The Story of Tolworth: a Snapshot

Annex 2 TOLWORTH OBSERVER FREE A TOLWOR T H ARE A PL A N PRODUC T ION OCTOBER 2017 The story of Tolworth: Despenser (an evil chap: the cause of a war in his name in 1321); after him by Queen Isabella; and before him by the Constable a snapshot of Guildford Castle. the ownership of our manor goes back to Richard de Clare, who came from Normandy at the time of the invasion, and whose father was the guardian of the orphan who by Bob Phillips and Pat Ward, became William the Conqueror. local residents and historians Tolworth Court was the centre locally for running the county and Did you know that Tolworth has a very long history? Did you the law. We were a very important place in the Middle Ages, know that it existed (as Talworth) over a thousand years ago and but never a town - just a hamlet of less than 250 souls, with is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. Tolworth is the home of our manor and three big farms. Now imagine what might have modern history too - David Bowie launched his Ziggy Stardust happened if that important hamlet and centre had grown into a extravaganza here. It was also the location of an important town, with a real town centre to support the community. manor house, owned by the Queen. It didn't, because in 1837 the railway came to Surbiton, and Historically we were not part of Kingston, but of Surrey, much thanks to the imagination and energy of a chap called Thomas closer to Ewell. Our manor house, 'Tolworth Court' was on the Pooley, and the efforts of Coutts Bank, Surbiton became our first most important north-south road, in the days when Kingston had railway commuter suburb, and all subsequent development in the only bridge west of London. Anyone who travelled between Tolworth was really a side-effect of that. Even our first church, St the royal palaces of Hampton Court and Nonsuch (Henry VIII's Matthew's, was located in Surbiton! most important palace) came past our manor. No wonder that Tolworth Court was owned by major figures like Hugh (Continued on page 4) 2 TOLWORTH OBSERVER OCTOBER 2017 OCTOBER 2017 TOLWORTH OBSERVER 3 Introduction What we heard so far... Berrylands Hampton Court Park Motspur The Royal Borough of Kingston has commissioned an Area Park These are some of the comments from local people that Surbiton Plan for Tolworth, in collaboration with the General London Hogsmill have come through the early engagement process: Open Space Merton and Authority (GLA) and Transport for London (TfL). Sutton Cemetery Malden Alexandra Manor This newspaper is a collection of ideas about Tolworth, Park A3 gathered during a series of early engagement events for “Motivate local residents to stay active and healthy and avoid having to drive the Tolworth Area Plan. It includes contributions from local to the next nearest gym. Help reduce congestion and pollution. I am half way residents, historians and community project leaders who Tolworth between The River Club and Tolworth Recreation Centre, both of which are not Soran easily reached by walking. It would be ideal to have a centre nearby that allows provide their opinions, stories and information about local A3 Surbiton Golf Course Hogsmill us to stay active and healthy and build a stronger community.” activities and projects. Nature Reserve Chessington This collation of ideas has been fed into the development of North the Tolworth Area Plan, which aims to inspire new initiatives Stoneleigh capable of delivering physical, social and economic “I think it would be really great to develop a community centre / hall for Tolworth. We have a fantastic sense of community here but not too improvements in Tolworth. The vision for the future described Chessington South Emma many options for convening / holding events / concerts etc.” in the Tolworth Area Plan will help people to understand Horton Park Golf Club Tolworth’s potential development capacity, guide future Ewell West development, provide responses to proposals for large development sites, and inform future business cases for new The Tolworth Area Plan study boundary in context. transport infrastructure. “Swimming pool/leisure centre - this would be a massive boost to the facilities in the area and South area of Kingston and the Ben We will shortly be launching a public consultation on the draft About number 1 wish” Tolworth Area Plan and we want to know what you think. To register for project updates and notification f the consultation Architects and urban designers We Made That have been programe, please visit www.kingstonconversations.co.uk/ appointed to deliver the Tolworth Area Plan. The practice have Tolworth-Area-Plan led a team of urban experts, featuring Regeneris, property “Empty shops are of no benefit to anyone. With reduced rates targetted advisors Aspinall Verdi, planning policy experts Tibbalds and in areas that need it, and support for businesses with community