Epsom was originally prepared by boiling down mineral waters which sprung at Epsom. The town's market is built on the pond that existed in the Middle Ages. Within the centuries-old boundaries is Epsom Downs Racecourse which features two of the five English Classic horse races; "The Derby" and "The Oaks", which were first run in 1780 and 1779 respectively. On 4 June 1913, Emily Davison, a militant women's suffrage activist, stepped in front of King George V's horse running in the Derby, sustaining fatal injuries. The British Prime Minister and first chairman of the London County Council, Lord Rosebery, was sent
King George V Memorial his death that year. The Government sought submissions for the design of the monument, and a proposal submitted by sculptor Rayner Hoff and architect Harry Foskett was selected. However, Hoff died in 1937 before work began on the memorial, and John E Moorfield was selected to complete the memorial using Hoff's design. The memorial includes a bronze statue of King George V on one of its faces. A stone statue of Saint George mounted on a horse is also located on the rear face, and commemorates George V's leadership of the British Empire during the First World War. The Museum