Egham is in the south-east of England and part of the county of Surrey. It is a small town on the banks of the River Thames. It is rather a classic British suburb; leafy, well manicured and with plenty of open spaces. It forms part of the London Commuter Belt and is just 30 minutes from Waterloo by train.
Egham is easily accessible by road. It lies very close to the M3 and is accessed via the Junction 13 exit of the M25. The Great South West Road, better known as the A30, runs right through Egham. Across the river from Egham is Staines. The two are connected by Staines Bridge, the fifth version of which was completed in 1832. Indeed, local residents complain that if there is one thing that interferes with the tranquillity of Egham, it is the volumes of traffic that bypass the town every day.
The early history of Egham suggests that it was once part of an estate administered by the Chertsey Abbey in 666AD.
Then known as Ecga's Ham it became Egeham by the time of it's mention in the 1086 Domesday book. It's proximity to London and its position along main the route from London to Penzance, have affected Egham's growth and development for hundreds of years. The Romans were first to build a road connecting London with the South West before the Saxon period. Their Giant Causeway was extended to Egham by a mediaeval version of a Staines Bridge in the 13th century. By the 18th and 19th century, Egham was described as a busy coaching town.The most famous landmark in Egham is the Royal Holloway College which was designed by William Henry Crossland. This elaborate structure was modelled on the Château de Chambord as was requested by the benefactor Thomas Holloway.
Originally a women's college, it was opened by Queen Victoria in 1886. Today it is the Royal Holloway and New Bedford College open to both men and women and is part of London University.
A Few Facts About Egham