In 1179 Oxshott was a poor village with a population of around 200 people, whose main occupations were forestry, farming and pig breeding. Situated in an isolated position Oxshott was a picturesque area surrounded by heath and scrubland, with just simple tracks connecting it to other nearby villages. The arrival of the railway in 1885 was to change the nature of the hamlet forever. Visitors to Oxshott were quick to see and appreciate the area's scenic beauty, with some of the more wealthy taking up residence. The next thirty years saw an expansion to Oxshott with the Crown Commissioner limiting housing development and concentrating more on the construction of mansions more suitable for the well-to-do. Danes Hill, Broom Hall and Bevendean are such three examples of that era. Today the village has grown to the extent of including all types of housing, however, it still retains a certain degree of prosperity. Oxshott
John Cook brought industry to the village when he set up his brickworks in1866. Production ceased in 1958 and the once famous and distinctive chimney was dismantled in 1967.
Oxshott is home to 'The Highway Man's Cottage' which was built in 1548. It is quite feasible that it was used by robbers and bandits as nearby Portsmouth Road was one of their haunts. It is said Dick Turpin lived there, however, this is highly unlikely as he lived and operated in Nottingham.
Oxshott Heath is 200 acres of mainly coarse grass, heather and pine. Together with a wide variety of deciduous trees these plants thrive on the Heath's siliceous sand soil. There are a number of well known landmarks on the Heath. 'The Sandpit' originated from the demand for building sand towards the end of the 19th century and then was in use again during WWII as a source for sandbags. A popular venue for visitors and locals was the refreshment hut opposite the station car park. Often used as a meeting point during the wars it was destroyed by fire in the 80's.
A number of objects of historical value have been found in and around the heath and woodland area. In 1935 an Anglo Saxon brooch was found. Originating from the early tenth century it has an intricately carved design and is almost 3cm across. It is now displayed in the British Museum. Another find is that of a flint supposedly part of a hunter's spearhead, and is thought to date back as far as 8000BC.
Oxshott today is a delightful and beautiful village of some 2,600 homes situated amid Surrey's stockbroker belt. It is hard to imagine that some 200 years ago it was nothing more than a clearing in the woods. Luxurious houses now adorn the village, however, the once thriving shops in the High Street are a thing of the past, mainly due to supermarket developments in neighbouring towns.
Situated between Esher and Leatherhead on the A244, Oxshott is five minutes by car to both the A3 (Portsmouth Road) and the M25 London Orbital motorway.
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