With Surrey’s rolling countryside immediately to the south and London’s energy just to the north, Epsom is the filling in the perfect suburban sandwich.
Epsom: Where Surrey Meets South London
This attractive market town is perfectly sandwiched between the hustle and bustle of central London – which is just 15 miles away – and the bucolic rolling hills of Surrey. Epsom is known the world over as the home of one of the biggest horse races in the flat season calendar: The Derby – run at the beginning of June on the Epsom Downs Racecourse.
It’s not only the racing pedigree that makes the area standout. According to research by Rightmove, Epsom is the seventh-happiest place to live in the UK; while Epsom and Ewell was named the 10th happiest borough to live in England by a Royal Mail index – and it’s easy to see why the locals have a big smile on their face: top-ranking schools, tree-lined residential roads with attractive properties, and a convenient commute to and from London.
Transport links
- National rail: trains from Epsom station (travel zone 9) take 40 minutes to Victoria and 35 minutes to Waterloo.
- Road: Epsom is close to junction 9 of the M25, offering convenient access to Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
Property scene
From handsome Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian houses, to Twenties detached and semi-detached properties, to artisans’ cottages and modern town centre apartments – Epsom’s diverse property scene means there is something for all tastes.
Average property price in Epsom: £521,350
Average rental price in Epsom: £565 per week
Local schools
- Infant and primary: most of the area’s infant and primary schools are rated “good” or better by Ofsted – the education watchdog. Those judged “outstanding” are Southfield Park School (ages four to 11), Wallace Fields Junior School (ages seven to 11), Ewell Grove Primary and Nursery School (ages three to 11), and West Ewell Primary School and Nursery (ages two to eight).
- Secondary: there are two Ofsted rated “outstanding” comprehensive schools in the area: Rosebery School (girls, ages 11 to 18) and Glyn School (boys, ages 11 to 18). Blenheim High (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) is Ofsted rated “good”. There are also grammar schools in nearby Sutton and Kingston.
- Private: St Christopher’s School (co-ed, ages two to seven) is a private nursery and pre-prep school. There are two private prep schools: Kingswood House School (girls, ages three to seven, boys ages three to 13) and Downsend School (ages two to 13). Epsom College (co-ed, ages 13 to 18) is a leading private day and boarding school. There are two all-through private schools: The Cornerstone School (co-ed, ages four to 16) and Ewell Castle School (co-ed, ages three to 18).
Things to do
- Shopping: the Ashley Centre – a covered shopping centre – contains a House of Fraser department store and favourites such as M&S and Waitrose.
- Markets: a general market is held on Thursdays and Saturdays; a farmers’ market takes place on the first Sunday of the month; and a craft market pops up on the last Sunday of the month.
- Outside space: being located 15 miles from the centre of London means space is not a premium around here; it’s the norm:
- Epsom Common and adjoining Ashstead Common are Sites of Special Scientific Interest, lying to the west of the town centre.
- The Thames Down Link – a 15-mile walking route between Kingston and Box Hill – passes across the common.
- Horton Country Park is a 400-acre nature reserve with a children’s farm, a horse-riding centre, and a golf course.
- Epsom Downs – home to the racecourse – are to the south of the town centre.
- Rosebery Park is a popular garden park in the town centre.