Editing Weybridge (section)

{{Short description|Town in Surrey, England}}
{{other uses}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox UK place
 | country                  = England
 | type                     = [[Town]]
 | coordinates              = {{coord|51.362|-0.453|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
 | static_image_name        = Old_Bridge_over_River_Wey_-_Weybridge,_Surrey.jpg
 | static_image_caption     = The Old Bridge on the River Wey
 | official_name            = Weybridge
 | map_type                 = Surrey
 | population               = 15,449
 | population_ref           = (2011 census)<ref name=ons>{{cite web |url= http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |title= United Kingdom Census 2011 Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density |date= 11 February 2003 |publisher= [[Office for National Statistics]] |access-date= 21 November 2013 |archive-date= 11 February 2003 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030211201309/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ |url-status= live }}</ref> or 29,837 (Built-up Area, which extends to Byfleet)<ref name=NOMIS>{{NOMIS2011|id=1119885117|title=Weybridge Built-up area sub division|access-date=23 August 2020}}</ref>
 | area_total_km2           = 13.73
 | civil_parish             = n/a
 | shire_district           = [[Borough of Elmbridge|Elmbridge]]
 | shire_county             = [[Surrey]]
 | region                   = South East England
 | constituency_westminster = [[Runnymede and Weybridge (UK Parliament constituency)|Runnymede and Weybridge]]
 | post_town                = Weybridge
 | postcode_area            = KT
 | postcode_district        = KT13
 | dial_code                = 01932
 | os_grid_reference        = TQ0764
 | london_distance_km       = 27
 | london_direction         = north east
}}

'''Weybridge''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|eɪ|b|r|ɪ|dʒ}}) is a town in the [[Borough of Elmbridge|Elmbridge]] district in [[Surrey]], England, around {{convert|27|km|mi|order=flip|abbr=on|sigfig=2}} southwest of central London. The settlement is recorded as ''Waigebrugge'' and ''Weibrugge'' in the 7th century and the name derives from a crossing point of the [[River Wey]], which flows into the [[River Thames]] to the north of the town centre. The earliest evidence of human activity is from the [[Bronze Age]]. During the [[Anglo-Saxon]] and [[Middle Ages|medieval periods]], Weybridge was held by [[Chertsey Abbey]]. In 2011 it had a population of 15,449.

In the 1530s, [[Henry VIII]] constructed [[Oatlands Palace]] to the north of the town centre, which he intended to be the residence of his fourth wife, [[Anne of Cleves]]. He married [[Catherine Howard]] there in July 1540 and the palace remained a royal residence until the [[English Civil War|Civil War]]. The buildings were demolished in the early 1650s and a new mansion, Oatlands House, was constructed to the east of Weybridge later the same century. [[Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany]] owned the mansion in the 18th century.

The town began to expand beyond its medieval footprint in the early 19th century, catalysed by the initial breakup of the Oatlands House estate, the enclosure of [[Weybridge Heath]] and the opening of [[Weybridge railway station|the railway station]] in 1838. The developer, [[Walter George Tarrant|W. G. Tarrant]], was responsible for the construction of housing on [[St George's Hill]] in the first half of the 20th century.

The world's first purpose-built racing circuit was constructed at [[Brooklands]] in 1907. The track hosted the [[1926 British Grand Prix|first British Grand Prix]] in 1926 and was used by [[Malcolm Campbell]] to develop his final [[land speed record]] car, [[Campbell-Railton Blue Bird]]. Throughout the 20th century, Brooklands was an important location for the aerospace industry and aircraft developed and tested there included the [[Sopwith Camel]], the [[Vickers Wellington|Wellington bomber]] and the [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane fighter]]. [[Vickers]] established a factory at the circuit in 1915 and aircraft manufacturing continued at the site until 1988.