A quarrying village
Stone quarried around Merstham for centuries, a greyish-green limestone known as firestone for its resistance to heat, was used in buildings as significant as the chapel at Westminster and parts of Windsor Castle, and lime from the same area was worked on a large scale.
An early railway tunnel
The Merstham Tunnel, built by the London and Brighton Railway and opened in 1841, was one of the earliest tunnels on the line between the two cities, cut through the same hillside that had earlier been mined for stone.
Reigate and Banstead's borough
Merstham falls within Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, the same authority responsible for Reigate itself.
Frequently asked questions
What was quarried around Merstham?+
A greyish-green limestone known as firestone, along with lime, both quarried in the area for centuries and used in significant buildings including parts of Windsor Castle.
Which council covers Merstham?+
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, the same authority that covers Reigate.
Nearby areas
Services
Useful local links
- Reigate and Banstead Borough Council – Planning — The planning authority covering Reigate itself, along with Redhill, Horley, Banstead and several nearby villages.
- Mole Valley District Council – Do I need planning permission — The planning authority covering Dorking, Ashtead, Leatherhead and several villages southwest of Reigate.
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council – Planning permission — The planning authority covering Epsom, a separate borough from Reigate and Banstead.
- Tandridge District Council – Planning and building — The planning authority covering Caterham, Nutfield and South Nutfield.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions and extensions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.