Addlestone

Addlestone is a town in the borough of Runnymede in the county of Surrey, England. Immediate surrounding towns and villages include Weybridge, Ottershaw, Chertsey, and New Haw. It is near Junction 11 of the M25 motorway and is served by Addlestone railway station on the Chertsey Branch Line. It also has a direct bus service to Heathrow Airport (bus 51). The M25 motorway passes to the west of the town, and cut some roads into two when built; so roads such as Liberty Lane turned into Liberty Rise and Liberty Lane. The main road in Addlestone is Station Road which is a linear development. It has a NHS doctors' surgery, the Eileen Tozer Day Centre. Addlestone forms the administrative centre of the borough of Runnymede with the council civic centre also located on Station Road.

History
The name Addlestone probably means "Attel's Denu"; the valley belonging to a Saxon named Attel. In 1241 the place was listed as Attelsdene and by 1610 John Speede's map shows Adleston halfway between "St. Annhill and Sct. Georg Hill", just south of the Thames. Addlestone is mentioned in H.G Wells' book The War of the Worlds, in which the second of ten Martian invasion ships (called 'cylinders') landed at the Addlestone Golf Links.

The Crouch Oak, an oak tree believed to have originated in the 11th Century, is an important symbol in the town. It used to mark the boundary of Windsor Great Park. Legend says that Queen Elizabeth I stopped by it and had a picnic. The tree is one of the main historic features of the town, and consequently several local businesses use its name in their title. In September 2007 the tree suffered an arson attack yet has survived.



On Station Road, a large Blériot aircraft factory was built in 1917 and the several hundred aeroplanes produced here were taken by road to Brooklands for final assembly and test flying. In the 1950s, the site was taken over by Weymann, which built buses and coaches. The prototype of the Routemaster bus was built here. Weymann closed in the mid 1960s and part of the site was used by Caddy's which built taxis. In early 1967, Plessey moved from Chessington and took over this factory. In 1990, the site was used by Marconi. All these companies were important local employers. By 2000, the site was derelict and has since been demolished and redeveloped as a business park called Aviator Park, reminiscent of its original use.

Education
There are two secondary schools in Addlestone: Jubilee High and St George's College. There are also numerous primary schools, such as St Paul's C of E, and the Holy Family Catholic Primary School. A couple of nurseries are dotted around as well, e.g., Buckles and Bows.

Sport
Abbey Rangers F.C. is located in Addlestone Moor, next to the Woburn Arms. Abbey Rangers were formed in 1976 and continue to offer football for boys and girls as well as men and women.

Addlestone Victory Park Bowls Club was formed in 1931 and has played at the facilities maintained by Runnymede Borough Council since then. The club offers both indoor and outdoor short mat bowling facilities to members of all ages and levels of experience.

Culture
Addlestone Library is co-located with Runnymede Borough Council and Addlestone Police in the Runnymede Civic Centre, set in an award winning building on Station Road, opposite Addlestone Health Centre.