Норк: Тарихы мен географиясы

Nork is a residential area of the borough of Reigate and Banstead in Surrey and borders Greater London, England. Nork is separated from its post town Banstead only by the A217 dual carriageway, and the built up area is also contiguous with similar parts of Tattenham Corner and Burgh Heath. A thin belt of more open land separates it from the communities to the north: Epsom, Ewell, Cheam and Belmont. There are two parades of shops, one called the Driftbridge and another at the north eastern end of Nork Way, the street which runs centrally through the residential area. Nork lies on chalk near the top of the gentle north facing slope of the North Downs, 175 m (575 ft) above sea level at its highest point.

It has been suggested that the word "Nork", as well as "Nore" and "Nower", might derive from the Latin noverca, which literally means a stepmother, but which was applied to a feature which dominates, and thus weakens, a fortified camp. Others consider it more likely to be derived from the Old English word "nook", meaning secluded, tranquil and a corner. A third proposed derivation is from "northern oak". The first recorded application of the name was to a "Nork close" (enclosed field) in 1723. The Buckle family were owners of the adjacent Burgh Manor from 1614 to 1847. In 1834 a celebrated highway robbery and murder occurred along what is now Yew Tree Bottom road where it joins the Reigate Road (Purcell's Gap). A Mr Richardson, returning from the Epsom cornmarket to Bletchingley, had dismounted on account of the steep climb, and was ambushed by two men whom he had considered suspicious on his outward trip that morning. Later in that century the railway arrived (1865), primarily to serve Epsom Racecourse. In the 19th century, the Buckle family had sold their estates to the Perceval/Arden family, who in turn sold them to the Colman family, of mustard fame. Housing development became rapid after 1923, and in 1925 the Nork Residents' Association was formed, publishing the Nork Quarterly, a bulletin that still appears regularly today. Nork began to be used as an official place name outside of the park itself from 1965 when Banstead was divided into two wards named "Banstead Village" and "Nork", equal in population and number of councillors. During World War II, Nork received occasional damage from bombs, V 1 flying bombs and crashed aircraft. Some fortifications were built in preparation for an invasion, and later Canadian and British soldiers were stationed in Nork Park, occupying some of the buildings remaining from the estate as well as specially constructed Nissen huts. After the war, the Nissen huts were utilised by the council as temporary accommodation for council tenants, then demolished as tenants were moved into prefabs. Housing development continued after a break during the war. Amongst the last large scale developments were the Rose Bushes estate in the 1960s and the High Beeches estate in the 1970s. Recently, in fill development has converted some of the large rear gardens of the original development into small housing schemes; there is opposition to this from some local residents and their elected representatives.

In a front garden along The Drive lies Tumble Beacon, a scheduled ancient monument. Originally it was a prehistoric bowl barrow, a funeral monument situated, as is typical, on one of the highest prominences in the region. At latest in Tudor times, it was built up to serve as a beacon where a fire would be lit to warn of the approach of hostile forces. In World War II an air raid shelter was dug inside. A group of Saxon burial mounds, or hlaews, lies in the north part of Nork ward on the part of Banstead Downs west of the main A217 road. When one was excavated in 1972, archaeologists found late 7th, or possibly early 8th, century artefacts, including a spear, knife, shield boss, hanging bowl and textile. The primary burial was of a well built and unusually tall (1.9 m; 6 ft) warrior, a regular horse rider, probably in his late 20s. Another five skeletons appeared to be centuries later victims of the medieval gallows that gave rise to the local place name Gally Hills. In 1912 the Colman family rebuilt the mansion called Great Burgh, over the Reigate Road from Nork House. This neo Georgian house is now a Grade II listed building. It was used as a research establishment by the Distillers Company (during which time a number of important chemical processes were developed there), then by British Petroleum and Beecham Pharmaceuticals, and later as offices and accommodation by Toyota, who have their UK headquarters here. Since 2016, the original building has been occupied by the Science Group and their subsidiary Leatherhead Food Research. Amongst "locally listed buildings" are two estate cottages (Driftways and Crossways) near the Driftbridge, both built about 1890, and West Lodge, a flint built gatehouse for Nork House on the Reigate Road.

The buildings in the area are predominantly detached or semi detached houses. and in 2007 was converted into apartments. There are now no hotels or pubs in Nork, the closest ones lying at the far end of Banstead village and at Tattenham Corner. A smaller, third parade of shops lies just south of Nork ward, on Tattenham Way. The Anglican church of St Paul in Warren Road was opened in 1930 specifically to serve the new housing estates in Nork. Also within easy walking distance of parts of Nork is Tattenham Corner station, the end station of the Tattenham Corner Line from the mainline junction at Purley. Nork is also served by several bus routes, some running through Nork itself (166, 318), and others accessible from nearby Tattenham Way (420), Banstead High Street (S1) or Tattenham Corner (460/480). Direct destinations include Epsom, Croydon, Sutton, Mitcham, Redhill, Gatwick Airport and Crawley.

Warren Mead Infant School and Warren Mead Junior School are in Nork. The Beacon School is an academy secondary school located next to Nork Park, and was formerly known as Nork Park School. Confusingly, The Beacon School had been the name of a preparatory school on the site where Beacon Close now stands. Residents are also likely to send their children further afield for education.

Nork Park lies to the south of the main residential area, bordering Tattenham Corner and Burgh Heath. It derives from part of the 18th century park around the demolished Nork House, The Park is partly chalk grassland of value for its flora, and there are also hedgerows, avenues and areas of woodland, including a small arboretum. It is much used for dog walking.

[[File:Gally Hills Saxon tumulus Banstead Surrey UK. JPG|thumb|upright|Gally Hills tumulus on Banstead Downs

Banstead Downs has been preserved as a result of a 16 year long legal battle at the end of the 19th century between the Commoners and Sir John Cradock Hartopp, who wished to exploit the land for housing and topsoil. As a result, after 1893 the Downs has been administered by the Banstead Commons Conservators. Near the 18th tee of the golf course is a memorial to an American pilot Lt Andrew Jackson, who bravely steered his plane away from houses, crashing here in 1944. Elsewhere on this golf course lies the Gally Hills ancient monument, described above. The London Loop, a 240 km signed walk around London, passes through Nork here, crossing the Brighton Road (A217) just north of Banstead Crossroads. The walk is divided into sections designed to start and end at points accessible by public transport and Banstead Station forms one such "official" point of access.

The 2011 census recorded the population as 7556 (cf. 7351 in 2001); 22% were under 18 and 19% over 65. The area is fairly prosperous and middle class: of those residents aged 16–64, 38% had university or professional qualifications (England and Wales = 30%) and 79% were in employment (England and Wales = 71%). In 2018, only 0.5% of this age group were claiming out of work benefits (cf. 2.3% for Great Britain). In 2011, only 6% of households lacked a car and 60% had more than one. The population was 92% white with 90% of residents born in the UK.