since 23 Edward I. The electors are the freeholders of messuages or burgage tenements within the precincts of the borough: the returning officer being the bailiff of the manor. Here, however, as in many other places, the ceremony of election is a complete farce, all the electors being under the influence of the noble families of Somers and Hardwicke, to the former of whom the * A tunnel was cut through this rock a few years ago, which materially shortens the distance from London, and avoids a hill of considerable altitude. manor belongs. Reigate confers the title of baron on CHAP. V. the Earl of Peterborough. On the north side of the town was situate the Castle, Castle. of whose ancient history we know but little, and of its original foundation still less. The scanty accounts of it that have reached our times ascribe its origin to some of the Warrens, Earls of Surrey; but some of our annalists assert, that whatever was erected by them stood on the site of a much more ancient structure, the work of the Saxons. If, indeed, the inhabitants of these parts were so active and successful in repelling the Danish plunderers, as to have given occasion to the proverbial distich attributed to them by Camden, "The Vale of Holmesdale, Never wonne, ne never shall," it is not unlikely, considering the importance of the situation, that their leaders had a fortress here sufficient for the purposes of rendezvous and security. However, it is certain, that the castle of Reigate was one of the chief seats of the powerful Earls of Warren and Surrey. The wavering policy of one of these noblemen in King John's reign occasioned the temporary loss of this castle, which, in 1216, was surrendered to Louis, Dauphin of France. At what time it was first suffered to go to ruin is not known; but its final demolition was probably occasioned by the jealousy of parliament in 1648. Some portions of the outer wall were standing about thirty years ago, but no part of the building now remains. The site of this structure is the property of Lord Somers. The site of the keep is an artificial mound of earth, surrounded by a ditch of considerable breadth On the sumand depth on the south and west sides. mit of the hill, which contains an area of one acre VOL. II. 2 M |