Editing Leatherhead (section)

==Places of worship==
{{see also|List of places of worship in Mole Valley}}

===Anglo-Saxon minster===
The church mentioned in Domesday Book is thought to have been an Anglo-Saxon [[Minster (church)#Early and mid Anglo-Saxon periods|minster]], a large church with a small team of priests who ministered to the [[royal vill]] and its dependent parishes. It is described as a belonging to Ewell and being held by Osbern of Eu, a [[prebendary|prebend]] at [[St Paul's Cathedral#Pre-Norman cathedral|St Paul's Cathedral]].<ref name=Blair_church_origins>{{cite journal |last= Blair |first= WJ |year= 1976 |title= The origins of Leatherhead Parish Church |url= https://leatherheadhistoryarchive.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/VOL_3_NO_10_1976.pdf |journal= Proceedings of the Leatherhead & District Local History Society |volume= 3 |issue= 10 |pages= 323–328 |access-date= 14 February 2021}}</ref><ref name=Vardey_1988_pp29-30>{{harvnb|Vardey|1988|pp=29–30}}</ref> Its location in the town is unknown, but an enclave of land in the north west of the parish is recorded as belonging to Ewell in the 13th century and this may be the remnant of the [[glebe]] lands of the former minster.<ref name=Vardey_1988_pp29-30/> The church was probably a constructed from wood<ref name=Hayward_church_origins>{{cite journal |last= Hayward |first= Geoffrey |year= 2008 |title= Where was Leatherhead's early church? |url= https://leatherheadhistoryarchive.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/VOL_7_NO_2_2008.pdf |journal= Proceedings of the Leatherhead & District Local History Society |volume= 7 |issue= 2 |pages= 22–23 |access-date= 14 February 2021}}</ref> and, like other similar minsters, likely lost influence as Norman [[manorialism|manors]] superseded the Anglo-Saxon [[hundred (county division)|hundreds]] as the principal division of local administration.<ref name=Vardey_1988_pp29-30/>

===St Mary and St Nicholas Church===
[[File: Leatherhead Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 688043.jpg|thumb|upright|Tower of St Mary and St Nicholas Church]]
The [[Church of St Mary & St Nicholas, Leatherhead|Church of St Mary and St Nicholas]] is thought to have originally been built as the estate chapel for the manor of Thorncroft. Although it is not mentioned in Domesday book, the oldest parts date from around 1080 and it may have superseded the Anglo-Saxon minster as the parish church at the start of the 12th century. Shortly after 1100, it was granted to [[St John's Abbey, Colchester|Colchester Abbey]], which held it until 1279.<ref name=Blair_church_origins/><ref name=Vardey_1988_pp273-285>{{harvnb|Vardey|1988|pp=273–285}}</ref> The earliest parts of the building that survive are from the 1240s, when the church is thought to have undergone a major expansion that included the addition of side [[aisle]]s. Much of the [[chancel]] dates from the first half of the 14th century and this work may have been commissioned by [[Leeds Priory]] in [[Kent]], which was given the church by [[Edward III of England|Edward III]] in 1341. The dedication to [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary]] and [[Saint Nicholas|Nicholas]], who were the joint [[patron saint|patrons]] of the Priory, probably occurred at this time.<ref name=Vardey_1988_pp273-285/><ref name=NHLE_church>{{NHLE|num=1190429|desc=Church of St Mary and St Nicholas|grade=II*|access-date=5 December 2019}}</ref>

The tower was built in around 1500 and is set at an angle to the rest of the building, so that its east wall protrudes into the [[nave]]. It originally had a tall [[spire]], which was blown down in the [[Great storm of 1703]]. A major rebuilding of the church took place in the second half of the 19th century, during which much of the roof was replaced.<ref name=Vardey_1988_pp273-285/><ref name=NHLE_church/> Renovation works between 2018 and 2020, uncovered several vaults beneath the floor including one belonging to the Boulton Family who had lived at Thorncroft Manor in the 18th century.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://leatherheadparish.com/heritage/transept-vaults/ |title= Transept vaults |author= <!--Not stated--> |date= 5 February 2020 |publisher= Leatherhead Parish |access-date= 21 February 2021 |archive-date= 28 February 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210228115336/https://leatherheadparish.com/heritage/transept-vaults/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

