Reigate Society; Meetings Oct 2012 to Sep 2013

The Priory is built on the site of an Augustinian priory founded in about 1235. Very little of the medieval foundation survives, and it is only visible from inside the building. After the dissolution of the monasteries the property was granted to Lord Howard of Effingham in 1541, who erected a house on the site. The house assumed much of its present appearance during extensive rebuilding in about 1770. Edward VII and his mistress were frequent visitors to the Priory in the early 1900s. During 2007/2008 Priory Park was extensively re-modelled, and also maintenance work has been undertaken on the Priory itself.

Meetings and Events from Oct 2012 to Sep 2013

The following information is outdated and retained on the site solely to help give a feel for the type of events organised by the Reigate Society.

See our meetings archive page for more.

Date & Time	Monday 08 Oct 2012, 8:00pm	Event Type	Members Evening
Title of Talk	The Croydon, Merstham & Godstone Iron Railway	Guest Speaker	Bruce Healey
Venue	Woodhatch Centre, Hornbeam Road, Reigate, RH2 7LS.
Additional Information	Admission by ticket. The Croydon, Merstham and Godstone Iron Railway was an extension of the World's first public railway, opened in the early years of the nineteenth century. This unusual and pioneering railway had the unlikely destination of Merstham. Although it was the object of much international interest, it is now largely forgotten. Bruce Healey is a railway historian.

Date & Time	Wednesday 07 Nov 2012, 8:15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	Reigate Stone and its History	Guest Speaker	Lester Hicks
Venue	Reigate Baptist Church, Sycamore Walk, Reigate, RH2 7LR.
Additional Information	Lester Hicks is a planning consultant and from 1997 to 2007 was Deputy Director of Planning in the Department for Communities and Local Government. He is now Chairman of the UK Minerals Forum. From the 11th to the 16th centuries Reigate Stone was the principal English source of masonry for prestigious church and state buildings in London and the Thames Valley - used extensively at Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle. This talk follows and illustrates the rise, fall - and in places survival - of Reigate's major contribution to our national heritage.

Date & Time	Thursday 13 Dec 2012, 8:15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	Twentieth Century Gardens	Guest Speaker	Cherrill Sands
Venue	Priory School, Bell Street, Reigate, RH2 7RL.
Additional Information	Cherrill Sands is a garden & landscape historian and her talk covers the period from 1919. It will show the influence of modern architecture, art, space travel and ecology on landscape and formal gardens.

Date & Time	Thursday 24 Jan 2013, 8.15 pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	Taking on the Climate Challenge	Guest Speaker	Rob Basto
Venue	St Mark's Church Hall, Alma Road, Reigate, RH2 0DA.
Additional Information	A look at how global warming affects us and at some possible solutions in the little time we have available. Scientist Dr. Rob Basto has been campaigning on climate change issues for the last ten years and has been involved in direct action campaigns, most recently against fracking - the controversial exploitation of shale gas.

Date & Time	Thursday 21 Feb 2013, 8.15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	Local Mills and the SPAB Mills Section	Guest Speaker	Michael Yates
Venue	Tanners & Woolsack Rooms, The Harlequin, Redhill, RH1 1NN.
Additional Information	The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings is involved in all aspects of the survival of buildings which are old or interesting. Emma Sheridan-Smith is administrator of the Mills Section dealing with traditional windmills and watermills.

Date & Time	Monday 18 Mar 2013, 8.15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	An Introduction to Dragonflies	Guest Speaker	Dr Catherine Burton
Venue	Reigate Methodist Community Centre, behind Methodist Church, High Street, Reigate, RH2 9AE.
Additional Information	Dr Catherine Burton is the Biological Records Officer for the Surrey Wildlife Trust (a registered charity).

Date & Time	Monday 01 Jul 2013, 8.15pm	Event Type	A.G.M. (Open to all)
Title of Talk	Green Belt and planning for the future	Guest Speaker	Richard Bate
Venue	Woodhatch Centre, Hornbeam Road, Reigate, RH2 7LS
Additional Information	PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS YEAR THE AGM IS ON A MONDAY. Richard is a planning consultant concerned with protecting the environment. He has previously been head of planning at CPRE national office for 5 years, and has run his business Green Balance for over two decades. For the last 15 years he has also been specialist planning adviser to the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee and its predecessors, including advising them on the emerging National Planning Policy Framework. He works extensively to assist National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Green Belts and protected heritage.