▁and ▁E well . ▁The ▁town ▁str add les ▁ch alk ▁down land ▁( E ps om ▁Down s ) ▁and ▁the ▁upper ▁Th an et ▁Form ation . ▁ ▁E ps om ▁Down s ▁Race course ▁holds ▁The ▁Derby , ▁now ▁a ▁generic ▁name ▁for ▁sports ▁compet itions ▁in ▁English - spe aking ▁countries . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁also ▁gives ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁E ps om ▁sal ts , ▁originally ▁extracted ▁from ▁min eral ▁waters ▁there . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁E ps om ▁lies ▁within ▁the ▁Cop th or ne ▁H undred ▁used ▁for ▁periodic , ▁strateg ic ▁meet ings ▁of ▁the ▁wealth y ▁and ▁powerful ▁in ▁Ang lo - S ax on ▁England , ▁and ▁later ▁having ▁a ▁H undred ▁Court . ▁The ▁name ▁of ▁E ps om ▁is ▁early ▁recorded ▁as ▁forms ▁of ▁E bb a ' s ▁ham ▁( home ▁or ▁perhaps ▁man or ). ▁E bb a ▁was ▁a ▁Sax on ▁land owner . ▁ ▁Many ▁Spring ▁line ▁settlement s ▁by ▁spr ings ▁in ▁Ang lo - S ax on ▁England ▁were ▁founded ▁at ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁dry ▁valle ys ▁such ▁as ▁here ▁and ▁E ff ingham , ▁Book ham , ▁Che am , ▁S utton , ▁Car shal ton , ▁Cro yd on ▁and ▁B rom ley . ▁A ▁re lic ▁from ▁this ▁period ▁is ▁a ▁ 7 th - century ▁bro och ▁found ▁in ▁E ps om ▁and ▁now ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Museum . ▁ ▁Ch ert sey ▁Ab bey , ▁whose ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁main