Epsom Clocktower

Epsom

A perfect destination to explore the history and heritage of this gorgeous part of Surrey.

Visit Epsom

Epsom is Surrey’s smallest, most urban borough and, quite literally, on the doorstep of London – in fact, it borders two London boroughs, Kingston upon Thames and Sutton, and acts as a gateway to the Surrey Hills National Landscape.

It’s a fantastic base for exploring Surrey as it's only a short train ride from three London mainline stations, a few minutes' drive from the M25 and found on the national cycle path network. Suffice to say, Epsom is super accessible and convenient.

Epsom was among the UK’s very first spa towns and the birthplace of one of the world’s oldest health and well-being brands, Epsom Salts, in the 1600s.

The 17th century was an exciting time of change for the area, too, as it was when horse racing was established on Epsom Downs. Today, Epsom remains home to Britain's richest flat horse race and the most prestigious of the five Classics, the Epsom Derby, every July.

The emergence of Epsom as a fashionable destination led to the rich and famous visiting – impressive houses were built and The Assembly Rooms opened – today, this is a large and welcoming pub on the busy marketplace.

In 2022, a new regional arts centre, The Horton, opened. The renovated Grade II-listed former Horton Chapel offers atmospheric and welcoming spaces for live performance, events, exhibitions, workshops or simply a coffee with friends.

For those fascinated by local history, there are various excellent online resources available to research the history and heritage of Epsom:

 

Epsom as a base to explore

Epsom is a gateway to green open spaces, such as the world-famous Epsom Downs, Langley Vale Memorial Woods and Epsom Commons, the birthplace of Epsom salts, which is now a vast nature reserve.

Within a few miles of Epsom, you'll find Epsom Downs Racecourse, The Horton regional arts centre, Hobbledown adventure farm park, Chessington World of Adventures and more.

London is only a short train journey away, while international events such as The Championships at Wimbledon are just down the road. 

Surrey Hills destinations and beauty spots, such as Dorking, Box Hill, Leith Hill and Denbies Wine Estate, are all easily accessible, too.

Town centre attractions

In Epsom town centre, you'll find a fine choice of lovely pubs and a spectacular number of historical buildings harking back to the spa town days.

There's always plenty to do for visitors too, with the Playhouse Theatre, Escape Rooms, Incursion Airsoft, twice weekly markets and special arts and vintage fairs.

Locally, Nonsuch Park is the site of a former Henry VIII palace and is a beautiful place to explore, while Bourne Hall Museum is a quirky local museum that is packed full of local information.

DISCOVER

Epsom News

Eating out in Epsom

Whether you're looking for a quick bite while out and about, inspiration for a date night or a cosy pub to spend a relaxing afternoon, you can travel the world via Epsom's restaurants with most cuisines and tastes catered for. 

There's plenty of reasons to make a journey to Epsom, too, with the likes of Epsom Social, Surrey's first food hall; the authentic Mediterranean and Turkish restaurant, Cappadocia; and the highly-rated fusion restaurant, rocksalt.

Find the best Epsom restaurants on the Go Epsom website business directory

Health, beauty & well-being

As a former spa town and the birthplace of Epsom Salts, Epsom still has a strong health, beauty and well-being sector with spas, clinics, treatments and beauty salons. Whether you are looking for state of the art gyms, Reiki, skin treatment or any other beauty treatment, you'll find it in Epsom.

Find the best Epsom health, beauty and well-being businesses on the Go Epsom website business directory

Find out more about Epsom on the Go Epsom website