There wasn't much of a town for the railway to arrive in at East Horsley, but the consequent residential development was pretty swift. Following the line of Ockham Road, inter and post war building has brushed a suburban swathe over the village.
Whilst it may not have the rural charm of nearby Ranmore Common, there is still a strong village community feel here, together with an attractive medley of housing options. The suburban clusters are tightly packed near the station, with larger detached properties gathering more ground around them as you move south. Unusually, the 1930's houses in East Horsley are anything but uniform, with many incorporating throwback period features such as timbered joinery and inglenook fireplaces. Character bungalows put in a strong showing and those with sizeable lawns command prices of around £400,000.
Half that amount will buy you a older style two bed terrace nearer the station, or an apartment in one of the luxury purpose built blocks popping up to appeal to younger commuters. There are plenty of impressive family homes with more bedrooms than you could count on one hand but you'll need to keep all those fingers at the ready to tot up the hundred thousands it will cost you to buy one.
There are still a number of period structures around, but the most striking pre-railway interruption is the fanciful architectural folly of East Horsley Towers. Built in the 1820's by Earl Lovelace, it's a splendid collision of romance and nostalgia: a Tudor styled mansion that got a bit carried away, spawning elaborate Gothic and Germanic towers. The flint turrets on the entrance emerged as something of a design blueprint for the village, and you'll spot the same motif in buildings throughout East Horsley.
The village has a well-stocked parade of shops, with restaurants, banks, and a medical centre. Leatherhead and Guildford are within easy reach for more extensive retailing and leisure facilities.
Aside from cricket and tennis at the private sports club in Horsley, villagers look towards the acres of surrounding greenery for recreation. The countryside here falls under Metropolitan Greenbelt protection, and the National Trust manages much of it. Attractive walks abound in this extensive neck of the woods, and local clubs offer a range of possibilities for enjoying the peaceful rural atmosphere: on horseback, with woods and irons...or firing off at clay pigeons.
There is no shortage of schooling options, with an excellent selection of state and private institutions in the area.
Commuters will find speedy connections to the City from Horsley station: the trip to Waterloo takes under 40 minutes. The nearby A3 provides quick access to the M25 and International airports, whilst the A24 is within easy reach for routes south.
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