The History of Nutley Lane

The following has been put together from the stories and articles that we have found whilst putting this site together. It is a work in progress, so if you have any facts to add, or know that something that we have said is incorrect, then please let us know at nutleylaneproject@ntlworld.com.

That Nutley Lane is one of the oldest roads in the area is not in doubt, but just how it came into being and what its major development stages were is something that we are attempting (with the help of everyone who has submitted anything to us) to piece together here.

The oldest map found so far to feature Nutley Lane is the Tithe Map from 1842, but it is sure to have existed long before this. The romantic notion of the Lane is that it formed part of the route that Pilgrim's to and from Canterbury in the middle ages would have taken from the North Downs (the part we know as Colley Hill) to the chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross, which stood opposite where the Red Cross Pub is now in West Street on the corner of the High Street. Although there is no definite proof for this, there are indications that this is the case in street names, such as Pilgrim's Way and Slipshoe Street, where it is said that pilgrims would remove their shoes before entering the chapel. Another very interesting aspect of Nutley Lane's history is the Medieval Undercroft that exists at the end of the Lane at the crossroads junction with West Street, Pudding Lane (now Upper West Street) and Slipshoe Street. The Undercroft is open to the public on Heritage Days and is worth a visit, particularly if you have ever seen the undercroft in Canterbury where Pilgrims to the Cathedral would be put up for the night, perhaps this where pilgrims in Reigate would also sleep?

Nutley Lane was at some stage known as Netley Lane and it is thought, although there is no proof, that this is because the track was overgrown and dubbed as 'the nettley lane'. The Surrey Quarter Session records of 1661 show Nutley, or as it was referred to then, Nettley Lane to be 'out of repair, muddy and dangerous and in such decay ... that the lieges of our lord the King are unable to pass and ride on the said highway without great peril to the grave damage and annoyance of the said lieges.' This charge was repeated in 1662, 1663 and 1664 when the inhabitants acknowledged their default and were fined 2s 6d.

In 1842 there were only two properties in the Lane, one - a house - roughly where the Church Hall is now and the other which was a house and stables, which covered an area that today is occupied by No.32 down to No.40. There was also a windmill near to Nutley Lane at this time, which may have been an Oat Mill that was left by Francis Hatcher to his wife and son in 1699. Formally, the inhabitants of Reigate carried on a considerable trade in oatmeal. At one time around 20 mills were used in its manufacture, but as trade gradually died away, the mills were demolished.

It was the 1850s/1860s that saw start of the real development of the Lane, with the coming of the railway and Gasworks that saw many houses spring up at the southern end (closest to the town). On 20th March 1863, Nutley Lane Church was built (now St. Philips's Church) on an area of land known as Batchelor's Field, which before this, was known as The Nutley Field.

By the end of the 19th Century, houses were beginning to fill up the northern end of the Lane and by the start of the Great War, it was virtually fully developed. The main development since then was the development of the housing estate leading from East Road (formerly Gasworks Road/Lane) on what used to be the Gasworks.

The 'golden age' of Nutley Lane was no doubt from the start of the 1900s until the start of the 1960s when it was very much its own community with many shops and no less than four pubs/beer houses - The Nutley Hall and The Admiral then had competition from The Pear Tree (long since demolished) and the The Prince of Wales, which stood on the site of the oldest know building in the Lane - in fact the building is still there and is now a house. This was also a time, if reports are accurate, when the Lane was at its roughest, more than once have we heard that the policemen would only go down it in pairs.

The 1960s/1970s saw the destruction of part of the Lane where Nutley Court now stands and the complete loss of Nutley Grove, which was allegedly condemned. We have very few photos of what this was like before the wrecking ball moved in and a 'much needed' car park was built, but there are some if you care to look. There are also a number of annecdotes that people have been kind enough to send in, which are all well worth a read - juyst go to the Photos and Stories section of this website.