Byfleet Heritage Society

Places in Byfleet

Byfleet, as befits an ancient Parish, still has a number of very interesting buildings that have survived the suburban sprawl. There are also many interesting place and road names associated with the area

This is a simple list to start the ball rolling. Please send in names and descriptions to expand it into a useful resource.
There are separate lists below for Buildings, Places and Roads.

Some buildings of the ancient Parish of Byfleet.

Binfield HallBinfield Hall in Binfield Road was taken over by the Salvation Army in 1925, from the previous Gospel hall occupants. Mr Stoop was a prime mover in getting them to come to Byfleet and Mr Tarrant presented them with a pedal organ. After WW2 it was used as a schoolroom annexe to St Mary's Church of England School. During the evenings and at weekends it was available for private bookings (birthday parties, wedding receptions, etc) and other events.
Brewmaster's HouseOn the corner of the High Road and the Willows. The former home of the owners of the Byfleet Brewery, which was where the Willows now stands and was replaced by the Sanway Laundry.
BroadoaksA large house on the Parvis Road, now under redevelopment. Once the home of the Charrington family (brewers). See the BHS Journal for its history.
Byfleet BankingThe southern banked part of the Brooklands Race Track, still to be seen opposite M&S and Tesco.
Byfleet Boat ClubsByfleet had two boat clubs on the Wey Navigation beside Parvis Bridge. These were set up by Mr Stoop. The existing one was for 'the Village' whilst the original club was for the gentry and was on the opposite bank - often seen in old postcards. It became a private house after WWII.
Byfleet CornerNot in Byfleet, in fact, but in West Byfleet. The junction beside the Church.
Byfleet CottageSee Clock House, which was built on the the site of Byfleet Cottage.
Byfleet Fire StationClose to the War memorial. Hopefully being rescued for the benefit of the Village. Closed as a fire station c1962
Byfleet LodgeSee Clock House - this was its former name.
Byfleet MillFormerly a mill producing a variety of products. This has also been a night club in its time and is now home to a family business. Once the home of Robert Bolt and Sarah Miles.
Byfleet ParkSee Manor House
Byfleet Village HallBuilt to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee on land donated by Hugh Locke King and financed by Mr Stoop of West Hall.
Clock HouseAt the junction of the High Road and Church Road. This once had another tower. Formerly called Byfleet Lodge, it was built on the site of Byfleet Cottage, and was for many years a charity providing housing
Essential Oil FactoryIn the 19c there was an oil factory off the Pyrford Road. Presumably this gave rise to the name Rosemount Parade?
French's FarmThis farm was on the Western side of Chertsey Road
Gun EmplacementThere was a WWII gun emplacement on the Manor Farm. Other emplacements were within the Brooklands site and on the track.
John O'GauntNot a pub, but a large house in West Byfleet, roughly in the area now occupied by the library.
Manor FarmA former market garden off Mill Lane, now used for grazing by the Surrey Wild Life Trust
Manor HouseOriginally named Byfleet Park in Mill Lane. The site has a long recorded history, having had many famous owners including the Black Prince. The current Manor House dates from 1685.
Marist ConventA Roman Catholic school on the Old Woking Road, west of West Byfleet on the junction of Sheerwater Road. The current building replaced an early building, once a house, which was further to the western side of the site. This site had earlier been a small private school whilst "[During the War the convent] school was in a house in Madeira Road that backed onto the railway. We moved up to the existing site in the Old Woking Road around 1945/1946 (Alan Fairlie)".
St Mary's ChurchHistoric Church. Contains a collection of memorial crosses from the battlefields of WWI
St Mary's Day CentreThe former primary school, replaced in the late 1960s. It was formerly opened as the Day Centre by Princess Diana
Park Barn FarmOn the banks of the River Wey beside the Manor House Bridge. Once the site of the Sheriff of Nottingham's castle for the 1950s TV series Robin Hood
Petersham HouseLloyds Bank now stands on part of the site - note the partially visible grand window on the left hand side of the building. From maps it would appear that the original house, once the home of Sir John Whittaker Elliss MP, was a little further back on the site
PoundThe old Byfleet animal Pound was sited where the War Memorial now stands
Rosemount ParadeThe parade of shops in West Byfleet on the Old Woking Road, opposite Waitrose. Presumably named after the Essential Oil Factory once nearby?
SanwayOnce the home of Sanway Laundry (which move to the Brewery site on the high Road in the early 20c) and another laundry. It is thought that the name is derived from Sandy Way and it is interesting to see how this route, now a road, links with other tracks and roads through and beyond the village
Vanners ParadeA parade of shops built on the site of Vanners Farm, an old (Elizabethan?) house demolished in the 1960s
Vickers housingWhen Vickers became a significant employer at Brooklands they built Dawson Road and Caillard Road as workers' houses. Julian Temple Notes "Caillard & Dawson Roads - forming the new Vickers workers' housing estate built in WW1 and having checked the index of J D Scott's 1962 book 'Vickers - A History', these must have been named after two major figures in Vickers' history in the early 20th C. - Sir (Arthur) Trevor Dawson (1866-1931), originally a naval ordnance expert who effectively ran the Vickers company from 1900 and Sir Vincent Caillard, son of a judge, who became a Royal Engineer and expert on the Middle East who joined the Board in 1898 and soon became their multi-talented financial director."
Vickers Sports GroundThis was in Kings Head Lane and was of a very high standard, hosting a Surrey CCC Sunday League cricket match every year. It was the original home of the Vickers Miniature Railway which later merged with Mizens Railway and is now to be found at Barrs Lane, Knaphill.
West HallA large house on the Parvis Road and the banks of the Wey Navigation. Former home of local benefactor, Cornelius Stoop. Earlier owners were the Murray family, hence the name 'Murrays Lane' (also known locally as Conker Arch), which leads from the canal bridge towards St. Mary's Church.
White CottageAn historic cottage at the original entrance to Mill Lane, along side the Clock House. Believed to have once been a small school. Thought have been called Chelsea Cottage in the past.


