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Kent

Kent

:This article is about the English county of Kent. See also Kent (disambiguation). Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. The county town is Maidstone. Kent has land borders with East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London, and a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames estuary. Kent also has a nominal border with France halfway along the Channel Tunnel. The two cities in Kent are Canterbury, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Rochester, the seat of the Bishop of Rochester. However, since 1998 when local government was reorganised, Rochester lost its official city status through an administrative oversight; attempts are now being made to regain it. For other towns, see the list below. Kent, because of its soubriquet "the Garden of England", might be regarded as a picturesque rural county, but farming is still an industry. Over the centuries many other industries have been of importance; some still are. Woollen cloth-making, iron-making; paper; cement; engineering: all have been part of the industrial scene. Fishing and tourism occupy many people, especially the coastal resorts. The East Kent coalfield was mined in the 20th century: and there is a nuclear power station located at Dungeness. Nevertheless, the district of Thanet has been regarded as one of the most disadvantaged areas in the south-east of England. Ferry ports, the Channel Tunnel and two motorways provide links with the European continent. There are airports at Manston and Rochester and smaller airfields at Headcorn and Lydd. Famous residents of Kent have included Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin. Sir Winston Churchill's home Chartwell is also in Kent. Although the Victoria County History for Kent is limited, an extensive survey of the county was undertaken over a 50-year period by Edward Hasted between 1755-1805. William Lambarde was an even earlier writer, in the 16th century.

History

:Main article: History of Kent The area has been occupied since the Lower Palaeolithic as finds from the quarries at Swanscombe attest. During the Neolithic the Medway megaliths were built and there is a rich sequence of Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman occupation indicated by finds and features such as the Ringlemere gold cup and the Roman villas of the Darent valley. The modern name Kent is derived from the Brythonic word Cantus meaning a rim or border, being applied as a name to the eastern part of the modern county, and meaning border land or coastal district. Julius Caesar described it as Cantium, home of the Cantiaci in 51BC. The extreme west of the modern county was occupied by other Iron Age tribes; the Regnenses and possibly another ethnic group occupying The Weald. East Kent became one of the kingdoms of the Jutes during the fifth century AD (see Kingdom of Kent) and the area was later known as Cantia in about AD730 and Cent in AD835. The early Mediaeval inhabitants of the county were known as the Cantwara or Kent people, whose capital was Canterbury. Canterbury is the religious centre of the Anglican faith, and see of St Augustine of Canterbury. Augustine is traditionally credited with bring Christianity to the county and thus to England in 597. Following the invasion of Britain by William of Normandy the people of Kent adopted the motto Invicta meaning undefeated and claiming (quite wrongly) that they had frightened the Normans away, presumably in an attempt to defame the people of Hastings in neighbouring Sussex. During the medieval period, Kent produced several rebellions including the Peasants' Revolt led by Wat Tyler and later, Jack Cade's rebellion of 1450. Thomas Wyatt led an army into London from Kent in 1553, against Mary I. Canterbury became a great pilgrimage site following the martyrdom of Thomas Becket. Canterbury's religious role also gave rise to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, a key development in the rise of the written English language and ostensibly set in the countryside of Kent. By the 17th century, tensions between Britain and the continental powers of the Netherlands and France led to increasing military build-up in the county. Forts were built all along the coast following a daring raid by the Dutch navy on the shipyards of the Medway towns in 1667. During the Second World War, airfields in Kent became played a vital part in the Battle of Britain while civilian settlements were often bombed.

Geography

Physical geography

Kent is the southeasternmost county in England. It is bounded on the north by the River Thames and the North Sea, and on the south by the Straits of Dover and the English Channel. The continent of Europe is a mere 21 miles across the Strait. The major geographical features of the county are determined by a series of ridges running from west to east across the county. These ridges are the remains of the Wealden dome, which was the result of uplifting caused by the Alpine movements between 10-20 million years ago. Erosion has resulted in these ridges and the valleys between. From the north they are: the marshlands along the Thames/Medway estuaries and along the North Kent coast; the chalk North Downs reaching heights of around 600ft; the sandstone and clay valley containing the River Medway and its tributaries; the Greensand ridge; the Wealden clay valley and finally the sandstone High Weald. The highest point of the county is Betsom's Hill, GR TQ435563, at 251m/823ft. Probably the most significant geographical feature of Kent is the White Cliffs. It is here that the North Downs reaches the sea. From there to Westerham is now the Kent Downs Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty AONB. The Weald derives its ancient name from the Germanic word wald meaning simply woodland. Much of the area remains today densely wooded; where there are also heavy clays the tracks through are nearly impassable for much of the year. Kent's principal river, the River Medway, rises near Edenbridge and flows some 25 miles (40km) eastwards to a point near Maidstone when it turns north. Here it breaks through the North Downs at Rochester before joining the River Thames as its final tributary near Sheerness. The river is tidal as far as Allington lock, but in earlier times cargo-carrying vessels reached as far upstream as Tonbridge. There are other rivers in Kent.

