Effingham is a village in the Borough of Guildford, Surrey,England, bordering Mole Valley D.C.

History

Effingham was an Anglo-Saxon settlement whose name means "The home of Effa's people". It is the seat of the Howards of Effingham. Charles Howard, second Lord Howard of Effingham and first Earl of Nottingham (1536-1624) was perhaps the most famous member of the Howard family, being Lord High Admiral of England and commander-in-chief of the fleet that helped Sir Francis Drake to defeat the might of the Spanish Armada, which attempted to invade England in 1588.

In circa 493 AD , a Saxon noble called Aeffing built his ‘ham’ or house in the area we now know as Effingham. A charter of 727 AD granted 20 dwellings in Bookham and Effingham to the Benedictine monastery at Chertsey.

By the 14th century, a manor house stood on the site of the current Effingham golf club clubhouse owned by Sir John Poultney, five times Lord Mayor of London.

By 1550 King Henry the eighth was hunting on what is now Effingham golf course while staying at Hampton Court nearby. The manor house and lands were then owned by Lord William Howard (Henry’s Lord High Admiral) and it was his son Lord Charles Howard who commanded the English fleet against the Spanish Armada.

Effingham golf club house contains a spectacular carved oak fireplace in the Armada room dated 1591 which is believed to have originated on one of Lord Howard’s ships.

The house and lands which Effingham Golf club is now based passed through many distinguished hands until in 1815 the house and 358 acres of land came into the possession of Sir Thomas Hussey Apreece. It was in 1927 when the Surrey Land and Development company negotiated a lease for a group of people wishing to build a golf course. Effingham Manor Golf Club was formed with the artisan club house using what are now greenkeepers’ cottages.

The Effingham golf course was designed by Harry S Colt who was renowned for his skill in modelling and landscaping. During his architectural career he was involved in either the construction or improvement of over 300 courses in the UK and Europe.

Village

Still a small village, dwarfed by its neighbours the Bookhams, it is mostly known for its railway station, large common, and the Howard of Effingham School (mixed comprehensive) and St Teresa's (private girls') schools. The convent was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1893.

Transport

There is a railway station at Effingham Junction (actually in the parish of East Horsley), on the line between Waterloo station and Guildford. The Junction-Branch line leads to Bookham and Leatherhead stations.

Wealth

Effingham has regularly been high lighted as one the richest post code areas in Britain with the 2nd highest average income of £52,700 in 2002 just behind Purley with £53,700 and the 4th highest in 2003 with £60,100. It has been found that over 12% of Effingham households earn more than £100,000 putting it in third place after Thorntonhall and Fleet in 2002 and in sixth place with 13.8% of households earning over £100,000 in 2003 in the survey. The figures are from the annual wealth of the nation survey by CACI, a business intelligence company .

Sports and recreation

Effingham has a King George's Field in memorial to King George V
Category:Villages in Surrey

Effingham also has a cricket club formed around 1853 who currently play on Effingham Common.
They have around 130 young cricketers playing at the common and at King George V playing fields.