Walton-on-Thames is a
townA town is a type of settlement ranging from a few hundred to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition...
in the
ElmbridgeElmbridge is a local government district and borough in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Esher. The district has only one civil parish, which is Claygate...
borough of
SurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford...
in
South East EnglandSouth East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. Its boundaries include Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
.
Location
Walton is located south west of
Charing CrossCharing Cross denotes the junction of the Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in Westminster within Central London, England. It is named after the site of a long demolished Eleanor cross located at the former hamlet of Charing, at this point...
and is between the towns of
WeybridgeNot to be confused with Wadebridge, Cornwall, or weighbridgeWeybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
and
EsherEsher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the London commuter belt, is largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross.Esher lies on the A307, Portsmouth Road...
. The
River ThamesThe River Thames is a major river flowing through southern England. While best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows through several other towns and cities, including Oxford, Reading and Windsor....
bounds the town to the north. The original village lies in the north, while later development took place in the south, closer to the
railway stationWalton-on-Thames railway station serves the town of Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England. The station is located in the Ashley Park area of the town. The station originally opened as Walton for Hersham.Only the two outer platforms on the slow lines are currently used...
. A railway journey to London Waterloo takes 25 minutes. The town is situated between
Sunbury LockSunbury Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England near Walton-on-Thames in north-west Surrey. The lock adjoins the southern bank about half a mile downstream of the Weir Hotel....
and
Shepperton LockShepperton Lock is a lock on the River Thames, in England adjoining the northern bank near Shepperton, Surrey . It is across the river from Weybridge, but not directly accessible from there....
on a stretch of the River Thames that includes a loop around
Desborough IslandDesborough Island is a large artificially-created island in the River Thames on the reach above Sunbury Lock in Surrey, England. The island was formed in 1930s by the digging of the Desborough Cut, a channel intended to improve the flow of the Thames...
.
Population
The total population of Walton is 22,834. According to the 2001 census, the population of central Walton is 5,862, with Elmbridge's population being 121,936. Central Walton has a male population of 2,791 against Elmbridge's male population of 58,867, and the female population of central Walton is 3,071 against Elmbridge's 63,069.
History
The name "Walton" is Anglo-Saxon in origin and is believed to mean "farm of the Britons" or "Saxon settlement". Even before the
RomansAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and the
SaxonsThe Saxons were a confederation of Old Germanic tribes. Their modern-day descendants in Lower Saxony and Westphalia and other German states are considered ethnic Germans ; those in the eastern Netherlands are considered to be ethnic Dutch; those in north...
were present, there was a Celtic settlement here. The Anglo-Saxon word for the Celtic inhabitants who lived here before them is "Wealas". Walton was also identified by
William CamdenWilliam Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, and officer of arms. He wrote the first topographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...
as the place where
Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar , , was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
forded the River Thames on his second invasion of Britain. However according to the Elmbridge Museum, there is no evidence to support this.
Walton lay within the
Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons is the term usually used to describe the invading Germanic tribes in the south and east of Great Britain from the early 5th century AD, and their creation of the English nation, to the Norman conquest of 1066...
administrative district of the
ElmbridgeElmbridge was a hundred in what is now Surrey, England. It includes the borough of Elmbridge.Elmbridge appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Amelebrige...
hundred.
Walton appears in the
Domesday BookThe Domesday Book is the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William I of England, or William the Conqueror...
of 1086 as "Waletona". The settlement was held jointly by Edward de Sarisber (
SalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England. It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement to the north of the city at Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use. Similarly, a native of Salisbury may be known as a "Sarumite", but...
) and Richard de Tonbrige. Its domesday assets were: 6
hidesThe hide was a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax, in Anglo-Saxon England from the 7th to the 11th centuries. It continued in use for some time after the Norman Conquest of England, notably in the Domesday Survey: the hide was not a fixed area of land.-Development as a...
; 1 church (St. Mary's), 2
millsA grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal, wind or water...
worth £1 5s 0d, 1
fisheryGenerally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising and/or harvesting fish, which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of...
worth 5s, 14
ploughThe plough is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s, 40 acres of
meadowA meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . It may be cut for hay or grazed by livestock such as cattle, sheep or goats.- Agricultural meadow :...
