Over the last 20 years the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) has allowed finds made by metal detectorists in Surrey to be added both to the national database and the county’s Historic Environment Record (HER). Any groups of coins, groups of prehistoric metal objects or individual precious metal objects over 300 years old have also been required to be reported to the Coroner under the 1996 Treasure Act. This reporting process is undertaken by the county’s Finds Liaison Officer (FLO). The purpose of the Treasure Act is to provide museums with the chance to save important finds before they are lost to commercial auctions and to preserve them for local communities and public collections. Finders and landowners receive full financial reward for everything acquired as part of this process.

One recent discovery from Surrey which has been reported under this law, is a hoard of 28 silver Roman coins (denarii), found dispersed across a small area of equestrian pasture in the Elstead area (recorded as SUR-EA4D41 and SUR-0E4DC2). The coins were most likely originally buried in a bag or box which has long decayed and released its contents to be scattered by ploughing. These coins represent an unusual and significant find for the county and after being declared Treasure at Coroner’s Inquest were acquired by Godalming Museum, with financial assistance from Surrey Archaeological Society, Council for British Archaeology South-East and the V&A Purchase Grant Fund

For full details please go to the Surrey History Centre’s December newsletter HERE

Images and text courtesy of the Surrey History Centre

Epsom Playhouse‘s capacity audience had patiently waited 12 months after Milton Jones show was postponed in 2022. The King of the One-Liners rewarded their forbearance with his unstoppable flow of puns and word play. “The other day I said to my longstanding girlfriend – sit down”. That sort of thing in isolation is OK but when one of a torrent of double-entendres laughter is irresistible.

Following one of Milton’s many granddads appearing on Zoom, Thomas Houghton provided a creditable and funny warm-up act that was a substantial part of the first half. Not wishing to give too much away in case you wish to catch his show on tour – Mr. Milton made deft use of national flags in holding topical and witty conversations between nations. The EU and Union Jack exchange was the shortest and funniest.

The funny showman has nearby performances coming up in Horsham 29th October, Camberley 2nd November and Farnham 4th November. See: https://miltonjones.com/live-dates/

The London Django Collective (LDC) charmed the capacity audience at Epsom Jazz Club on Tuesday 18th October sweeping all along with their infectious enthusiasm for Gypsy Jazz, playing fabulous versions of Django Reinhardt compositions including “Flèche d’or” and “Nuages” alongside the band’s own music. 

This Quartet don’t just perform standards from the early 20th century, they write their own tunes within this genre as well. LDC exquisitely delivered the captivating “Marrakech” and “Samoreau”, composed by guitarists Kourosh Kanani and Harry Diplock respectively. 

Violinist Matt Holborn solidly commanded The Oaks Room venue, both on his instrument and on the microphone between tracks. And the audience were kept waiting until the very last track (“Billets doux”) for a tantalising solo from bassist Pete Thomas. 

An incredible foursome, and such accomplished ambassadors for this well-loved style of Jazz. 

Epsom Jazz Club returns with its final concert of 2022 on Tuesday 15th November, welcoming the Tobie Carpenter Organ Trio to The Oaks Room. For more information and tickets visit  www.epsomjazzclub.com

@EpsomJazzClub on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook

Both “The Horton” (Arts Centre) and The Horton Cemetery featured on the agenda of the Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Strategy and Resources committee Thursday 29th September. For the second time this year discussion on a request to the Council to exercise Compulsory Purchase Order powers over the neglected 9000 body 5-acre cemetery on Hook Road, Epsom, was withdrawn.

As previously reported HERE the bone of contention, between the charity, The Friends of Horton Cemetery and a report to Councillors, concerns the valuation basis for compensation to the property speculator, to whom the intact Cemetery was incongruously sold by the NHS in 1983. Trustee of the Charity Hon. Alderman Alan Carlson stated “We are grateful our request has not been determined by the Strategy and Resources Committee. Our own independent expert and affordable valuations have not been enough to persuade the Council. We will now obtain more. We are also grateful to the many supporters who on short notice of the matter mounted an effective email campaign to Councillors in protest”. He further added: “This 5-acre Cemetery is sacred to a growing number of relatives of the dead. It is a white elephant in the possession of Michael Heighes of Marque Securities, who cannot in a thousand years develop it at all. This is why he has totally neglected the site for 40 years”.

