Welcome to the Oxted & District History Society 

Our Programme & Activities

Formed in 1960, the Society presents an annual programme of talks which take place fortnightly at 8.00 pm on Tuesday evenings between October and March, normally at the United Reformed Church, Bluehouse Lane, Oxted, RH8 0AA.  There are ten main talks each year and two shorter ones, at Christmas and at the AGM in March. 

Our 2025-26 season begins on Tuesday 7 October with a talk by Dr David Rudling on Pompei & Herculaneum.  Full details of the new season's programme can be seen here.

Talks cover all aspects and periods of history from ancient to modern.  As well as leading historians, speakers include archeologists, archivists and experts from the heritage sector, authors and independent researchers; talks are also presented by our own members.  

The annual membership fee is £20 per person, which includes free admission to all our meetings. A reduced rate is offered to new members from January onwards for the remainder of the season. Guests are very welcome to attend for a fee of £5 per meeting.  Entry is free for full-time students and people aged under 18.  If you would like to become a member or attend a meeting, please contact the Society through the email address given below.   More information on membership and on our meetings can also be found here.

The Society also publishes an annual newsletter and organises an annual summer visit to a place of historic interest in the south east.  In 2025 we went to Arundel.  Previous visits have included Chatham Dockyard, Walmer Castle, Brooklands Motor & Aviation Museum, Brighton Pavilion and  Jane Austen’s House in Hampshire.  Further information about our past visits can be found here.

If you are seeking information or are carrying out research into the history of Oxted and the neighbouring area, or the county of Surrey, many of the more than 30 web sites listed on our links page may be of interest and the photos page contains a selection of images of the district. Please note that the Society does not hold any archives or records of its own and is unable to assist with enquiries about individuals in connection with family histories.