Henry VIII built Nonsuch Palace on the edge of Cheam in the 1530s, meaning it to be the finest palace in the land, a place with none such like it. It was pulled down about a hundred and fifty years later, and today its site lies under the grass of Nonsuch Park. A later mansion in the park hosts weddings, and the village of Cheam, with its crossroads, timber-framed houses and old church, still has the feel of a place that grew up around the palace. Minibus hire Cheam customers book is led by weddings at Nonsuch and race days at Epsom, with school trips, family celebrations and runs to Gatwick.
Cheam sits in the south-west of Sutton borough, between Sutton town, Worcester Park, North Cheam and Ewell over the Surrey border. From our base in SE1, it's about fifty minutes to an hour outside the rush hour, via the A24 or the A217.
Minibus hire Cheam for Nonsuch Mansion weddings
Nonsuch Mansion, a Regency house in the middle of Nonsuch Park, hosts weddings and receptions, with the park and the formal gardens for the photographs. St Dunstan's, Cheam's parish church, also hosts weddings, and the old Lumley Chapel stands in its churchyard.
The minibus collects guests from their homes or a hotel, drops at the church or the mansion, carries on to the reception and does the late run home. Nonsuch Park has its own drive and car parks, with gates that close at set times, so we'll confirm the access and the waiting point with the venue. Minibus hire Cheam couples book often includes a separate run for the bridal party and the photographer. Some wedding parties use the park for photographs after a ceremony at St Dunstan's, and we'll build in time for the short drive between them.
Ten minutes from Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs racecourse is about ten to fifteen minutes from Cheam, which makes the village one of the closest parts of London to the course. Derby Day and Ladies Day in early June draw huge crowds, and the summer evening meetings are popular with office groups and friends.
Racing groups book us to get to the Downs and back. On the big days, the roads around the course are controlled and coaches and minibuses park in set areas, so we'll confirm the arrangements and set a meeting point for the return. Leaving after the last race takes time, and the Ewell bypass and the A240 are slow, so allow for it.
Whitehall and school trips
Whitehall, on Malden Road in Cheam Village, is a timber-framed house built around 1500, and it's now a museum with rooms from different centuries and displays on Nonsuch Palace. Schools visit for Tudor history, and history societies come for talks and tours.
Cheam's primary and secondary schools, along with the grammar schools nearby, book us for museum visits in central London, swimming, sports fixtures and residential trips. Nonsuch Park, with its open grassland and the outline of the old palace, suits a history walk or a science trip. The park also hosts a Saturday parkrun and summer events, and its café and walled garden make it popular for family gatherings.
Cheam Village and family celebrations
The village centre around the crossroads has restaurants, cafés and pubs, and it's a popular spot for a birthday lunch or an anniversary dinner. Cheam Park, by the station, has sports pitches and woodland, and the cricket and tennis clubs nearby have junior sections that travel to fixtures.
For family celebrations, the driver collects guests from homes across Cheam, North Cheam and Worcester Park and brings them back at the end. For clubs, the team and the kit travel together and the driver stays for the match.
Gatwick and Heathrow
Gatwick is about thirty to forty minutes from Cheam outside the rush hour, via the A217 and the M25. Heathrow is about forty minutes, via the A240 and the M25 or through Kingston. Luton and Stansted are well over an hour away.
For a family holiday, a minibus from the door saves dragging cases to the station and changing trains at Sutton or Clapham Junction. When the family flies home, we'll time the pickup to the landing.
The crossroads and the A217
Cheam Village crossroads, where the Ewell Road, Malden Road, High Street and Station Way meet, is narrow and busy, with shops on every corner and limited stopping. The A217, to the east, is the main route south to the M25, and the A24 and A240 to the west are busy at peak times. On race days, the roads towards Epsom slow from late morning. Pickups in the village happen on a side road or at the station, and for wedding days we'll build in time for the crossroads.
For minibus hire in Cheam, call 020 7183 0567.