Chairman of the Committee, Councillor Neil Dallen (RA Town Ward), responded to the supporters’ campaign stating the Council will meet the Charity as “aspects of the Council Report have been misunderstood by the Trust”.

The Horton

Just one week after an opening event at The Horton arts and heritage centre, the venue appeared on the agenda of the same meeting of the Strategy and Resources Committee. However, without challenge from any of the 10 Councillors present, the Committee went into secret session to discuss the item. The committee stating that the item concerned the finances of a “third party” and it was not “in the public interest” for them to be disclosed publicly.

Other items:

The committee approved investment in a new gas boiler for the Council’s Community and Wellbeing Centre on Longmead, Epsom. The Council has investigated the efficacy of ground and air heat-pump systems, but the building is not well enough insulated for them to be effective. This prompted Cllr David Gulland (LibDem College Ward) to query whether insulation should be invested in. The officer responded that the Council was reviewing insulation across the Council’s entire estate.

Following the sudden departure of Kathryn Beldon from the top Council post of Chief Executive (reported HERE) the committee agreed to extend the employment of Jackie King as interim Chief Executive pending a permanent posting. The meeting also noted a requirement for the appointment of a chief legal officer. Cllr Kate Chinn (Labour Court Ward) joked she had asked a previous Council law officer Simon Young to return from The Falklands where he had migrated to be the islands’ lead attorney.

The chief IT officer had been lost recently so an Information Technology strategy review was withdrawn from the meeting.

The committee approved the business plan being put this Autumn to a vote of business rate payers in the central Epsom area. This would allow Epsom Bid Ltd (known as Go Epsom) to continue for another 5 years to make improvements to the business zone, funded by an additional levy to business rates. Cllr Eber Kington (RA Ewell Court Ward) expressed enthusiastic support for the recent work of Epsom Bid in the changes and activities it has initiated.

Surrey libraries are the second most visited in the country according to the latest UK Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) data, with the figures showing the libraries attracted over 550,000 visits last year.

CIPFA surveyed residents as part of the findings, with questions ranging from the overall customer experience, satisfaction with the quality of book stock, and the role libraries play in combating loneliness and isolation.

97% of respondents said they received good or very good standard of care when visiting Surrey’s libraries, whilst 83% felt the choice of books on offer was either good or very good (with a further 93% happy with the physical condition of the books).

The results also reinforced the important role libraries play in their communities, with 62% of those surveyed who felt lonely saying libraries help to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.

The findings from the CIPFA survey reflect the broadening appeal of Surrey’s libraries and emphasise that modern libraries provide more to residents than just books. They have become a place for performances, workshops and exhibition spaces and offer a myriad of services including free digital access for those without access to a computer.

Below are some examples of what libraries have been providing over and above their core service offerings:

• A year-long partnership with Farnham Maltings has resulted in libraries being a space for some exciting creative events to be staged, exhibited and performed, extending the reach and accessibility of cultural experiences.
• Ensuring that no one is left behind libraries have been the backbone of delivering Surrey’s Period Dignity campaign with period products available to be collected for free or donated at all 52 libraries. 
• Libraries are there for all people in the community and have been welcoming families from the Ukraine ensuring books in Ukrainian and Russian  are available on their shelves. Young Ukrainians have been able to take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge thanks to translated materials provided in Ukrainian and Russian.
• This summer during the Jubilee weekend there were 85 Jubilee events and 46 Big Lunches hosted in Surrey libraries as an opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate – to ensure everyone had an opportunity join up and join in with their community.

