The southern strip of Reigate which sprawls outward from the town centre, flanking the edges of the A217 and the River Mole is dotted with semi-ruralised grand country manor homes, farmlands and heaths, timber-frames nestled beside white-fronted contemporary homes. The southern portion of Reigate is significantly less developed than the rest of the town owing to its proximity to the ancient Reigate Heath and protected grasslands of the metropolitan Green Belt. With its semi-rural setting nestled between major transport hubs, Reigate continues to thrive as a popular destination to live and settle in south east England!

It’s in Reigate Heath that we can understand just how ancient the settlement of Reigate actually is. Reigate Heath, during excavations over the past two centuries, have revealed countless ancient artefacts. In 1817 during a dig in the heath to the west of the town centre, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a barrow - a funerary monument - dating from the Early Bronze Age, around 5,000 years ago! These barrows are scheduled monuments and protected as a Site of Special Scienitific Interest (SSSI). In fact, some evidence from these archaeological digs highlight potential habitation of the area dating back to the Mesolithic, up to 8,000 years ago! Reigate’s prosperity has only thrived and continued throughout the centuries; particularly in the medieval period where there was even an 11th century motte-and-bailey castle in the town!

Reigate was also an important area during the Roman occupation of Britain; where a Roman tile-kiln was discovered in the area dating from 92 AD, after the second invasion of Britain by Julius Caesar!

The southern portion of Reigate covers not only the semi-ruralised villages of Sidlow, Ironsbottom, and Leigh but large swathes of protected land and the SSSI land of Reigate Heath. As expected, then, the area has been slow to receive large infrastructural development. Owing to the lack of transport infrastructure - with only the A217 as a main road in the area - this has also hindered development. However, in the recent Reigate and Banstead adopted local plan highlighting the domestic and infrasctural development needed throughout the borough council - the council has indentified the south and southwest of Reigate to be the major site of development. With over 700 new homes being allocated to the southern edge of Reigate, it is likely this area will become the main locus of development!