Betchworth, Surrey

Description
Betchworth, a village and a parish in Surrey. The village stands on the river Mole, 2 1/2 miles W by S of Eeigate, and 27 from London. It has a post, money order, and telegraph office, and a station on the S.E.R. The parish includes also the village of Brockham. Acreage, 3743; population of the civil parish, 1868; of the ecclesiastical, 838. Betchworth Park, with the manor of West Betchworth, belonged to Lord Maltravers, who was made Earl Marshal by Richard II.; passed by marriage in 1437 to Sir Thomas Brown; and went by purchase in 1690 to Abraham Tucker, author of " The Light of Nature," who lived and died here. It contains a noble avenue of chestnuts and limes nearly 1000 feet long, contains also some shapeless ruins of Betchworth Castle, which was fortified and embattled by Sir Thomas Brown. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester; gross value, £156 with residence. Patrons, the Dean and Canons of Windsor. The church was renovated and much altered in 1850; retains some interesting ancient parts, Norman and Perpendicular; and has on the chancel floor a fine brass of W. Wordsworth, vicar, 1533. A splendid pulpit of marble and glass mosaic was erected in 1885.