Discover Reigate

Reigate can be explored through several clearly distinct themes: listed buildings, the history of Reigate Caves, designated natural areas, and routes with specifically named starting points or sections. To plan your stay, you can first decide whether architecture, underground history, nature or a particular route should take centre stage.

Buildings and architectural history

Reigate Priory is a Grade I listed building. The Church of St Mary Magdalene in Reigate is listed Grade II*; extensive medieval fabric in the church dates back to around 1200. The building fabric gives an approximate timeframe, while the Grade classification indicates its listed status. Reigate Heath Windmill is a post mill built in 1765 and is also listed Grade II*. In this type of mill, the entire body of the mill is turned into the wind on its trestle. These buildings offer different aspects to explore: listed status, medieval fabric, and a specific type of mill construction with a known year of construction.

Caves and routes

The Reigate Caves are mostly old sand mines. Tours of the caves include Barons’ Cave in the Castle Grounds, as well as East Cavern and West Cavern in Tunnel Road. The tours therefore cover several named places, distinguished by their respective names and locations. There are also different reference points for the routes: the self-guided Reigate Town History Treasure Trail runs through Reigate town centre, while the “Reigate mills and pillboxes circular walk” starts on Reigate Heath. If you want to choose a route based on its course or starting point, this is a useful distinction.

Nature, landscape and park

Reigate Heath is designated both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR); Reigate Hill and Gatton Park are also designated as SSSIs. Reigate Heath also has Bronze Age burial mounds, designated as Scheduled Ancient Monuments. This means that nature conservation designations and archaeological heritage sit side by side as distinct themes at the same named location. Priory Park is home to 13 bird species of national conservation importance. Its playground has a sensory area and a water play area; the water is turned off in winter. The nature-related themes thus range from protected-area status and archaeological evidence to bird species and a play area with seasonal restrictions.

Market on Tunnel Road

A market is held on Tunnel Road on the fourth Friday of each month, from 9 am to 2 pm. If you are planning your stay around a Friday, the specific date is relevant to your plans; check the market day before travelling.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Salfords, Weybridge, Egham, Hindhead, Buckland, Banstead, Chilworth, Bookham

For the main travel overview: Surrey.