, worth 50
hogsPigs are a genus of even-toed ungulates within the family Suidae. The name hog most commonly refers to the domestic pig in everyday parlance, but technically encompasses several distinct species, including the wild boar...
. It rendered £28.
St. Mary's Parish Church is of Saxon origin, with parts dating back to the 12th century. The square flint tower, supported by a 19th century brick buttress, contains a
pealA peal is the ringing of a complete set of six church bells.Originally a peal referred to a set sequence of changes of any length. This meaning is still in use today in Call Change Ringing...
of 8 bells, the oldest bearing the date 1606. The royal palace of Oatlands, built by
Henry VIIIHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy...
in 1538, was a mile upstream to the west.
During the
first World WarWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, troops from
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
were hospitalised in the now demolished Mount Felix House. They are remembered by the street name New Zealand Avenue, the Wellington Pub (formerly The Kiwi) and a small memorial in the
HomebaseHomebase is a British home improvement store and garden centre, with 348 stores across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is well known by its green and orange colour scheme. Its main competitors are B&Q, Focus and Wickes and in Ireland B&Q, Atlantic Homecare and Woodies...
car park.
Hersham and Walton MotorsHersham and Walton Motors was a racing car constructor. It is best known for its involvement in Formula One from 1951 to 1955. HWM owners George Abecassis and John Heath started a racing team in 1946 with an Alta-engined car and called it an HWM, after their garage, based in Walton-on-Thames,...
(HWM), now an
Aston MartinAston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in BuckinghamshireFrom 1994 until 2007...
dealer, constructed its own racing car in the early 1950s.
Stirling MossSir Stirling Craufurd Moss OBE is a retired racing driver from England. His success in a variety of categories placed him among the world's elite – he is often called "the greatest driver never to win the World Championship".Moss, who raced from 1948 to 1962, won 194 of the 497 races he...
won his first
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
Grand PrixGrand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
in an HWM. In addition, HWM was the world's first Aston Martin dealership.
Walton Bridge
There have been five bridges at Walton crossing the River Thames so far and plans are advanced for a sixth. Prior to the first bridge there was a ferry which goes back to at least the 15th century.
The
first bridgeThe Old Walton Bridge is the name given to the first Walton Bridge built across the River Thames at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England. The wooden bridge was completed in 1750 and stood until 1783 when it was dismantled to make way for a brickwork replacement....
, constructed between 1748 and 1750, was a timber structure that stood until 1783.
CanalettoGiovanni Antonio Canal better known as Canaletto, was a Venetian painter famous for his landscapes, or vedute, of Venice. He was also an important printmaker in etching.- Early career :...
painted a picture of this bridge in 1754. The painting, which shows the
rococoRococo is a style of 18th century French art and interior design. Rococo rooms were designed as total works of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings...
-style of this bridge, may be seen in the
Dulwich Picture GalleryDulwich Picture Gallery is an art gallery in Dulwich, London. It was built by Sir John Soane as the world's first purpose-built public art gallery and opened in 1817...
.
The second bridge was constructed in 1788 and stood until 1859. Constructed of brick and stone, it lasted much longer than its predecessor. This bridge was painted by
J. M. W. TurnerJoseph Mallord William Turner RA was an English Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker, whose style is said to have laid the foundation for Impressionism. Turner was considered a controversial figure in his day, but is now regarded as the artist who elevated landscape painting...
in 1805 following his sketching tour of the River Thames and
River WeyThe River Wey in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex is a tributary of the River Thames with two separate branches which join at Tilford. The source of the north branch is at Alton, Hampshire and of the south branch at Blackdown south of Haslemere. The Wey has a total catchment area of , draining...
at that time.
After the second bridge collapsed a ferry crossing resumed until the construction of the third bridge in 1864. This was a girder bridge on stone piers. At the same time, a brick viaduct was constructed to span the flood plain to the south of the river. As of 2009 the viaduct is still standing.
