Reigate Society; Current Meetings

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 Sep 2013 to Aug 2014

The following information is outdated and retained on the site solely to help give a feel for the type of events organised by the Reigate Society.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

Full Programme for the Year

Date & Time	Monday 7th Oct 2013, 9:00pm	Event Type	Members Evening Admission by ticket
Title of Talk	The History of the Bluebell Railway	Guest Speaker	Bruce Healey
Venue	Reigate Manor Hotel, Reigate Hill, RH2 9PF
Additional Information	The Bluebell Railway is one of our oldest and most important heritage railways. Over the years, it has broken much new ground and frequently led the way in setting the standards for railway preservation. The extension of the railway this year to East Grinstead involving the clearance of municipal waste from Imberhorne Cutting, is a unique achievement.

Date & Time	Thursday 7th Nov 2013, 8:15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	Surrey Air Ambulance	Guest Speaker	Bert Newton
Venue	Reigate Baptist Church, Sycamore Walk, Reigate, RH2 7LR
Additional Information	As a registered charity serving Kent, Surrey and Sussex, the Air Ambulance provides a service during daylight hours 365 days a year from bases in Marden and Redhill. It is able to reach anywhere within the area in under 20 minutes flying time.

Date & Time	Monday 2nd Dec 2013, 8:15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	G. F. Watts and the Watts Gallery	Guest Speaker	Jane Turner
Venue	Woodhatch Centre, Hornbeam Road, Reigate, RH2 7LS
Additional Information	Jane Turner is Curatorial Assistant of the Watts Gallery in Compton, which is dedicated to the work of Victorian painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts. The Gallery re-opened in 2011 after an extensive restoration and today has an active programme of exhibitions, talks and events.

Date & Time	Thursday 30th Jan 2014, 8:15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	The Cranston Library: Reigate's Hidden Treasure	Guest Speaker	Hilary Ely
Venue	St. Mark's Church Hall, Alma Road, Reigate, RH2 0DA
Additional Information	The library was founded by Andrew Cranston. He was headmaster of what later became Reigate Grammar School and Vicar of Reigate from 1697 to 1708. The library was housed in the room it still occupies today and was for 'the use and perusal of the freeholders, vicar and inhabitants' of Reigate. In 1708 Trustees were appointed and Hilary Ely is Chairman of the Trustees today.

Date & Time	Thursday 27th Feb 2014, 8:15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	The History of the National Trust	Guest Speaker	Roger Smith
Venue	Tanners & Woolsack Rooms, The Harlequin, Redhill, RH1 1NN
Additional Information	Roger Smith was a founder of the Mid Kent Centre, a local National Trust supporters group, and acted as its Secretary and then Chairman. He has volunteered with the National Trust for some 35 years. His talk will follow the development of the Trust from its foundation in the late nineteenth century to the present day and will also include some of the latest news especially, where possible, about one or two of our local National Trust properties.

Date & Time	Thursday 27th Mar 2014, 8:15pm	Event Type	Talk
Title of Talk	Your water supply - every drop counts	Guest Speaker	Alison Murphy
Venue	Reigate Methodist Community Centre, behind Methodist Church, High Street, Reigate, RH2 9AE
Additional Information	Hear what measures Sutton & East Surrey Water has to take to ensure an adequate water supply and how we are likely to be affected by population growth and climate change.

Date & Time	Monday 7th Jul 2014, 9:15pm	Event Type	A.G.M.
Title of Talk	Doodlebugs and Rockets	Guest Speaker	Bob Ogley
Venue	Woodhatch Centre, Hornbeam Road, RH2 7LS
Additional Information	Please note this talk is on a Monday and it follows the AGM. All are welcome but only members can vote on the AGM resolutions. Bob Ogley, author of In the Wake of the Hurricane, and publisher of 23 books, chiefly about local history, will talk about doodlebugs and rockets that fell in the last two years of the Second World War in the south east.