Sue Wills MBE Assistant Director Art, Culture, Heritage and Libraries said “This is just the tip of the iceberg! We’ve come a long way in terms of the diversity of services that libraries can offer. This is an exciting period of transformation for our much-loved Surrey Libraries where spaces are re-imagined to deliver a place where social, educational, economic, and cultural activities can be made accessible to all in the community, often free of charge. It’s not the physical building that changes it’s what’s happening inside at the heart of the building that changes.”

To find out about all the different events taking place in Surrey Libraries follow on Twitter and Facebook or visit the Surrey Libraries web pages. Libraries – Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)

Results are from the Surrey County Council CIPFA plus survey, 2022

The Borough’s libraries are:

Epsom Library

6 Epsom Square, Epsom · 03456009009

Ewell Court Library

Ewell Court House Lakehurst Road, Epsom · 03002001001

Stoneleigh Community Library

1 Stoneleigh Broadway, Epsom · 03002001001

Bourne Hall Library

Spring Street, Ewell  020 8393 9571

Epsom man Philip Lovel celebrates his 80th birthday today (Thursday 28 July) in the knowledge that he has successfully published his first ever novel – a classic ‘whodunnit’ now available on Amazon and at bookshops.

Philip is a retired police officer who has lived in Epsom for almost fifty years and has had a decades-long ambition to write. The result was the 190-page crime thriller ‘The Tribulations of Miss Glass’, published through London publishing house Austin Macauley.

Set in the 1920s and 1930s, the novel tells the story of a missing headmistress, a murder and mysterious goings-on in and around a small town in the Midlands. The enigmatic schoolteacher Letitia Glass and her disappearing colleague are at the centre of the action – with fictional detectives Chief Inspector Martin
and Inspector Carlsen on the trail.

The book’s twists and turns aim to keep readers guessing. Will Miss Glass – who can be cruel and kind in quick succession – reveal her secrets? And whose is the body in the quarry?

Philip said: “I had great fun writing it and am delighted the book has now been published. I drew on my policing experience from the 1960s and 1970s and then adapted it. Policing a century ago was very different to now – no radios, no DNA, and operating under different laws and procedures.” He adds: “A few of the characters are amalgamations of teachers and other people I knew from my childhood growing up in Malvern, Worcestershire and later at work but I don’t think anyone will recognise themselves!”

Philip plans to spend his birthday in Epsom, celebrating with family – and his new status as a published author.

The Tribulations of Miss Glass is published by Austin Macauley
wwww.austinmacauley.com.

Surrey County Council and partners are making Surrey culture count. A new cultural website has been launched which aims to put Surrey Culture firmly on the map.

The new website and cultural map will be a good resource for those living in or visiting Surrey to find out about all the rich, diverse, and inclusive cultural events. This will also enable the creative industries in Surrey to network, keep up to date and ensure they’ve been counted on the map.

Susan Wills MBE Assistant Director Arts, Culture & Libraries said;

“Surrey is a place where creative people, ideas and enterprises thrive, and where everyone has equal access to and benefits from a rich, diverse and inclusive culture. We want to support the cultural sector by raising awareness of all the great things on offer in Surrey, and provide a resource  to empower the sector to further develop and enhance initiatives . We want our residents and visitors to Surrey to understand what a truly great cultural offer there is right on their doorstep.”

Mark Nuti Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities said “I think residents in Surrey will be surprised at the vast range of cultural activities going on in their local communities. We’d love you to take a look at the new cultural website to find out more.”

Epsom and Ewell Times has reached out to all its local culture contacts to make them aware. Play your part and spread the word…..

Visit surreycc.gov.uk/culture

Surrey County Council is bringing back the exciting free summer passport scheme for families with children aged 4 to 11, this time with a focus on culture. The Surrey Culture Explorer Passport holds captivating adventures that encourages families and children to learn about Surrey’s rich heritage, arts and culture, with a chance to win exciting prizes worth up to £100.

