Elmbridge Online covering Cobham, Esher, Oxshott, Walton and Weybridge

The growth of the Tilt

The late 18th century saw the Tilt affected by one of the various enclosure acts which so altered the rural environment and customs of this country. As a result the extent of common land in the Tilt was substantially reduced. The early 19th century, judging from the massive grain barns of Ashford Farm House, saw substantial prosperity for the farmers of the area and the period coincided with the development of small cottages for the aged poor between the Running Mare and the Old Fire Station, which building was erected in the 1830s for the purpose of a village school.

The Tilt Green

The Tilt Green was used for May Day celebrations with a Maypole and this custom continued until 1902, when complaints brought it to an end. Gypsies and showmen descended on the Green with "vans of all sorts and kinds with shows, these large steam merry-go-rounds etc.... They brought about 70 horses, which were a great annoyance to those living nearby, besides about a dozen wretched donkeys, quite new last year". Sufficient local opposition developed for an official poster to be printed saying fairs were not to occur on the common land.

The Green was also used for cricket matches of a high standard (the Surrey County team played there regularly). Clearly there was considerable enthusiasm locally - the proprietor of the adjacent carriage works and the publican at the Running Mare offered £5 to any batsman who could break one of their windows!

An avenue of cherry trees was planted on the Green in memory of local servicemen killed during the last war. The blossom on these trees is particularly lovely in late Spring.

The coming of the railway to Cobham and Stoke d'Abernon in 1885 coupled with the establishment of a substantial nursery complex in the Tilt coincided with considerable residential development.

The Old Fire Station and Cobham Almshouses

These are the first buildings seen when approaching the Tilt from Church Cobham. The Old Fire Station was constructed in 1833 as Cobham's first purpose-built school for the village children. It became the Fire Engine House around the turn of the century and remained so for many years. The horses for the early fire appliances doubled as plough horses and worked on the land near Elm Farm.

The property retains what is probably the original fire bell as well as the fire house doors. The side wall fronting the road incorporates a well preserved Victorian pillar box. Adjacent to the old Fire Station are the small Cobham Almshouses which were built in 1867.

The Running Mare

A mixture of buildings separates the Old Fire Station from The Running Mare. Lion Cottage and numbers 39-41 Tilt Road are probably early 19th century. The first mention of the Running Mare as a public house was in 1756 although records suggest the original building is older. In 1729 the property was, apparently, in private occupation having been sold to Richard Howard, a coachman of Twickenham, by John Howard, a carpenter of Cobham, for the sum of £60.5s.At that time the property was subject to a five shilling rent to the manor of Cobham.

By 1784 the public house was "called or known by the name or sign of The Running Mare", this name being reputed to be unique in England. Not all the publicans were of the best character: in 1784 the County magistrates at Kingston held that "Richard Howard, Victualler, assaulted the Revd. Wm. Hardy by throwing water on him and very much abused him with ill language. Agreed not to lycence his House for the future".

The Tilt Green
The Tilt c 1938

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