Hare Lane Green
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March 2025
Paths/Pavements/Footways: One member of the Transport and Parking Advisory Committee has been working hard with Elmbridge Borough Council to redevelop the pathway across Hare Lane Green opposite The Swan on Hare Lane. While this is outside Claygate and sits in Esher ward, upgrading the existing dirt path to its original pathway improves access to the village from the Littleworth Common/Esher railway station direction. We hope to have some progress later this year when the weather improves.
Some pavements and paths in the village are not in a great condition, with uneven surfaces, cracks and tree roots common. The group plans to undertake a survey of pavements and pathways to see where work is needed and, with the Parish Council’s support, liaise with Surrey County Council and Elmbridge Borough Council to make improvements.
Historical Notes
The Hamlet of Hare Lane Green
Until the second half of the 19th century, Hare Lane Green was a separate hamlet in its own right, the gateway to the village of Claygate. The original hamlet of Hare Lane Green dates back, under various names, at least to medieval times. For many centuries it could hardly have been much more than a scattering of cottages grouped mainly around the northern side of the present Green, and it straddled the parish boundaries of Esher and Thames Ditton before Claygate became a separate parish. Previous names of this hamlet were derived from Ceadd's or Chad's Farm before they fell into disuse around the middle of the 18th century and were replaced by the present name, that is, Hare Lane Green.
- 1223 Cadeswurthe — from Bracton's notebook
- 1279 Chadesworth — from Assize Rolls
- 1313 Chaddesworth — from Assize Rolls
- 1566 Chadsworthe — from Recovery Rolls
- 1610 Chergworth — from a John Speed map
- 1695 Chergeworth — from a Robert Morden map
- 1716 Shadworth Green — from deeds of 'The Swan'
- 1728 Chegworth — from Cox's 'Magna Britannia et Hibernia'
- 1750 Chadsworth — from deeds of the Swan
During the period between the arrival of the railway and the First World War the whole character of this part of Claygate changed with the ribbon development of houses alongside either side of Hare Lane, except in that area still occupied by Loseberry and Loseberry Farm. And with the building also during these years of The Parade, The Avenue, Norfolk Road, Aston Road, Station Road, Loseberry Road and Raleigh Drive, Hare Lane Green's separate existence came to an end as it became an integral part of Claygate proper.
The Swan
The Swan Alehouse on Hare Lane Green, where The Swan now stands, is Claygate's oldest public house. Deeds refer to this property as far back as 1716, when it was owned by George Fitzwater and comprised an alehouse, courtyard, garden and orchard totalling 40 poles in area lying at Shadworth Green, otherwise known as the hamlet of Hare Lane Green.
In 1813 'The Swan' was sold by auction on behalf of Robert Taylor by Messrs Crawter at Garraway's Coffee-House, Change Alley, Cornhill, to John Farnell for £570; Thomas Carter was tenant at will. Robert Taylor was the freeholder of the property. (Taylor was Lord of the Manor of Imber, otherwise known as Imber Court or Imworth, having purchased the manor from Sir Francis Ford for £13,100 in 1794.) In those days Hare Lane Green, which was part of Ditton Marsh (the original name of Esher Railway Station), belonged to the Manor of Imber and not that of Claygate.
The Swan probably got its name from swans which frequented the nearby River Rythe in earlier days. Moorhens and ducks used to nest in the Arbrook Common area when the Rythe had a much larger flow of water. The tithe map of 1843 shows that almost opposite the Swan the Rythe widened considerably to form a large pond along its course — just the place for waterfowl to congregate.
The Swan was purchased in 1887 by Isleworth Brewery and shortly thereafter a new building was erected in front of the old alehouse. In 1906 this was rebuilt and considerably enlarged, probably to cope with the increased trade and to provide accommodation for travellers brought to the district by the railway. In 1924 ownership passed to Watney Combe Reid & Co, to Watney Mann in 1969, and it was more recently owned by the Grand Metropolitan plc.