The churchyard contains the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Commonwealth war graves]] of 12 British service personnel of the First and Second World Wars.<ref>{{cite web|last=CWGC|title=Leatherhead (SS.Mary and Nicholas) Churchyard {{!}} Cemetery Details |url=https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/44685/leatherhead-ss-mary-and-nicholas-churchyard/ |access-date=9 February 2023|website=CWGC|language=en}}</ref>

===Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Peter===
The [[Church of Our Lady and St Peter, Leatherhead|Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Peter]] was constructed in 1923 and was partly financed by the newspaper proprietor, Sir [[Edward Hulton]].<ref name=Vardey_1988_pp231-232>{{harvnb|Vardey|1988|pp=231–232}}</ref> The [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] building was designed by [[Edward Goldie#Joseph Goldie|Joseph Goldie]] and the [[stained glass]] windows were installed in the 1930s. The [[Stations of the Cross]] were designed in [[Caen stone]] by the sculptor [[Eric Gill]].<ref name=Vardey_1988_pp288-289>{{harvnb|Vardey|1988|pp=288–289}}</ref>

===Methodist Church===
[[File:Leatherhead Methodist Church, Church Road, Leatherhead.JPG|thumb|upright|Methodist Church, Church Road]]
[[John Wesley]], the founder of [[Methodism]], visited Leatherhead only once in his lifetime. On 23 February 1791, he preached his final sermon in a house on Bull Hill, one week before his death.<ref name=Banks_Methodism>{{cite journal |last1= Banks |first1= Joyce |year= 2002 |title= Some notes on early Methodism in Surrey |url= https://www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk/sites/default/files/Surrey%20History%206-4.pdf |journal= Surrey History |volume= VI |issue= 4 |pages= 194–206 |access-date= 21 November 2020 |archive-date= 2 January 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210102102031/https://www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk/sites/default/files/Surrey%20History%206-4.pdf |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name=Benger_Methodism>{{cite journal |last1= Benger |first1= FM |year= 1965 |title= John Wesley's visit to Leatherhead |url= https://leatherheadhistoryarchive.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/VOL_2_NO_9_1965.pdf |journal= Proceedings of the Leatherhead & District Local History Society |volume= 2 |issue= 9 |pages= 265–269 |access-date= 1 February 2021 }}</ref> Despite his visit, there appears to have been no significant Methodist community in the town until the mid-19th century, when a small group of worshipers began meeting in Bridge Street.<ref name=Godfrey_Methodism>{{cite journal |last1= Godfrey |first1= B.E. |year= 2002 |title= The early history of Methodism in Leatherhead |url= https://leatherheadhistoryarchive.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/VOL_6_NO_6_2002.pdf  |journal= Proceedings of the Leatherhead & District Local History Society |volume= 6 |issue= 6 |pages= 158–161 |access-date= 19 February 2021 }}</ref><ref name=Vardey_1988_p289>{{harvnb|Vardey|1988|p=289}}</ref> The first purpose-built place of worship, the "Iron Chapel", so-named because it was primarily constructed of metal, was erected in 1887 on Church Road. The following year, the congregation numbered around 50, but grew rapidly to over 400 by 1891. Two years later, a new brick building, the present church, was constructed. The Iron Chapel, behind the new church, remained standing and was used for the [[Sunday school]], but was replaced in 1903 by a new hall.<ref name=Godfrey_Methodism/>

===Disciples Church===
Disciples Church is part of the [[Calvary Chapel Association]] of [[Evangelicalism|evangelical]] churches. It was formed in 2007 and adopted its present name in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://discipleschurch.co.uk/about-disciples-church/ |title= About Disciples Church |access-date= 1 November 2021 |date= 20 October 2020 |orig-date= 18 November 2014 |publisher= Disciples Church |archive-date= 1 November 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211101220433/https://discipleschurch.co.uk/about-disciples-church/ |url-status= live }}</ref>