Banstead

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Banstead

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Statistics
Population:
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	TQ251596
Administration
District:	Reigate and Banstead
Shire county:	Surrey
Region:	South East England
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Surrey
Historic county:	Surrey
Services
Police force:	Surrey Police
Fire and rescue:
Ambulance:	South East Coast
Post office and telephone
Post town:	BANSTEAD
Postal district:	SM7
Dialling code:	01737
Politics
UK Parliament:	Reigate
European Parliament:	South East England
Image:Flag of England.svg

Banstead is a town in Surrey, England on the border with Greater London. It is part of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. Banstead is on the North Downs and Banstead station is the stop between Belmont and Epsom Downs on the Epsom downs railway line from London. Banstead is protected by the Green Belt and has managed to keep its rustic village charm. Although technically a town; Banstead is more commonly known as Banstead Village.

Banstead has a typical high street which stretches from the War Memorial at one end to the Library at the other. Every year, Scouts and Guides will parade down the high street in recognition of Remembrance Day and St Georges Day.

Banstead has several distinct churches; The All Saints Church and Banstead Baptist Church are both located on the high street, together with Banstead Community Church, the St Annes Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, St Pauls Church and the United Reform Church.

There are many schools in and around Banstead. The Beacon is the predominat secondary comprehensive school across the A217.

[edit] Landmarks

The old village well stands to the east of the town centre in Woodmansterne Lane. It is almost 300 feet deep and was last used around the end of the 19th Century. The wellhead cover dates from the 18th Century and still contains the winding gear.

The parish church of All Saints was built around the end of the 12th Century on a site donated by Nigel de Mowbray, Lord of the Manor. The West Window was designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and produced by William Morris.

The graveyard surrounding the parish church is filled with generations of families and local celebrities, both famous and infamous.

Nork Park contains the remains of the Colman family mansion (as in Colman's mustard). There are also many apple trees which date from the original orchard and can still be seen to this day.