Surrey
Webpages concerning "Surrey"
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The contents has been generating using technology developed by scientec.
Wikipedia-Article "Surrey"
- For other places with the same name, see Surrey (disambiguation).
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| Geography | |
| Status | Ceremonial & Non-metropolitan county |
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| Origin | Historic |
| Region: | South East England |
| Area - Total - Admin. council |
Ranked 35th 1,663 km² Ranked 31st |
| Admin HQ: | Kingston |
| ISO 3166-2: | GB-SRY |
| ONS code: | 43 |
| NUTS 3: | UKJ23 |
| Demographics | |
| Population - Total (2004 est.) - Density - Admin. Council |
Ranked 13th 1,067,200 639 / km² Ranked 5th |
| Ethnicity: | 95.0% White 2.2% S. Asian |
| Politics | |
 Surrey County Council http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/ |
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| Executive | Conservative |
| Members of Parliament | |
| Districts | |
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Surrey is a county in southern England, part of the South East England region and one of the Home Counties.
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Location and divisions
Surrey borders Berkshire, Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. It is divided into 11 boroughs and districts: Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Guildford, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley, Woking.
Settlement
Surrey has a population of approximately one million. The county town is Guildford, which despite having a cathedral is not a city, and which is home to the University of Surrey. Today, the council is still based in Kingston although there are plans to move the offices to Woking.
Due to its proximity to London there are a great many commuter villages in Surrey, the population density is high and the residents of the county are more affluent, on average, than other UK citizens.
Surrey contains a good deal of mature woodland (reflected in the official logo of Surrey County Council, a pair of interlocking oak leaves). Among its many notable beauty spots are Box Hill, Frensham Ponds and Puttenham Common. It is apparently the most wooded county in Great Britain and Box Hill has the oldest untouched area of natural woodland in the UK, one of the oldest in Europe.
Much of Surrey is in the Green Belt and is rolling downland, the county's geology being dominated by the chalk hills of the North Downs. Agriculture not being intensive, there are many commons and access lands, together with an extensive network of footpaths and bridleways including the North Downs Way, a scenic long-distance path. Accordingly, Surrey provides much in the way of rural leisure activities, with a very large horse population.
The highest point in Surrey is Leith Hill near Dorking at 968 ft (295 m) above sea level.
History
- Main article: History of Surrey
The name comes from the Old English suther-ge meaning southern district, and is first recorded in AD 722 as Suthrige.
Surrey is known to have had at least one sub-king, Frithuwald, who died around the year 686. It is not known if he was from a native dynasty or was an appointee of East Saxons or Mercian overlords.
Surrey was anciently divided into the 14 hundreds of Blackheath, Brixton, Copthorne, Effingham, Elmbridge, Farnham, Godalming, Godley, Kingston, Reigate, Tandridge, Wallington, Woking and Wotton.
Until 1889 Surrey contained the area of the present-day London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth. In 1965 the area of the boroughs of Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Sutton were made part of Greater London, and Spelthorne acquired from Middlesex.
The 1974 local government reforms caused Gatwick Airport and some surrounding land to be transferred to West Sussex. Under the Local Government Act 1972 Horley and Charlwood were transferred, however fierce local opposition led to a reversal of this under the Charlwood and Horley Act 1974.
Towns and villages
See the list of places in Surrey.
Education
- Charterhouse School in Godalming
- Epsom College
- Glyn Technology School in Ewell
- Reigate Grammar School
- Rosebery School in Epsom
- Royal Grammar School, Guildford
- Royal Holloway in Egham
- St George's College in Weybridge
- University of Surrey in Guildford
- Oxted County School in Oxted
Places of interest
National Trust properties
Box Hill just north of Dorking is woodland and chalk downland with superb views from the top of the hill. The eminent British myrmecologist and coleopterist Horace Donisthorpe frequented this location during his studies of British ants.
Clandon Park, an 18th century Palladian mansion in West Clandon to the east of Guildford. The house, which holds interesting collections, and the gardens are both attractive.
Claremont Landscape Garden, south of Esher. The gardens date from 1715,
Dapdune Wharf on the River Wey in Guildford is home to a restored Wey barge, the Reliance.
Devil's Punch Bowl at Hindhead is another common with fine views and walks.
Frensham Common home to a variety of plant, animal and birdlife. Scenic with pleasant walks (and horse rides). Frensham Great Pond houses assorted sailing activities whilst Frensham Little Pond provides family picnicing spots.
Hatchlands Park in East Clandon, east of Guildford, was built in 1758 with Robert Adam interiors and a fine keyboard collection.
Holmbury St Mary is a charming village in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, close to the Greensand Way and North Downs Way. It was developed in the 19th century and still has a mainly Victorian character as on the whole no new building is allowed. The youth hostel, constructed in the village in 1935, was the first purpose-built by the Youth Hostels Association.
Leith Hill to the south west of Dorking is the highest point in south-east England. Woods, Rhodedendrons and magnificent views from the many walks.
Oakhurst Cottage in Hambledon near Godalming is a restored 16th century worker's home.
Polesden Lacey south of Great Bookham is a Regency villa with extensive grounds. Each summer open air theatre is presented in the grounds.
River Wey & Godalming Navigations from Godalming to the Thames at Weybridge. Interesting scenery, well kept locks and well maintained towpaths make for pleasant walks.
Runnymede at Egham is the site of the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. Attractive meadows and woodland, part of which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Shalford Mill is an 18th century water-mill on the River Tillingbourne.
Winkworth Arboretum south east of Godalming was created in the 20th century with impressive flowers in the spring and magnificent colours in the autumn.
Witley Common is heathland south of Godalming.
Wotton Wotton House was the family seat of John Evelyn, the 17th-century diarist and horticulturist.
Other places of interest
- Guildford Cathedral is a post-war cathedral built from bricks made from the clay hill on which it stands.
- Waverley Abbey.
- Surrey Hills AONB
- Royal Earlswood Hospital is an early psychiatric hospital which housed the autistic savant James Henry Pullen and The Queen Mother's two nieces: Nerissa Bowes-Lyon and Katherine Bowes-Lyon.
- Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley.
- Brooklands Museum
Youth hostels
- Hindhead - Devil's Punch Bowl, Thursley. This is a totally secluded cottage in a rural beauty spot and has no car access.
- Holmbury St Mary - In wooded grounds in the hills with easy access. SE of Abinger.
- Tanners Hatch - A cottage in the woods on the outskirts of Ranmore Common NW of Dorking.
External links
- Surrey County Council
- Surrey Interactive Map
- University of Surrey Homepage
- SurreyProperty.com/aerial.html aerial photographs
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