The third bridge was damaged during the
second World WarWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1940 leading to a permanent weight restriction. To alleviate this a fourth temporary bridge was constructed in 1953 on the downstream side of the old bridge which was relegated to use by cyclists and pedestrians only. It was finally demolished in 1985.
The fourth bridge was constructed from prefabricated sections designed by
A. M. HamiltonArchibald Milne Hamilton was a New Zealand-born civil engineer, notable for building the Hamilton Road through Kurdistan and designing the Callender-Hamilton bridge system.- Early life, marriage and children :...
in 1930 and built by Callender Cables Ltd; it is called the Callender-Hamilton Bridge. In 1999, the fourth bridge was replaced by yet another temporary, fifth bridge occupying the line of the original bridges. This initially had several problems and had to be resurfaced a number of times causing huge traffic disruptions. The fourth bridge was restricted for use by cyclists and pedestrians only once the fifth bridge was completed.
A sixth bridge is planned (and has been in planning since before the 5th temporary bridge was concepted). It was intended to be completed by 2009, but after a public inquiry rejected some aspects of the original plan, construction is now unlikely to start until 2010.
Local politics
Walton is part of the Esher and Walton UK Parliament constituency, which as of 2005 is a safe Conservative seat. The current MP is Ian Taylor.
In local elections, recent contests for seats on Elmbridge Borough Council and Surrey County Council have been between the local Conservatives and the local Residents Group, the Walton Society.
The Walton Society was founded in 1975 by its late President, the writer and intellectual Ronald Segal, and entered local politics in 1980 with Gordon Chubb MBE who served until his death in 2006. At one point there were 9 Society councillors in all the Walton wards during the period of Residents Group control of Elmbridge from the 1990s to 2006. The Society currently has 2 councillors representing Walton Central ward, including Elmbridge's Leader of the Opposition Chris Sadler. In 2005 its then chairman Tom Phelps Penry narrowly won the Walton division (North, Ambleside and half of Central ward) on Surrey County Council from the Conservatives, and retained the seat in 2009. The Walton South and Oatlands division of Surrey County Council, which includes parts of the town centre, is Conservative held, since 2005 by the leader of Elmbridge Council Roy Taylor.
Walton's most recent Labour councillor was defeated in 2000. From 2006 to 2008, local Conservatives increased their representation to nine seats in Walton on the Elmbridge Borough Council at the expense of the Walton Society: 3 in Walton South ward, 2 in Walton Ambleside ward and 3 in Walton North. Walton Central ward is currently split with 1 Conservative and the 2 remaining Walton Society Elmbridge councillors.
The Heart of Walton
The Heart of Walton is the name given to the re-development of the Walton town centre. The old town centre was built in the 1960s and had become very run down due to poor maintenance. The redevelopment includes a shopping mall and 279 one- and two-bedroom apartments with views over Ashley Park. The main part of the centre, a covered walkway, has several brand retailers including Next,
Waterstone'sWaterstone's is a British book specialist established in 1982 by Tim Waterstone that now employs around 4,500 staff throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. Waterstone's has since acquired the Ottakars and Dillons bookshops after itself becoming a subsidiary of the HMV Group in 1998...
,
HMVHMV Group is an international entertainment retail chain and is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and Canada. The company also operate stores in Ireland, Hong Kong and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
and
Desire by DebenhamsDebenhams plc is a Britishretailer operating under a department store format in the UK and franchise stores in other countries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.- History :...
. The public library was relocated and is now situated in the Heart. There are also several restaurants along New Zealand Avenue, including
Nando'sNando's is a restaurant chain originating from South Africa with a Portuguese theme. Founded in 1987, Nando's operates in 26 countries and on five continents. Nando's specializes in chicken dishes with either lemon and herb, medium, hot or extra hot peri-peri marinades...
,
GiraffeGiraffe Restaurants is a United Kingdom Roadside Restaurant Chain, founded in Hampstead in 1998 by Juliette & Russel Joffe, and Andrew Jacobs in 1998....