Some place names within and nearby the ancient Parish of Byfleet.

Blue Gates HoleA large pool in the River Wey by a weir, formed where the waters of the river meet having flowed either side of the island home of the Mill.
Byfleet BreweryThe Brewery was on the site of the Willows and the Brewmaster's House is still standing. It was in existence by 1840 when owned by Henry Dennett. He was succeeded by the Holroyd family (of Byfleet Mill) and it grew into a successful business with a number of tied houses. It merged with the Friary brewery of Guildford and Healy's Chertsey Brewery in the 1890s and brewing finished by 1908. In the 1950s Friary, Horoyd & Healy merged with Meux of London.
Byfleet ParkSee Manor House
Byfleet Park FarmThe farm associated with the Manor House, although bought by Mrs Rutson after she bought the house. Latterly a market garden and now Surrey Wildlife Trust's grazing grounds. Not to be confused with Park Barn Farm, which is on the opposite bank of the River Wey.
Common MeadowWater meadows near to the River Wey, behind Manor Farm
Conker ArchSee Murray's Lane
Great JacksA field to the south of the High Road, bought by Lloyd Derisley. See also Little Jacks, which it was adjacent to.
Jericho's HoleA pond in the Common Meadow
Little JacksA former field, bought by Lloyd Derisley to build his house and shop. Close to the War memorial. See also Great Jacks
Manor House BridgeA footbridge over the River Wey, beside the Manor House in Mill Lane, leading from Byfleet to Wisley
Murray's LaneAlso known as Conker Arch. The former drive from West Hall to St. Mary's Church
Park Barn FarmActually in Wisley, this farm is on the opposite bank of the River Wey to the Manor House and should not be confused with Byfleet Barn Farm q.v.
Plough BridgeRoad bridge on the A245 Parvis Road over the River Wey, leaving Byfleet towards Cobham and Weybridge. Once a ford. Named after the Plough PH, which used to be alongside.