benefit, transport input from Arup. Laurence our high street would offer a greater variety of outlet, better community The Tolworth Area Plan will contain: facilities and fewer boarded up shop fronts.” Viv Evans, Head of Planning and Regeneration at the Royal • a review of Tolworth as it is today Borough of Kingston upon Thames, said: • a vision which Tolworth should aspire to “As well as providing guidance for future developments it • a set of guiding principles to achieve this vision (Tolworth Area Plan) will set out a comprehensive regeneration “Connect the Tolworth greenway to King Charles road to make • opportunities for development and improvement in the strategy, building on its strengths whilst identifying areas for it easier for cyclists to access and sort out the bumpy surface” Tamsin short, medium and long term improvement within Tolworth. The Council will be taking this • a transformation framework that sets out potential routes opportunity to engage with the local community including to realising these opportunities and achieving the agreed residents, businesses and developers to get their views on future vision what makes Tolworth unique, and what changes they would “Planting many more trees may help - re introducing the tree line • a summary of how public engagement has informed the like to see as part of this exciting project.” boulevard for stretches of the A 3 may also help. Introducing some low Tolworth Area Plan emission regulations on local businesses too, especially the new ones The Tolworth Observer is a newspaper, which will inform local David being attracted into the area. Improve the bus connections, and find residents and businesses about the Tolworth Area Plan and some Green space in the centre of Tolworth to create a community space associated events. George Newton, an MA graphic design away from the main road.” The aims of the Tolworth Area Plan are: student at Kingston University, has designed the newspaper. • to present a vision for Tolworth’s future © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted • to identify areas for strategic intervention by the council, in any form or by any means without prior permission in writing from the editors. “Protect the bowling alley from being lost to housing. Maybe Greater London Authority (GLA), Transport for London Every possible effort has been made to locate and credit copyright holders of the encourage redevelopment to improve and include other leisure Ian (TfL) and other partners material reproduced in this publication. The views expressed in this paper are those facilities. Cinema?” • to identify opportunities for change, development and of the individual authors and do not represent opinions of the editors or funders of improvement in the short, medium and long term the project. • to present ideas that illustrate how Tolworth’s existing assets and structures can be strengthened “If we are to develop Tolworth it is worth considering the traffic flow as • to inform the emerging Royal Borough of Kingston upon Charles there will be more traffic as we build more houses and will attract more Thames Local Plan people move in into this area.” 4 TOLWORTH OBSERVER OCTOBER 2017 OCTOBER 2017 TOLWORTH OBSERVER 5 …Continued from Page 1 The railway came early, and the enclosure of common land 1855-1965 1963 1986-2000 2000 2011 Tolworth is part of the municipal borough of London Government Act. Responsibilities of Formation of the Localism Act around here came late. And we were in the middle of an awful Surbiton, which is located within the County Creation of the Greater London Council GLC divided between Greater London of Surrey. (GLC) (abolished in 1986). Tolworth is central government, Authority 2012 lot of common land at 1900: Tolworth Common, Kingston integrated within Greater London boroughs and new Kingston Core Strategy Common and Surbiton Common were all around us. Tolworth london-wide bodies did not really benefit from the enclosures – we did not have the investment in modern farming that some parts of England had. It was too late for that. 1927 Opening of the Kingston By-Pass that better connects Tolworth and provides a new Instead, what we had in Tolworth by then, and for a couple of location for commercial hundred years before, was absentee landlords – of the manor, development. 1968 The Toby Jug pub opens as a music venue. David until it disappeared, and of our big farms. Some really impor- 1920-1935 Period of major road Bowie kicks off the Ziggy Stardust tour in 1972. The pub and house building on previous was demolished in the early 2000s tant families, like the Evelyns. By the time that the land was farm and common land. “enclosed” and allocated to landowners, it was these big absen- tees who mostly profited – the Polhill family was the important 1934 Opening of the Odeon Cinema one between 1820 and 1860.

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