Designed to offer a fun way for children to discover Surrey’s unique culture and arts scene, the activity runs from July until October, giving families ideas and inspiration for days out during the summer holidays.

The Surrey Culture Explorer Passport can be collected for free from one of Surrey’s 52 libraries (including Bourne Hall in Ewell and Epsom Square libraries) and will help children to keep track of their adventures as they collect stickers for completing up to 10 fun “local history” challenges.  

Explorers who finish 10 challenges can enter a prize draw and win one of the following sponsored prizes:

• A family ticket for 4 people to visit Brooklands Museum, including the Concorde Experience. 
• A ticket for up to 5 children and one adult for a Top Golf Experience in Addlestone. 
• A £100 voucher to spend at The Adventure Zone. 
• A £100 voucher to spend at Godstone Farm. 
• A family ticket to the Nova Cinema in Woking. 
• 5 tickets for 1 winner for Guildford Airhop. 
• A £15 voucher to spend at Appletree Studio. 
• A painting kit containing 3 Ceramic Bisque Pieces, including acrylic paints and a brush from Calli’s Corner. 
• A family ticket up to a maximum of 6 people to Thorpe Park.  
• A family ticket for four people for a treetop adventure at Go Ape Chessington. 
• A family ticket to the British Wildlife Centre for 2 adults and up to 4 children.  
• A family ticket for 4 people to Bockett’s Farm. 

The activities range from hosting a ‘Big Lunch’ or tea party with friends, families or neighbours, crafting, learning about Surrey’s history, science and making art.

The County is doing this because they want children to discover what culture means to them, whether it’s creating a piece of art, learning about history, dancing, writing their own stories and much more. On top of that, they want to raise awareness about all that the County’s amazing libraries offer and encourage children to read more. Surrey libraries present fantastic resources and offer an incredible events calendar. Find out what events are happening in your nearest library. Find out about all the services available from libraries.

Mark Nuti, Cabinet Member for Communities at Surrey County Council, said:

“Before you run out of ideas during the holidays check out the brilliant new Surrey Libraries initiative for the summer holidays – the Cultural Explorer Passport has got something for everyone. The libraries team have really gone to town this year after last year’s Surrey Nature Explorer Passport success, this year it’s bigger and better than ever. Our libraries are an amazing source of entertainment, information, culture all with an added big dollop of fun!

“I challenge all young explorers to get involved and I assure you, you will open up a new world that you can visit time and time again and a world that will always pleasantly surprise you.

“Enjoy your holidays and I’ll look forward to drawing the prizes later in the year – I hope to see you at a library near you soon!”

See the website for more information on the activities, prizes and how to join in.

On Saturday 18th June Epsom Music with Surrey Stands with Ukraine organised a very special evening with Ukrainian musicians at the Epsom Methodist Church. The evening was hosted and presented in Ukrainian. Church Minister Catherine Hutton welcomed an audience of Ukrainian refugees and their English hosts.

Picture above features Ukrainian pianist Anastacia Tolstonog and her musically gifted children, Maryan and Hannah.

Robin Sebastian (aka Kenneth Williams on stage and screen) and on behalf of Headley Parish Council presented to Anne-Marie Carlin of Surrey Stands With Ukraine a cheque for £6000.

Recently arrived from Ukraine, Mariya Zhornikova, of Kharkiv Arts University, opened the music with Debussy’s Pagodes from the Estampes Suite for piano.

Svitlana Kosenko, professor of piano at the Yehudi Menuhin School in nearby Cobham, accompanied outstanding violinist 17 year old Vadym Perog, who’s technical mastery of a work by Maurice Ravel was spellbounding.

Anastacia Tolstonog, professional pianist and piano tutor, accompanied her recently arrived 16 years old son Maryan van Prooijen, who was enrolled, together with his musical 14 years old sister, Hannah, at the Yehudi Menuhin School. They had been studying at the Kyiv Lisenko State Music Lyceum. Anastacia also played solo pieces by Scarlatti and three works by Ukrainian composer Viktor Kosenko.

