Chertsey
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Archaeological remains show the area was inhabited long before the founding of Chertsey Abbey in 666AD. The Abbey, the first of its kind in the county, was immensely wealthy and powerful and at the height of its power the Abbot controlled over 50,000 acres of land in Surrey plus houses in London and Cardigan Priory in South Wales. The Abbey was ransacked by Vikings in 871 when the Abbot and 90 monks were killed. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Chertsey continued to thrive as a market town and, in the 17th and 18th centuries, a busy coaching town. In the 18th and 19th centuries it became an important centre for clock making, as well as having a bell foundry and a separate iron foundry.
The town centre has remained largely unchanged with a large number of older listed buildings including the Cedars which is the home of Chertsey Museum. Other local attractions include Thorpe Park, JB Waterski, St Ann’s Hill (a protected monument), Chertsey Meads and the miniature Steam Railway in Lyne.
Due to its excellent transport links, Chertsey is a busy commuter town and the home to a number of large national businesses.
There are parks and open spaces available to be enjoyed by local residents with Chertsey Recreation Ground, Gogmore Park and Abbeyfields. The town also has football, cricket and bowls clubs.