Some road names within and nearby the ancient Parish of Byfleet. Can you add any answers?

ABBOTT CLOSE
ARAGON WALK Named after Catherine of Aragon
BARNATO CLOSE Named after Joel Woolf Barnato (1895-1948), winner of the Le Mans 24-hour racethree times in succession (1928-1930)
BEECH CLOSE
BERRYS LANE Former location of Berry’s Garage
BINFIELD CLOSE New road built in 2013, off Binfield Road. Houses now occupy the site of the former St Thomas More RC Church
BINFIELD ROAD Named after Binfield House
BLACK PRINCE CLOSE Named after the Black Prince, Edward of Woodstock, the eldest son of King Edward III, and First Duke of Cornwall (1330-1376)
BREWERY LANE Formerly Butchers Lane (possibly named after a one-time owner of Vanners). The name reflects the fact that Byfleet's brewery was once close to the start of this road, actually on the site of what is now The Willows.
BRIDGE CLOSE Adjacent to Plough Bridge
BRUCE CLOSE Named after Lady Magdalen Bruce, who established a Charity for ‘The relief and comfort of the honest, poor, painful people and such as were past labour, dwelling and abiding within the parish of Byfleet’. Lady Bruce's Charity held a few acres of agricultural land for the use of the poor in general, as bequeathed in a will dating from 1635. It was incorporated into Byfleet United Charities in 1905
CAILLARD ROAD Named after Sir Vincent Caillard, director of Vickers. The son of a County Court Judge, he became a Royal Engineer. At Woolwich, he had been a gold medallist. He was a composer, author, spiritualist, diplomat, financier, farmer and polemicist for tariff reform. He went to Vickers from the Ottoman Public Debt Council in 1898. In 1914 he negotiated an important contract for the reconstruction of the Turkish Fleet, dockyards and arsenals. Retired from Vickers, August 1927.
CAMPBELL CLOSE Named after Sir Malcolm Campbell
CANADA ROAD The company that developed this estate and built the factories in this area off Oyster Lane was the Fromson Construction Company of Canada. B W Fromson acquired the agricultural land in 1952, building fabrication workshops initially for the manufacture of steel frames for aircraft hangars for the Admiralty throughout Great Britain.
CATHERINE CLOSE Named after Catherine of Aragon
CELTIC ROAD
CHERTSEY ROAD Originally went as far as the railway arch
CHESTNUT WALK
CHURCH ROAD Originally named Church Lane. 25 houses built by W F Summers in the 1930s
CHUTERS CLOSE Located opposite the shop that was formerly Chuter’s Newsagents, and on the site of Chuter's Garage.
CIRCLE GARDENS Named in 1937.
CLOCK HOUSE CLOSE Originally the closest minor road to the Clock House, subsequently superseded by the developments in Rivermead, Grasmere Way, and Millmead. Houses built by E Clarke & Sons of Addlestone.
Conker ArchSee Murray's Lane
COOMBE WAY
CORNWALL AVENUENamed after the Earl of Cornwall – See Gaveston Close or Duke of Cornwall – see Black Prince Close. Piers Gaveston, close friend of Edward II, was created the first Earl of Cornwall
DARTNELL PARK Area originally part of Byfleet and Ham Haw Commons before they were enclosed in 1805. In the early 19th century the land was used as nursery grounds, and by the 1870s the area was thickly wooded. Following the opening of Byfleet and Woodham railway station, the land was developed with large expensive houses. In 1887 43 plots were offered for sale, none of which were less than 1½ acres, with some as large as 3½ acres. Another sale took place in May 1899, including 58 “good building plots”. The development was promoted with its own tennis and boat club.