Many in the audience were moved to tears by the passion of the players and the beauty of their music.

Nina Kaye, of the Epsom Refugee network, recited a moving poem written by local poet Audrey Ardern-Jones entitled “White Roses”, written in honour of Audrey’s mother, who fled to England from Lviv, during the Second World War. You can read the poem HERE in English and Ukrainian

The evening’s success was assured by the interpreting skills of Darina Dvorinchenko, also recently arrived from Odessa, Ukraine.

If you know of opportunities for Ukrainian pianists to perform or tutor get in touch with The Epsom and Ewell Times and we will pass your message on.

Youtube video courtesy of Cllr Steven McCormick of parts of the concert HERE

Yehudi Menuhin School’s professor of piano Svitlana Kosenko accompanies violin virtuoso Vadym Perog.

The Epsom Chess Club was launched in 2018 by Marcus Gosling and Ravi Sharma, the successor to the original Epsom Chess Club, founded in 1929. Meeting in MccAfferty’s Irish pub’s function room on Monday evenings, a large group of players sit in quiet concentration in a warm room adorned with 1940s-era metal whiskey adverts, flags and old newspaper front pages, juxtaposing the battlegrounds of white and black spread through the room. 

Marcus, President of Epsom Chess Club, tells me that restarting the club was, “a Matter of local pride, really”, having lived in Epsom all his life (apart from 2 years in Russia) Marcus wanted a community based and, more importantly, community ran Chess Club the town could be proud of, “I wanted to build something from nothing.”, and he certainly has. With nearly 50 members available for games, the club is large and bursting with talent, having won their division in 2020 just before lockdown came into effect, like all of us, the club was hit just hard by COVID. 

Chess is for everyone, big, small, young, not so young, plebeian or patrician, and in the Epsom Chess Club, these groups are represented well. I spoke with one member, who at 15 was the youngest present. He was in a position most kids his age dreamt of, let into a pub with no ID and no parental supervision, but instead of drinking as many pints as he could get away with, he was beating people twice his age at the world’s most sophisticated game. Matches can last minutes, hours and even seconds. In one match I counted 30 minutes before the first capture, between the cautious shifting of pawns and knights, you could almost hear the gears turning in the heads of the players. Chess can be tense, relaxed, fun and frustrating all in the space of 5 minutes, denoting how it can be so widely enjoyed by so many different people across the world. 

What makes Epsom Chess Club special? Why do people keep coming back? “It’s for the love of the game”, Club Secretary David Flewellen tells me while they’re setting up their session, “It’s satisfying to come here every week and end up playing a better game”. What makes the club special is that it’s a place where you can relax with a drink and let chess consume you for a few hours, an escape from the problems of everyday life. When you’re in there, all that matters is the board, the pieces and the person sitting opposite you, with their hand placed thoughtfully under their chin, plotting your metaphorical demise. Ego’s are muted, friendly advice is given over drinks post-game and players observe each other’s games stoically, before respectfully congratulating/commiserating the winner/loser. There’s no gloating, no under or over estimation, just pure chess. In a place meant for drinking, revelry and out-of-tune sing-a-longs; a company of like minded men and women meet week-in week-out on a monochrome 8×8 square battlefield, if that isn’t enough to show that Epsom Chess Club is special, then I don’t know what is.  

The atmosphere of the club is fun, friendly and familiar, with the same faces (and a couple of new ones) showing up week in week out at MccAfferty’s pub. Whether they’re playing a Blitz (speed chess) tournament or playing ranked games against each other, the love of the game is clear, as is the fact that we should all be very proud of our local chess club. 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Epsom Chess Club are no longer able to hold their sessions in MccAfferty’s pub, and are looking for a new permanent home. The Epsom Chess Club is a fun, talented and welcoming community based club, if you or anyone you know is aware of a new venue that can host the ECC, please contact Marcus Gosling via email at marcus94gosling@gmail.com or David Flewellen at davidflewellen@gmail.com.