Located between Epsom, Banstead and Ewell, and split down the centre by the Reigate Road, this southwestern suburb sits right on the border between London and Surrey and is made up of equal parts green space and interwar residential streets. As there is no convenient high street to speak of in the vicinity, the area remains very quiet in the residential streets, which provide some respite from the busy Reigate Road, a popular north/south thoroughfare. The closest amenities are in the nearby village of Epsom – just outside of London – where a relatively regular train service into town runs from, with four trains per hour to London Waterloo, and two trains per hour to London Bridge and London Victoria from Ewell West and Epsom Downs stations respectively. The abundance of green space in the neighbourhood means that there are extensive playing fields for the numerous local schools, which include Glyn School, North East Surrey College of Technology (formerly Ewell Technical College), and Epsom College, and offer areas of relaxation and play for much of the local community. Because of this, and the reasonably priced housing, the neighbourhood is popular with families of a variety of ages.

Much of the area surrounding Epsom was originally part of the Copthorne Hundred, where the local Anglo-Saxon elites met for strategic purposes. In the 900s the area came into the hands of Chertsey Abbey under the reign of King Æthelstan, and during the Middle Ages various manors were founded on the land. When Henry VIII took power, Epsom changed hands a number of times, and by the end of the Georgian period, the area was known as a significant spa town, after which Epsom salts are named. Since the mid-17th century, horse races have been recorded at Epsom Downs, some of which have been noted in the diaries of Samuel Pepys, but it is believed that races were held there long before that. The Epsom Derby, one of five English Classic horse races, has been held at the Downs ever since 1779. As the railways came to the borough of Surrey, Epsom, Ewell and Banstead developed began to develop into the commuter towns we know them as today.

This sleepy suburb was the home of the flamboyant English writer and actor, Quentin Crisp (1908-1999), during his teenage years. Crisp, who was born Denis Charles Pratt, lived at 11 Ashdown Road from 1919-1924, before making his name as a professional life-model for art colleges who lived an incredibly varied and unusual life, appearing regularly on stage and television throughout his days.

The world of rock music is a far cry from this unassuming residential suburb, but the area possesses one of the most impressive rosters of musicians in the country thanks to the former Ewell Technical College. Located on Reigate Road, the college offers courses in multiple disciplines including performance, and helped Nick Drake, Jon Lord (Deep Purple), Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy), Mandfred Mann, Ozzy Osbourne and Freddy Mercury (Queen) on their way to musical fame!

Nearby Epsom station was disrupted on the 3rd of March 2006 under very unusual circumstances. Kevin Crasswell, who had had a bit too much to drink, decided to take a nap using one of the railway tracks as a pillow, only a couple of inches from the live line that would have killed him instantly had he touched it! The 48-year-old company director failed to wake up despite a police helicopter flying overhead and caused nearly £8000 worth of disruptive damage. He was ultimately fined £560 and ordered to serve 180 hours of community service.

The most common complaint from residents is that the neighbourhood is reasonably difficult to commute from conveniently. While there are trains that run into London, they are relatively infrequent and therefore often busy, and never run late into the evening. Despite this, one local resident who works at the famous Derby Arms said that they love how quiet and village-like it is, with a strong community, while being located close enough to London for a simple day-trip.

Epsom will be the southernmost stop on the new Crossrail 2 line. This is predicted to help with congestion on the South Western Mainline, which is one of the busiest routes in the country. However, plans have been on hold since the covid-19 pandemic began in 2020 meaning the project could take a long time to come to fruition. This is predicted to raise house prices in Epsom, as well as encouraging the building of new housing developments to accommodate the new population that is set to move to the conveniently located commuter towns. On the western side of this neighbourhood the council has also proposed that vacant land on Hook Road should be used to help meet the boroughs housing targets, although no further plans have emerged since the original consultation.