,
Gourmet Burger KitchenGourmet Burger Kitchen is a restaurant business in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and via franchising in The Republic of Ireland specialising in gourmet burgers from a fully traceable aberdeen angus herd....
and
WagamamaWagamama is a restaurant chain serving pan-asian food in the style of a modern Japanese Ramen bar. The first Wagamama opened in 1992 off Gower Street in Bloomsbury, London, and still exists today...
.
Notable people
The following people were born in Walton:
Tony WaltonTony Walton is an English Oscar, Tony, Emmy, and Drama Desk Award-winning set and costume designer....
, set and costume designer, in 1934;
Dame Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
, actress, singer and author, in 1935;
Nick LoweNick Lowe is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
, singer-songwriter, musician and producer, in 1949;
Ian Rank-BroadleyIan Rank-Broadley FRBS is a British sculptor who has produced many acclaimed works, among which are several designs for British coinage....
, sculptor and designer of previous British coinage, in 1952;
Danny SapsfordDanny Sapsford is a tennis player from Great Britain, who turned professional in 1989. He won one doubles title during his career. The right-hander reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on 15 April 1996, when he became the number 170 of the world.-Wins :...
, tennis player, in 1969; and
Gail TrimbleGail Christiana Trimble , is a postgraduate student of Latin literature at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. She came to prominence in 2009 as a contestant on the British BBC television quiz programme University Challenge, where she captained the Corpus Christi team from the second round and scored...
, student and contestant on
University ChallengeUniversity Challenge is a British quiz programme that has aired since 1962. The format is based on the American show College Bowl, which ran on NBC radio from 1953 to 1957, and on NBC TV from 1959 to 1970. University Challenge aired for 913 episodes on ITV from 1962 to 1987, before being cancelled...
, in 1982.
Cliff ThorburnClifford Charles Devlin Thorburn, CM is a retired professional Canadian snooker player...
, the 1980 World Snooker Champion, lived in Walton for two years in the 1980s before moving back to
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Singer-songwriter
Mick HucknallMichael Hucknall is a British singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer of the British band Simply Red, and is recognisable for his smooth, distinctive voice and wide vocal range, as well as his trademark fiery red curly hair....
, from
Simply RedSimply Red are a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style draws influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, and jazz.- History :...
, ballroom dancer
Camilla DallerupCamilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer.-Dance career:Camilla started dancing at the young age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12. She later moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where...
, of
Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
fame, and actress
Zöe LuckerZöe Lucker is an English National Television Awards nominated and TV Quick Awards winning English actress best known for playing the role of Tanya Turner on ITV's Footballers' Wives.- Acting career :...
, who has starred in Footballers' Wives and Holby Blue, currently live in the town.
In 1909, composer
Jerome KernJerome David Kern was an American composer of popular music. He wrote around 700 songs, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A Fine Romance", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "All the Things You Are", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "Who?", a 6-week number 1 hit for...
took a boat trip on the River Thames with some friends, and when the boat stopped at Walton, Kern went to a pub and inn called the Swan to have a drink. The proprietor's daughter, Eva Leale, was working behind the bar, and on 25 October 1910, the two were married at St. Mary's Church in Walton.
In the media
The Walton Hop was a teen
discoA discothèque, , is an entertainment venue or club with recorded music played by Disc jockeys through a PA system, rather than an on-stage band.Prior to the discothèque, most bars and nightclubs used live bands as entertainment.- Etymology :...
started by Deniz Corday in 1958. It is reputed to have been the first disco in the UK. During the 1970s and 1980s, it was frequented by now-convicted
child sex offenderChild sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent abuses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of CSA include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure of the genitals to a child, displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual...
s such as former
Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the BBC which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock or interviews. It is aimed...
DJA disc jockey is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, dis
k referred to phonograph records, while dis
c referred to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling...
Chris DenningChris Denning is an English disc jockey. He worked for Radio Luxembourg and Radio London before teaming up with Kenny Everett on the programme Where It's At on the BBC's Light Programme...
,
Tam PatonThomas Dougal Paton , known as Tam, was the former manager and primary spokesman of the 1970s Scottish band, the Bay City Rollers....
