The town has a long history. Its ford was probably used by Julius Caesar and was later controlled by the monks of Chertsey Abbey. By the time of Domesday Book there was a church and, soon after, a riverside wharf; while its 14th-century manor house still stands. In 1540 the building of nearby Oatlands Palace brought royal patronage. In the 18th century a bridge was built across the Thames and the next century brought the railway and the riverside became a centre for boating. Walton Studios brought glamour and an impressive roll of famous people. An enthralling account in a carefully researched text with superb illustrations.