Editing Leatherhead (section)

===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 Although it is not mentioned in Domesday book, the oldest parts date from around 1080 and it may have superseded the Anglo-Saxon minster as the parish church at the start of the 12th century.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>