Month: August 2025

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council Launches Two New Virtual Day Trips

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has launched two new inclusive tours, part of their Virtual Day Trips series, in partnership with Whistlestop Tours. These two new virtual tours explore Epsom and Ewell, shining a spotlight on the history and cultural heritage of the two places. The Virtual Day Trips can be watched online for free – from the comfort of home, a school classroom or in shared communal or community spaces.

The tours include film and audio. Immersive resource packs and memory boxes, designed to bring the tours to life, are also available.

The Epsom and Ewell Virtual Day Trips were funded by the Arts, Culture and Heritage UKSPF 2024/25 allocation. The tours sit alongside the Nonsuch Formal Gardens tour produced in 2024.

The project is part of the council’s strategy to widen access to the rich heritage of histories within our borough, allowing people to engage with the information and activities in a way that is comfortable to them.

The tours last for around 30 minutes. Highlights include:

• architectural elements from Nonsuch Palace that can be found by the Assembly Rooms in Epsom town centre
• meeting residents and hearing about their passions, from throwing pottery to playing the bandura, the national instrument of Ukraine
• taking a rare peek inside the Watch House on Ewell High Street
• hearing ghost stories from residents, and
• enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour from the Epsom Beekeepers Association.

Speaking of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s Virtual Day Trips, Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee, said: “I have lived in the borough of Epsom & Ewell for many years, and I found these tours completely fascinating. I thoroughly recommend them, whether you are new to the borough, a long-time resident like me, or someone who is interested in the local area – they can be enjoyed by everyone. These two new inclusive Virtual Day Trips show our commitment to increasing access to our borough’s rich history and cultural heritage. They will help people really get to know our fantastic local area.”

Virtual Day Trips:

Explore Epsom & Ewell here:

https://www.whistlestoparts.org/epsom

https://www.whistlestoparts.org/ewell

The first Virtual Day Trip which was produced was Nonsuch Park, which can be viewed here: https://www.whistlestoparts.org/nonsuch

Digital tours are also available for Horton Country Park and Nonsuch Park on Bloomberg Connects. Take a look:

Horton Country Park Local Nature Reserve: Take a Tour of Horton Country Park Local Nature Reserve | Horton Light Railway | Bloomberg Connects

Nonsuch Park: Nonsuch Park | Bloomberg Connects