Little Heath, sometimes spelt as "Littleheath", is an area of Cobham in the borough of Elmbridge in

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, England. It borders the nearby villages of Oxshott and

Stoke d'Abernon __NOTOC__ Stoke d'Abernon () is a village and former civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Borough of Elmbridge, Elmbridge district, in Surrey, England. It is on the bank (geography), right bank of the River Mole contiguously south of ...

History

The area is best known as the site of a

Diggers The Diggers were a group of religious and political dissidents in England, associated with a political ideology and programme resembling what would later be called agrarian socialism.; ; ; Gerrard Winstanley and William Everard (Digger), Will ...

settlement in 1649 when a group expelled from

St George's Hill St George's Hill is a private gated community in Weybridge, Surrey, England. Comprising more than 450 properties, the land that is now the contemporary St George's Hill estate was purchased by builder W. G. Tarrant in 1911. Over the followin ...

, Weybridge, successfully established a short lived community. The Diggers cultivated 11 acres, constructed six houses, and began publishing pamphlets. Despite initial sympathy from the local lord, Parson John Platt, the community faced opposition as Platt, along with local landowners, mobilized gangs to thwart support and, ultimately, drove them out in April 1650. During the 19th century a brickworks and clay pit occupied much of the Little Heath area. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

the area was used as an ammunition dump with the brickworks resuming after the war. The site was occupied by the Canadian army during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Following the war the brickworks reopened and continued until its final closure and the demolition of its buildings in 1958 after which the land was rehabilitated and the old claypit turned into a lake. Housing was developed around on the northern end of the lake whilst the southern end was made into a public park accessible from paths at Heathield Road and Blundel Lane.

References

{{Elmbridge Villages in Surrey Borough of Elmbridge