Editing Epsom (section)

===Location and topography===
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[[File:High Street at the Ashley Road and Waterloo Road intersection, Epsom, 2024.jpg|thumb|left|The town centre crossroads, where Ashley and Waterloo Roads meet the High Street]]
Epsom is a town in north [[Surrey]], approximately {{convert|13.5|mi|km|adj=ri0|0}} south of central London. It lies on the southern edge of the [[London Basin]] and the highest point in the parish at Epsom Downs is {{cvt|155|m|ft|sigfig=3}} above [[ordnance datum]].<ref name=Abdy_2001_p1>{{harvnb|Abdy|2001|p=1}}</ref> The High Street defines the main west–east axis of the town and runs roughly parallel to the {{rws|Leatherhead}}-[[Sutton (Surrey) railway station|Sutton]] railway line.

To the west of the town centre are two [[local nature reserve]]s, [[Epsom Common]] and [[Horton Country Park]], both of which are owned and managed by the borough council.<ref name="EEBC_Common">{{cite web |title=Epsom Common |url=https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/venues-sport-and-leisure-facilities/parks/local-nature-reserves/Epsom%20Common%20Local%20nature%20reserve%20information%202020_0.pdf |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |publisher=Epsom & Ewell Borough Council |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608210114/https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/venues-sport-and-leisure-facilities/parks/local-nature-reserves/Epsom%20Common%20Local%20nature%20reserve%20information%202020_0.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="HCP">{{cite web |url=https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/venues-sport-and-leisure-facilities/parks/local-nature-reserves/Horton%20Country%20Park%20leaflet%20June%202016.pdf |title=Horton Country Park |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |publisher=Epsom & Ewell Borough Council |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520152623/https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/venues-sport-and-leisure-facilities/parks/local-nature-reserves/Horton%20Country%20Park%20leaflet%20June%202016.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Epsom Downs Racecourse]] is on Epsom Downs, an area of chalk [[downland]] to the south of the town.<ref name=Epsom_Downs_BC>{{cite web |url=https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/venues-open-space-hire/Epsom-and-Walton-Downs/Epsom%20and%20Walton%20Downs%20Map%20and%20Information.pdf |title=Epsom & Walton Downs: Map and Information |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2 August 2010 |publisher=Epsom and Ewell Borough Council |access-date=10 June 2021 |archive-date=10 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610082300/https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/venues-open-space-hire/Epsom-and-Walton-Downs/Epsom%20and%20Walton%20Downs%20Map%20and%20Information.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

Within the ancient parish boundaries are two settlements which were once part of Epsom. Horton, to the west of the centre, is the former location of five psychiatric hospitals, which were redeveloped to provide housing in the early 2000s.<ref name=EEBC_Horton>{{cite web |url=https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/planning/historic-environment/HospitalClusterCA.pdf |title=Epsom 'Hospitals Cluster' Conservation Areas: Character appraisal and management proposals |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=June 2009 |publisher=Epsom & Ewell Borough Council |access-date=30 July 2021 |archive-date=1 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801121725/https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/planning/historic-environment/HospitalClusterCA.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Langley Vale]], a small village to the south of the racecourse, was predominantly developed in the first half of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eehe.org.uk/?p=29830 |title=Langley Vale - A village in a valley |last=Clifford |first=Angela |year=2007 |publisher=Epsom & Ewell History Explorer |access-date=30 July 2021 |archive-date=30 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730194126/https://eehe.org.uk/?p=29830 |url-status=live}}</ref>