Colley Hill

Colley Hill
The Inglis Memorial. Dating from 1909, it was originally a drinking fountain for horses.
Highest point
Elevation	722 ft (220 m)
Coordinates	51°15′23″N 0°13′7″W / 51.25639°N 0.21861°W / 51.25639; -0.21861Coordinates: 51°15′23″N 0°13′7″W / 51.25639°N 0.21861°W / 51.25639; -0.21861
Geography
Colley Hill Colley Hill in Surrey, England
Parent range	North Downs

Colley Hill is part of the North Downs escarpment in the North Downs, Surrey, England. It is about 1 km east of Buckland Hills and 1 km west of Reigate Hill, all of which form part of the same escarpment. It is centred 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of London and forms a single scarp with Reigate Hill, peaking 2 miles (3 km) away at 235 metres above sea level. The scarp fluctuates in height but is continuous as far as Box Hill 5 miles (8 km) west. The term "Reigate Hill" also designates a neighbourhood of Reigate, and also a ward of Reigate and Banstead.

Prominence and description of section of range

Colley Hill is contiguous with Reigate Hill, the ninth highest hill in Surrey. Colley Hill is its western continuation — officially considered a crest or scarp reaching (at grid reference TQ255521) 771 feet (235 m), a point usually simply but confusingly known as Reigate Hill. "Reigate Hill" also defines a neighbourhood of the town of Reigate, and is also a ward of Reigate and Banstead. The Reigate Hill summit is the highest point along the Mole Gap to Merstham Gap, the mid-western section of the North Downs, which stretch from at least Farnham in the west to Dover on the coast.

This section of the ridge is, as is typical, steep and a little to the west is quarried forming white faces to the south but particularly gentle to the north, where it gave way to hill pasture covering more than 10 square miles (26 km²) which was until deep wells were dug devoid of any access to surface water, known as Banstead and Walton Downs.

Wider context

The lower summit is noted for even greater biodiversity along the same Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Box Hill which first came to stark national public attention in the 18th century due to its access to London and greater prominence above the steep valley cut by the Mole below, particularly in novels such as Emma and having views over the country seat of especially wealthy individuals at Polesden Lacey, Deepdene House, Norbury Park and being on the same ridge as Headley Court served to cement its 'prominence'.^[1]

The Pilgrims' Way travels along the scarp at these points though below it at Box Hill, a café with terrace is at the summit of Reigate Hill (in a car park near Junction 8 of the M25) and nearby villages also provide facilities for walkers, such as Buckland to the immediate south-west.

References

Borough of Reigate and Banstead
Towns, villages, neighbourhoods and hamlets	Banstead Banstead Nork Woodmansterne Coulsdon Chipstead Hooley Netherne-on-the-Hill Epsom Tattenham Corner Horley Horley Redhill Earlswood Meadvale Merstham New Merstham St John's Salfords Redhill Whitebushes Reigate Flanchford Reigate Skimmington Sidlow South Park Woodhatch Tadworth Burgh Heath Kingswood Margery Mogador Mugswell Tadworth Walton-on-the-Hill
Most notable parks	Chipstead Downs Colley Hill Priory or Reigate Park
Places of worship	Church of Jesus Christ and the Wisdom of God, Kingswood St John the Evangelist's Church, Earlswood
Education	Aberdour School The Beacon School Chinthurst School Dunottar School for Girls East Surrey College Oakwood School Priory Preparatory School Reigate College Reigate Grammar School Reigate School The Royal Alexandra and Albert School St. Bede's School The Warwick School
Transport	Railway stations Banstead Chipstead Earlswood Horley Kingswood Merstham Redhill Reigate Salfords Tattenham Corner Woodmansterne Roads M25 M23 A23 A25 A217 A240
Buildings and structures	Archway Theatre East Surrey Hospital Netherne Hospital Redhill Aerodrome Reigate Heath Windmill Royal Earlswood Hospital The Children's Trust, Tadworth
Sport	Banstead Athletic F.C. Chipstead F.C. Horley Town F.C. Merstham F.C. Redhill F.C. Reigate Priory F.C. South Park F.C.
Politics and Administration	Crispin Blunt Reigate Constituency Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
Places listed are articles notable as settlements, arranged by post town The two principal towns are emboldened The M23 motorway follows approximately a boundary and is chiefly included for its regional importance.