Industries

In medieval times the Weald was of national importance for two industries: the iron industry and cloth-making. Kent is sometimes known as the Garden of England because of its agricultural influence, extensive orchards and hop-gardens. Distinctive hop-drying buildings called oast houses are common in the countryside, although many have been converted into dwellings. Nearer London, market gardens also flourish. In more recent times, three industries have been of some importance: paper-making, cement-making and coal-mining:
- Paper needs a supply of the right kind of water: in Kent the original mills stood on streams like the River Darent, tributaries of the River Medway, and on the Great Stour. Two 18th century mills were on the River Len and at Tovil on the River Loose. In the late 19th century huge modern mills were built at Dartford and Northfleet on the River Thames; and at Kemsley on The Swale.
- Cement came to the fore in the 19th century when massive building projects were being undertaken. The ready supply of chalk available, and huge pits between Stone and Gravesend bear testament to that industry. There were also other workings around Burham on the tidal Medway.
- Coal was mined in East Kent: from about 1900 several pits were operating, and Snowdown Colliery was opened in 1908. The coalfield is now closed.

Political divisions

Man of Kent or Kentish Man?

Kent is traditionally divided into West Kent and East Kent by the River Medway. This division into east and west is also reflected in the term Men of Kent for residents east of the Medway; those from west are known as Kentish Men. However, further investigation shows that the division is not the Medway, but further east in Gillingham. Edward Hasted, in his 1798 description of Rainham, writes: "The whole of this parish is in the division of East Kent which begins here, the adjoining parish of Gillingham, westward, being wholly in that of West Kent." The division, according to one historian, Freddie Cooper, a former Mayor of Gillingham, remained until April 1, 1929 when Rainham was transferred, despite protest, from the administration of Milton Rural District Council to that of Gillingham. In religious matters, Kent was divided between the two episcopal areas of Canterbury and Rochester.

Lathes

A lathe was an ancient administration division of Kent, and may well have originated during a Jutish colonisation of the county. These ancient divisions still exist, but have no administrative significance. There are seven Lathes in Kent; Aylesford, Milton, Sutton, Borough, Eastry, Lympne and Wye. these units are recorded as intermediate between the county and hundred. The Domesday Book reveals that in 1086 Kent was divided into the seven lathes or "lest(um)" for administrative, judicial and taxation purposes and these units remained important for another 600 years. Each of the seven lathes were divided into smaller areas called hundreds, although the difference between the functions of lathes and hundreds remains unclear.
- Taken from Frank W Jessup's History of Kent 1958

Feudalism

A Manorial court was an early form of dispensing justice which came into being after the Domesday Book. Among other things it dealt with land tenure. After the 17th century most of the court's functions were taken over by a Justice of the Peace, who had first been appointed from the 14th century. From 1361 until 1971 the justices met four times a year in Quarter Sessions. In Kent there were separate courts of Quarter Sessions (at Maidstone and Canterbury) until 1814.

The Poor Law

Under the Poor Law every parish had had the responsibility of looking after its own poor, and seeing that they had the bare minimum of shelter, food, clothing and medical attention. In most parishes the burden of poor relief mounted rapidly in the early part of the 19th century. Huge population increase, and the lack of work on the land, made it imperative that the Poor Law was amended. It was, in 1834, when the institutions known as workhouses came into being. These were often run by a group of parishes — hence the title Union Workhouse. Boards of Guardians were set up to oversee them.

Boards of Health

Boards of Health, in much the same way as the Boards of Guardians for the poor, were set up in 1875, because of the huge rise in epidemics, notably of cholera. The area of the sanitary districts, as they were known, coincided with the union boundaries. Larger parishes (<5000 people) became urban sanitary districts — or, as they became known, urban districts — while the smaller ones evolved into rural districts.

Highway boards

Highway boards also came into being, and the old turnpike trusts gradually expired.

Municipal boroughs

The final sub-division of Kent was into towns which had been granted a charter by the Crown giving them special privileges, including that of having a mayor. The boroughs at the beginning of the 19th century are those marked (MB) on the list of Cities & Towns below. In addition the village of Fordwich also counted as a borough: it was deprived of that status in 1882.

Kent County Council

In 1888 an Act of Parliament set up, inter alia, Kent County Council which, with its members coming from all parts of the county (except Canterbury, which became a County Borough with similar powers), first met in 1889. Its duties at first were few, but gradually it absorbed School Boards, the rural Highway Boards and the Boards of Guardians.

Parish councils

In 1894, parish councils were set up. These were civil parishes, and unconnected with an ecclesiastical parish. Although since 1979 there have been many changes in local government, parish councils now are in a strong position, particularly in unitary authorities, where they act as a second tier. In other districts, some functions are held by the county council, relegating parish councils to a less influential third-tier status. Parish rates are today collected by the district or unitary tier and then disbursed to parish clerks. Those parish councils serving areas of denser settlement are normally known as town councils although their rank and influence is much the same. These traditionally elect a mayor from the town councillors with the greatest experience.
- All the preceding notes in this section taken from Kent History Illustrated Frank W Jessup (Kent County Council 1966)

Local Government Act 1972

In 1974 the old division between county and borough came to an end, with England being divided below county level into districts. Canterbury, hitherto separately administered as a county borough, became one of the boroughs into which Kent was divided.