DAWSON ROAD Named after Sir (Arthur) Trevor Dawson, director of Vickers, born 1866. Began life in the navy as a young gunnery specialist showing both academic and practical brilliance. In 1892, he was selected for special duty as experimental officer at Woolwich. In 1896 he was invited to join Vickers by Albert Vickers. He was described as being very tall, formidably charming, an athlete and bon vivant, and non-pompous. From 1900 he was in effective control of Vickers. He was knighted in 1909, and became a Baronet in 1920. Became Vice Chairman of Vickers in 1921.
DERISLEY CLOSE Named after family of butchers, whose farm entrance and butcher’s shop were located here.
DIGBY WAY Located on site of Digby’s Stores
DUNFEE WAY Named after racing driver, Clive Dunfee, killed whilst racing at Brooklands in 1932
EDEN GROVE ROAD
EDWARD II AVENUE King Edward II (1284-1327), 4th son of King Edward I
ELMTREE CLOSE
FARM CLOSE Houses built on the site of Foxlake Farm and Binfield Hall
FERNEY COURT See below
FERNEY ROAD Named after Ferney Cottage, the house on the corner of Chertsey Road and Ferney Road.
FOXLAKE ROAD Named after Foxlake (originally Foxlick) Farm
FULLERTON CLOSE Sir James Fullerton completed the rebuilding of the Manor House, after Queen Anne died in 1619
FULLERTON DRIVE See above
FULLERTON ROAD See above
FULLERTON WAY See above
GAVESTON CLOSE Named after Piers Gaveston, a favourite of King Edward II, who created him Earl of Cornwall
GLEBE GARDENS Houses built in the glebe area of the Rectory garden
GODLEY ROAD Named after the ‘Hundred’ in which Byfleet was situated
GRANVILLE CLOSE On the site of Granville Cottage
GRASMERE WAY Named after a large house ‘Grasmere’, but not on the same site
GREEN LANE CLOSE One of the earliest roads in the village
HART ROAD Named by Woking UDC in 1934 when the road was developed by Scott & Co as a turning off Brewery Lane. Later extended to join Rectory Lane
HIGH ROAD Formerly known as ‘Byfleet Main Road’. Permission for 8 shops along Hopfield Parade granted to Smith Brothers of West Byfleet, September 1937
HOPFIELD AVENUE Built on the hop fields of Byfleet Brewery
KINGS AVENUE Houses built by W G Tarrant. Road named at his request.
KINGS HEAD LANE The Kings Head pub was on the corner of Chertsey Road - demolished in 2011, replaced by Kings Terrace
LAKE CLOSE Located on site of former Lake House
LEYBOURNE AVENUE Henry de Leybourne held Byfleet Manor at the end of the 13th century
LEYBOURNE CLOSE See above
LOXLEY CLOSE Small road, off Church Road, comprising houses built in ???? on the site of Loxley House?
MAGDALEN CLOSE Named after Lady Magdalen Bruce, who established a charity for the poor of Byfleet in the 17th century.
MAGDALEN CRESCENT See above
MAITLAND CLOSE (WB)Presumably named after a major local landowner featured in the Inclosure, imaginatively named Maitland Maitland?
MANOR CRESCENTBuilt on part of Manor Farm in the 1960s
MILL LANE Leads to the Mill (and the Manor House)
MILLMEAD
MOWBRAY AVENUE The builder of most of the properties in this road came from Melton Mowbray [according to Howard Cook]. Some houses built by Smith Bros of West Byfleet
MURRAYS LANE Robert Hay Murray was a one-time owner of West Hall, which this road links to Rectory Lane
OLD AVENUE, WB This road was laid out on the land of Sheerwater Farm in the mid-1920s, and was the original Sheerwater Estate. In 1935 “superb houses” were offered from £625, with weekly repayments of 17/3 per week.
OLD ORCHARD
OYSTER LANE Origin uncertain, but it is alleged that oyster shells were found during the construction of the road. However, in a letter dated 5th December, 1777, Mr William Welby, of Temple, London, wrote to a relative, Mr William Earle Welby, of Allington, near Grantham, Lincolnshire: “I am favoured with your two letters of 28th and 30th November, pursuant to your order. A barrel of Byfleet Oysters went by Turner’s [?] Waggon on Wednesday last, and I shall continue to send a barrel of them once a fortnight till the beginning of March.”
