Bisley, Surrey

Bisley

St John the Baptist Church

Bisley Camp
Bisley
Bisley shown within Surrey
Area 3.66 km2 (1.41 sq mi)
Population 3,965 (Civil Parish)[1]
• Density 1,083/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
OS grid reference SU9560
Civil parish
  • Bisley
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Woking
Postcode district GU24
Dialling code 01483
Police Surrey
Fire Surrey
Ambulance South East Coast
EU Parliament South East England
UK Parliament

Bisley /ˈbɪzliː/ is a village and civil parish in the borough of Surrey Heath in Surrey, England. It is centred 3.4 miles (5.5 km) west of Woking. It was a medieval creation. Neighbouring Bisley is the 19th-century West End, centred 900 metres north, across the Windle Brook. According to the 2011 Census, the population of Bisley was 3,965, which is largely within a focal area – the surrounding green and heather-and-gorse heath buffer land running into other parishes is lightly populated – in contrast to Knaphill which is contiguous to Woking, 1 mile (1.6 km) east.

Much of the west of the parish is covered by a high acidic heath near-plateau, relative to the Windle Brook area, which is owned and used or leased by the Ministry of Defence and is noted for its rifle shooting ranges. The National Shooting Centre, the headquarters of the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom, is within the historic bounds. Other large buildings are Coldingley men's prison and the former factory of Bisley Office Furniture, a large office furniture manufacturer.

History

The name 'Bisley' was first recorded in the 10th century as 'Busseleghe'. Its manor was from earliest written records under the feudal lordship of Chertsey Abbey as part of Godley Hundred. It is derived from the old English words 'Bysc', meaning bushes, and 'Leah', a clearing. Therefore, it means clearing where bushes grow or in the bushes.[2] The versions recorded in the 13th century were Busheley and Bussley, from such Westminster and Lambeth Palace rolls as the Assize Rolls.[3]

In medieval times, the village continued to be the southern holding of the Chertsey Abbey estate. The late 12th century church (much of its nave), St John the Baptist, was invested as a proper church in the village by the Abbey monks in the 15th century, who built its mixed brick and timber chancel, since replaced.[3] The church features a medieval bell and a 15th-century porch which is said to have been built from a single oak tree. A nearby spring was once known as the 'Holy Well of St John the Baptist', and was said to have medicinal powers. Its waters were used for local baptisms until the early 20th century.[4] The building is Grade II* listed.[5]

A late Tudor monarch granted the manorial lands and revenues of Woking, Chobham, and Bagshot, having dissolved Chertsey Abbey, to Sir Edward Zouch. Henceforth the descent of Bisley was identical to the other two, and all were by 1911 in the possession of the Earl of Onslow, heirs to many of the lands of the original Earldom of Surrey and Arundel.[3]

Actor Barry Evans attended Bisley boys' school which was an orphanage run by The Shaftesbury Homes.[6]

Economy

Coldingley Prison

Coldingley Prison – a Category C prison. Several streets were laid out and built-up to house prison officers.

Amenities

School and shops

The village has Bisley C of E Primary School in the core of the developed part of the village close to its parade of shops, two nursery and a Scout and Guide headquarters. The school's 2013 Ofsted report awarded it a rating of Good.[7]

Playing field

In the latter half of the 20th century, the Flowers Estate of homes was built, named after flowers of each letter of the alphabet. This adjoins the village's largest playing field. The village football club is the academy and training part of Farnborough Town F.C.

National Shooting Centre

In 1890, the village became the location for the NRA Imperial Meeting (the Association's National Championship), which moved there from Wimbledon. The competition is hosted on the ranges at Bisley Camp having outgrown the Wimbledon Common ranges which had previously been used. The NRA of the UK also moved its headquarters from London to Bisley Camp.[8] Bisley hosted most of the shooting events in the 1908 Olympic Games, and all the shooting for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.[9] During the 2012 Olympic Games the shooting was held at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich.

As well as the rifle ranges, there are two clay target shooting complexes; The National Clay Shooting Centre, which caters for 'trap' disciplines such as Skeet and DTL, and Bisley Shooting Grounds, which caters for sporting clays, or simulated game shooting. Bisley is famous within shooting circles and has a long history. Some of the buildings within the grounds are from the Victorian era, having been transported there in the re-location from Wimbledon Common. The camp also once had its own railway branch line which ran from nearby Brookwood station, and was known as the 'Bisley Bullet'.

In 1894 Colt, the US firearms manufacturer, introduced and sold the Bisley Model of its famous Single Action Army revolver specifically designed for target shooting. This revolver featured a longer grip, a wider hammer spur, a wider trigger and adjustable sights. It was offered in a variety of calibres including .32–20, .38–40, .45 Colt, .44-40.[10]

It is also the location of The Operational Shooting Competition, in which members of the British army compete for the coveted Queen's Medal for Shooting Excellence.

Sport

Bisley is home to Bisley All Stars FC, who are currently a Sunday League club playing in the Surrey & Hants Border League Division 1. They play their home matches at Bisley Recreation Ground. Bisley All Stars currently hold the Isley Cup from their rivals Wisley. It is however highly unlikely it will ever be surrended given that Wisley F.C. folded at the end of the 2016-17 season.

Despite Bisley All Stars FC finishing the 2017-18 season in 6th place they continue to air their official club song 'Believe' by Cher before and after every game, honouring their 10 year licensing agreement.

At the Lord Roberts Centre indoors is a purpose-built Inline Hockey Rink which is used for league and national events by BiSHA and BiPHA.

Demography and housing

2011 Census Homes
Output areaDetachedSemi-detachedTerracedFlats and apartmentsCaravans/temporary/mobile homesshared between households[1]
(Civil Parish)6763432018910

The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%.

2011 Census Key Statistics
Output areaPopulationHouseholds% Owned outright% Owned with a loanhectares[1]
(Civil Parish)3,9651,31036.3%51.7%366

The proportion of households in the civil parish who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The remaining % is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible % of households living rent-free).

Transport

Rail

The nearest railway station is Brookwood, which has adjoining car parks and fast and slow tracks and a part-non-segregated cycle link. City destinations from Brookwood include Salisbury and Winchester and most popular destination is London.

Road

The entire parish is bisected by one main road, the A322 road, which develops a dualled status further north where it joins the M3. Its serves as the main link from western Woking to the motorway network and an alternative link for the Guildford area to western destinations.

Further reading

  • Tim Price: " A Hundred Years Behind The Times: The History of Bisley In Surrey"
  • Rosemary F. Cooper: St. John the Baptist Church, Bisley: A Guide and Short History

References

  1. 1 2 3 Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density United Kingdom Census 2011 Office for National Statistics Retrieved 21 November 2013
  2. ↑ History
  3. 1 2 3 H.E. Malden, ed. (1911). "Parishes: Bisley". A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. ↑ Barbara Aitken, "Holy Wells in Surrey" Folklore 64.2 (June 1953), p. 350.
  5. ↑ St John the Baptist, Bisley – Grade II* – Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1030064)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  6. ↑ Barry Evans Archived 5 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ NRA Official History Archived 31 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ 1908 Summer Olympics official report. p. 254.
  10. ↑ Model Guns
  • Bisley 'Parishes: Bisley', A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3 (1911), pp. 398–399.
  • The National Shooting Centre at Bisley
  • Old pictures
  • Bisley church
  • Stained Glass Windows at St. John the Baptist, Bisley, Surrey
  • Bisley All Stars FC Website
  • Surrey County Council. "Bisley". Exploring Surrey's Past. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
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