(manager of the
Bay City RollersThe Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop/rock band of the 1970s. Their youthful, clean-cut image, distinctive styling featuring tartan-trimmed outfits, and cheery, sing-along pop hits helped the group become among the most popular musical acts of their time. For a relatively brief but fervent...
) and
Jonathan KingJonathan King is a British singer, songwriter, TV personality, impresario, writer, producer and convicted sex offender....
. It closed in 1990.
Amanda Dowler, murder victim, was born in Walton in 1988 and was still living there when last seen alive on 21 March 2002. Her body was found some away in
HampshireHampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a county on the south coast of England. The county borders , Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
six months later.
On 22 May 2008 a fire broke out which destroyed the entire top floor of the flats above the furniture store opposite St. Mary's Church.
The development of Wellington Close regularly receives press attention, not least due to the costs involved.
Sport
The Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Centre is situated to the east of the town near the River Thames. The centre includes two swimming pools, an extensive gym, indoor courts and a climbing wall.
The River Thames offers extensive opportunities for water based sports including
rowingRowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
,
canoeingCanoeing is the activity of paddling a canoe for the purpose of recreation , sport, or transportation. It usually refers exclusively to using a paddle to propel a canoe with only human muscle power...
,
kayakingKayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking is generally differentiated from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is defined by the International Canoe Federation as a boat where the paddler faces forward, legs in...
,
skiffingSkiffing refers to the sporting and leisure activity of rowing a Thames skiff. A Thames skiff is a traditional hand built clinker-built wooden craft of a design which has been seen on the River Thames and other waterways in England and other countries for nearly 200 years...
,
puntingThis article concentrates on the history and development of punts and punting in England, for other usages see Norfolk punt and the general disambiguation pages at punt and punter....
and
sailingSailing is the art of controlling a boat with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to change the direction and speed of a boat...
.
Walton Rowing ClubWalton Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, on the River Thames in England. Its club and boat house is situated at on the Surrey bank of the Thames at Walton-on-Thames just above Sunbury Lock...
and
Thames Valley Skiff ClubThames Valley Skiff Club is an English skiff and punting club, which was founded in 1923. It is based on the River Thames in England, on the Surrey bank between Sunbury Lock and Walton on Thames....
are situated on the river towpath between the town centre and the Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Centre.
Walton Athletics Club was founded in 1942 and is based at
Stompond LaneThe Sports Ground, Stompond Lane is a stadium located in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. It is where Walton & Hersham F.C. play their home matches and it is also used by the Walton Athletic Club.-Structure:Stompond Lane consists of a football pitch surrounded by a running track...
. The club has around 200 members ranging in age from 9 years to over 60 years old. The club provides qualified coaching in all athletics disciplines and participates in a number of different leagues to provide appropriate competition for all age groups in track and field,
cross countryCross country running is a sport in which runners compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain. The courses used at these events may include grass, mud, woodlands, and water...
and
road runningRoad running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events normally range from 5 km to long distance, such as half marathons and marathons, and may involve large numbers of runners or wheelchair entrants...
.
Walton & Hersham F.C.Walton & Hersham Football Club are an English football club based in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, currently playing in the Isthmian League Division One South . They play in a red and white home kit at Stompond Lane....
are a football club who are currently spending the
2009–10 seasonThe 2009–10 season is the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League 1 and League 2 and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League. The season will finish on 2 May 2010 for the Football League Championship, and 9 May 2010 for the other...
in the
Isthmian League Division One SouthThe Isthmian League Division One South is a division of the Isthmian League. It is at the eighth tier of football in England. It runs in parallel to the Isthmian League Division One North. The champions and play-off winners are promoted to the Isthmian League Premier Division...
. Nicknamed the Swans, they play at
Stompond LaneThe Sports Ground, Stompond Lane is a stadium located in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. It is where Walton & Hersham F.C. play their home matches and it is also used by the Walton Athletic Club.-Structure:Stompond Lane consists of a football pitch surrounded by a running track...
. The club play in a red and white home kit and a yellow away kit. In 1975, they achieved a shock 4-0 win over
Brian Clough'sBrian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and subsequently football manager, most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest, and his 44 day reign at Leeds United A.F.C...
Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton and Hove Albion Football Club is an English football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They play in Football League One, after their relegation following the 2005-06 season from the Championship...
(then a
Football League Third DivisionFrom the 1992-93 to the 2003-04 season, the Football League Third Division was the third-highest division of The Football League and the fourth-highest division in the overall English football league system. Before that it was the third division overall, but that ended with the creation of the...
side) in the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
.
Walton Casuals F.C.Walton Casuals F.C. are a football club based in Walton on Thames, Surrey, England. They were established in 1948 and joined the Combined Counties League in 1995. They were champions of the Combined Counties League in 2004-05...
are a football club who are currently spending the
2009–10 seasonThe 2009–10 season is the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League 1 and League 2 and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League. The season will finish on 2 May 2010 for the Football League Championship, and 9 May 2010 for the other...
in the
Isthmian League Division One SouthThe Isthmian League Division One South is a division of the Isthmian League. It is at the eighth tier of football in England. It runs in parallel to the Isthmian League Division One North. The champions and play-off winners are promoted to the Isthmian League Premier Division...
, the same league as their neighbours Walton & Hersham F.C. Nicknamed the Stags, they play at the Franklyn Road Sports Ground just off Waterside Drive and adjacent to the new Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Centre. The club play in a tangerine and black home kit and a claret and blue away kit.
Trivia
- Tommy Bolin
Thomas Richard 'Tommy' Bolin was an American-born guitarist best known for his work with Zephyr , The James Gang , Deep Purple , and his solo work.- Musical career :Tommy Bolin began playing in bands around Sioux City as a youth before moving to Boulder, Colorado, in...
's song "Dreamer" was written for someone in Walton, and he makes references to the railways in the song.
- Monty Python
Monty Python were a British comedy group that created the influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
filmed a lot of their sketches in Walton. The old town hall can be seen in one sketch. Another sketch shows an Admiral Nelson dummy being thrown from one of the flats in Wellington Close (see the re-released video of "Always look on the bright side of life" containing a "best of" compilation of old sketches) and the public toilets up near the pub "The Regent" are in the background of another sketch.
- The horror film, Psychomania
Psychomania is a 1971 British horror film starring Nicky Henson, and George Sanders as the devil worshiper.-Plot:Tom Latham enjoys riding his motorcycle with his girlfriend and loves his mother dearly, but Tom is no ordinary fellow, he is the leader of a violent, occult motorcycle gang...
, was shot on location in Walton, including several key scenes in the town centre.
- The ITV sitcom Is It Legal?
Is It Legal? is a British television sitcom set in a solicitors office in Hounslow, West London, that ran from 1995 to 1998. It was produced by Hartswood Films and was shown on ITV for Series 1-2 and Channel 4 for Series 3...
was shot on location in Walton.
- The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood was a popular British television series comprising 143 half-hour, black and white episodes. It starred Richard Greene as the outlaw Robin Hood and Alan Wheatley as his nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham. The show aired between 1955 and 1960 on ITV in the UK, and...
was filmed at Nettlefold StudiosNettlefold Studios were located in what is now Hepworth Way, Walton-on-Thames. Cecil Hepworth began film making there in 1899, but the name derives from the subsequent owner, Archibald Nettlefold, who rebuilt the studios on the original site...
in Walton.
Nearest places
- Weybridge
Not to be confused with Wadebridge, Cornwall, or weighbridgeWeybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
- Molesey
- Shepperton
Shepperton is a town in the borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, England. To the South it is bounded by the river Thames at Desborough Island and is bisected by the M3 motorway....
- Hersham
Hersham is a village in Surrey, England, lying on the A244 between Esher and Weybridge. Other neighbouring towns include Cobham and Walton-on-Thames.It has a growing population and is at the rural/urban fringe; where town meets country...
- Cobham
Cobham is a town in Surrey, England, about south-west of central London; and north of Leatherhead. It is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt. To the north of the town is the A3 and Hersham Village...
- Esher
Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the London commuter belt, is largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross.Esher lies on the A307, Portsmouth Road...
External links