PARK CLOSE Cul-de-sac at the west end of Winern Glebe, backing on to the recreation ground
PARVIS ROAD May be a corruption of Parish(es) Road The written statement to the Enclosure Award Act of 1811 states: “Road No 1 shall be 40ft wide and the bridge shall be (spelt) Parrishes (i.e. belonging to the Parishioners?). In the mid-19th century the spelling was Parvis’s, and subsequently the spelling became Parvis. (Shown as Road 1 on the Byfleet & Weybridge Enclosure map of 19th August, 1811). Note though that in the 17th Century there was a Mr Parvis who left Byfleet for the USA.
PETERSHAM AVENUE Part of the former Petersham Estate
PETERSHAM CLOSE See above
QUEENS AVENUE Name approved by Woking Urban District Council due to its proximity to the Queen’s Head Hotel, November 1935. Houses built by W G Tarrant
RECTORY CLOSE Turning off Rectory Lane, but not near the Rectory. Developed by Thomas Higgs, who offered a 15-foot strip of land to the Council as an extension to the Recreation round, February 1937
RECTORY LANE Formerly Workhouse Lane
RIVERMEAD
ROSEMOUNT PARADEThe parade of shops in West Byfleet on the Old Woking Road, opposite Waitrose. Presumably named after the Essential Oil Factory once nearby
ROYSTON AVENUE On site of former Royston Chase Hotel
ROYSTON ROAD See above
RUTSON ROAD Named after Mrs Rutson, one-time owner of the Manor House
SANWAY CLOSE Area originally called Sandyways or Sandways, due to presence of a sandpit.
SANWAY ROAD See above. There were two laundries here - the main one on the site of the current Sanway Stores and the other roughly where the playground of the disused school is on the corner with Magdalen Cres
SPENCE AVENUE Named after Joseph Spence, historian and poet (1699-1768), drowned in the ornamental waters of his garden in the village
Stoop's Lane Named after the Stoop family, one time owners of West Hall - see also Murray's Lane
STREAM CLOSE On the site of the former Stream Cottages
STRINGHAMS LANE Provided access from Parvis Road to the allotments of parcels of land, opposite Queen’s Avenue. (Shown as Road 14 on the Byfleet & Weybridge Enclosure map of 19th August, 1811)
STUDLAND ROAD Houses built by W Pleece & Son
SUMMER CLOSE On the former market garden site, off Mill Lane
TEWKESBURY CLOSE Built on the site of Tewkesbury Vinery
THE CEDARS
THE MALTINGS Reference to the nearby Byfleet Brewery, a turning off Brewery Lane
THE MOORINGS Small close with a few houses built on the site of the Byfleet Boat House used by residents of Dartnell Park
THE PAVILLIONS New development off Kings Head Lane, on the site of the tennis courts at the former Vickers sports field
THE WILLOWS
THE YEWS Row of town houses in High Road, facing the fish and chip shop next to the Village Hall
ULWYN AVENUE Ulwin the Saxon owned land in the village, possibly as a tenant of Chertsey Abbey, in the 11th century
VISCOUNT GARDENS Named after the Vickers Viscount aeroplane built at Brooklands
WAKEFIELD CLOSE
WALNUT TREE LANE
WEY BARTON Site of a large house of the same name
WEYMEDE Site of a house of the same name
WEYSIDE CLOSE
WINERN GLEBE Named after the builder of the houses and his wife – WINifred and ERNest Griffin. Planning permission granted, subject to Drainage conditions, April 1937
WINTERSELLS ROAD Site of former Wintersell’s Farm, demolished for construction of Brooklands race track.
Workhouse LaneNow Rectory Lane. Originally named after the Workhouse, which was on the site of Stream Close.
YORK CLOSE See below
YORK ROAD Possibly named after the Duke of York, of Oatlands Palace, who owned the Manors of Weybridge and Byfleet during the early 19th century.


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