Epsom is a commuter town in Surrey, south-east England, located just outside the boundary of London. It was notable as a spa in the eighteenth century, and the influx of fashionable visitors to 'take the waters' encouraged other leisure activities, notably horse racing. Epsom is still a major racing centre, and The Derby, which began in 1780 and takes place at Epsom each June, is the most prestigious flat race in the United Kingdom.