On the west of Horton County Park, 17 miles Southeast of London, lies Epsom, a suburban residential area, famous for the horseback riding competitions held there. Epsom is an interesting place, as it combines the peace and quiet of suburban life with the thrill and excitement of a vibrant sport and recreation centre. Famed for the Thanet Formation Epsom Downs Racecourse, which holds the annual Epsom Derby, the area floods with thousands of formally-dressed visitors every summer. In addition to that, a range of recreational activities, such as adventure arks, rugby fields and golf courses give a plethora of entertainment options to both locals and visitors. West Epsom is primarily occupied by families, which take advantage of the suburban tranquillity, the greenery and the clean air to avoid the busy London life.

The history of the region goes back to the 7th century, as the area posed the optimal location for the meetings of the wealthy in the Anglo-Saxon England era. As it was described in the book of Domesday, Epsom was not the large residential region it is today. In 1082 Epsom counted approximately 40 houses with a population of less than 500 people. The creation of the spa was the main focal point of the area during the middle ages, attracting visitors from the surrounding regions. Currently, the remnants of the spa are available in the town museum, for all those interested in getting a glimpse of the mediaeval times. The creation of the racecourse in 1780 turned the spotlight back to the area by introducing the now world-renowned Epsom Derby race. Since then the population of the area has increased significantly reaching approximately 75.000 residents.

Participation in the race was so important for few that led to unforeseen consequences. Such was the case for Lord Rosebery who was expelled from the University of Oxford in 1869 after buying a horse to enter the derby. We are not sure whether he was expelled just for entering a horse in the race or because as a result of the horse finishing last.

Epsom has a rich cultural history with numerous musicians, actors and writers having spend parts of their lives there. Such is the case for Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimi Page, Harry Potter actor Tom Felton and writer Isabella Beeton.

During the days leading up to the race the area might get too crowded. Nevertheless, over the rest of the year the green spaces and the quiet suburban residential space, ensure that residents can find peace and relaxation.

The village-esque, rural nature of Epsom means large scale developments to the area are few and far between thanks in part to both protected Green Belt land and opposition from residents. That said, Epsom is likely to see some change over the next couple of decades with the introduction of the Future40 plan, which will seek to improve the environmental friendliness, safety, culture and connectivity accross the borough with input from locals. This improvement plan is likely a knock-on effect of the proposed Crossrail 2 line which is slated to pass through Epsom, increasing the number of trains that will take commuters into central London and further afield to 8. Luckily for Epsom, the council will have plenty of time to implement any changes they may wish to make to this semi-rural borough before the new train line brings in lots of new faces as it’s now not predicted to launch for at least another decade!