Claygate is an affluent[2] suburban village in Surrey, England, 14 miles (23 kilometres) southwest of central London.

Adjoining Esher and Hinchley Wood to the west and north respectively, and bordered by green belt land to the south and east, Claygate lies within the Greater London Built-up Area.

[3] Claygate may have its name from the clay pits in the village that provided bricks for a large surrounding area including some of Hampton Court Palace.

[4] Equally, mid-distance routes chose a line to avoid this land, before the advent of road surfacing, such as those through Tolworth and Esher.

Scant remains were traced in boundary lines of an early medieval track running from Kingston Hill to the ford of the Mole near to a square entrenchment in Leatherhead almost in Stoke D'Abernon.

With commanding views over the surrounding countryside is Ruxley Towers, a Neo-Gothic Victorian edifice constructed by Lord Foley who owned a considerable amount of land.

[8] Claygate's topsoil rests upon the youngest beds of the London Clay after which the village is named, here capped in places by sand in the southern part of the civil parish.

Constrained by the Green Belt, demand has resulted in Claygate being subject to a level of permitted in-fill and back-garden development.

Claygate is in the editorial area of BBC Surrey, although its proximity to London means all of the capital's radio stations can be heard.

Additionally, Rowan Preparatory School operates as a private independent institution, offering nursery and primary education specifically for girls.

The local Anglican church, "Holy Trinity," constructed in 1840, stands out due to its unique dual spires.

For adherents of Roman Catholicism, the Church of the Holy Name, located on Arbrook Lane in Esher, offers services.

A major annual event is the Claygate Flower & Village Show which takes place on the Recreation Ground in late July each year.

These have included Cliff Richard, Gloria Hunniford, Tony Stamp and Roger Valentine from The Bill, Bernie Nolan, Mick Hucknall, Ronnie Wood, Anthea Turner and most recently Bobby Davro.

The A3 trunk road has its Hinchley Wood and Esher (A309) spur road directly north of Claygate allowing a traffic-lit junction with convenient access to/from London, and second junction by the Scilly Isles Roundabout with access to Hampton Court Bridge for journeys north.

At Surrey County Council, one of its 81 councillors represents the area within the Hinchley Wood, Claygate and Oxshott division.