Medway unitary authority

In 1998 the districts of Gillingham and Rochester were removed from county council government to become the unitary authority entitled the Borough of Medway.

Kent and London

When the County of London and London County Council were created in 1888, the new county incorporated a considerable part of north west Kent including Deptford, Greenwich, Woolwich and Lewisham. Further change came in 1965, when the London County Council was abolished and the Greater London Council took its place. The places that had been removed in 1888 were amalgamated to form the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Greenwich and two further boroughs were created. These were the London Borough of Bromley — an amalgamation of Bromley, Beckenham, Chislehurst, Orpington and Penge and the London Borough of Bexley comprising Bexley, Sidcup, Erith and Crayford. Much of the north-west of the county is part of the London commuter belt. The Thames Gateway regeneration area includes riverside areas of north Kent as far east as Sittingbourne and largely to the north of the A2 road.

Ceremonial county

The ceremonial county of Kent corresponds to the administrative county plus the district of Medway (or Medway Towns).

Cities, towns and villages

See the list of places in Kent, list of civil parishes in Kent

Places of interest


- Bayham Abbey Lamberhurst [2]
- Bedgebury Pinetum
- Bewl Water
- Bough Beech Reservoir, Ide Hill
- Bluewater Shopping Centre
- Canterbury Cathedral
- Chartwell, Winston Churchill's home [1]
- Chatham_Dockyard It has been suggested Chatham originated the word chav.
- Chiddingstone Castle
- Cinque Ports
- Deal Castle [2]
- Dolphin Yard Sailing Barge Museum, Sittingbourne
- Dover Castle [2]
- Dungeness Power Station
- East Kent Railway, a heritage railway
- Emmett's Garden, Ide Hill [1]
- Faversham
- Hever Castle
- Hoo Peninsula
- Ightham Mote 14th century house [1]
- Isle of Grain
- Isle of Sheppey
- Isle of Thanet
- Kent & East Sussex Railway, a heritage railway
- Kent Battle of Britain Museum
- Kent International Airport (formerly known as London Manston Airport) with two aviation museums
- Knole, Sevenoaks [1]
- Leeds Castle
- North Downs Way, a long distance footpath
- Penshurst Place
- Reculver Roman Fort & Reculver Tower
- Richborough Castle & Roman Fort, near Sandwich [2]
- Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, a heritage railway
- Romney Marsh
- Royal Engineers Museum of Military Engineering, Gillingham
- St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury [2]
- Scotney Castle [1]
- Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Sissinghurst [1]
- Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway, a heritage railway
- Smallhythe Place, Tenterden [1]
- Squerryes Court & Garden, Westerham
- Turner Gallery to open in Margate
- Upnor Castle [2]
- Walmer Castle & Gardens [2]
- The Wantsum Channel
  - [1] Properties under the care of the National Trust
  - [2] Properties under the care of English Heritage

External links


- [http://www.kent.gov.uk/ Kent County Council] - Local Government website
- [http://www.kentonline.co.uk/ Kent Online] - A Kent Messenger Group website
- [http://www.camelotintl.com/heritage/counties/england/kent.html Kent heritage]
- [http://www.digiserve.com/peter/village.htm Kent resources website]
- [http://www.kentdowns.org.uk Kent Downs AONB website]
- [http://www.villagenet.co.uk/ Village Net web site has photographs and historic details of over 240 Villages in Kent and East Sussex]
- [http://www.historic-kent.co.uk/ provides further information on villages throughout Kent. It makes the point that there thought to be over 300, although the term 'village' covers settlements of a great variation in size. There is a 'Select a destination' box for the alphabetical list]
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/places/names/index.shtml#a Spelling of placenames in the county from BBC website]

References


- Glover, J., Place names of Kent.
- Freddie Cooper, personal research
- Men of Kent: Sorry ... but we’re joining a new tribe, by Stephen Rayner, Memories page, Medway News, October 2004
ko:켄트 주 simple:Kent

Kent (disambiguation)

Many things are named Kent:

Counties


- County of Kent, England
- Chatham-Kent, Ontario (formerly Kent County)
- Kent County, Delaware
- Kent County, Maryland
- Kent County, Michigan
- Kent County, New Brunswick
- Kent County, Rhode Island
- Kent County, Texas

Universities


- Kent State University, Ohio, United States of America
- University of Kent at Canterbury

Smaller localities


- Kent, Connecticut
- Kent, Iowa
- Kent, Illinois
- Kent, Indiana
- Kent, Minnesota
- Kent, New York
- Kent, Ohio
- Kent, Oregon
- Kent, Texas
- Kent, Washington
- Kent City, Michigan

People (fictional or otherwise)


- Clark Kent, a fictional character, and the secret identity of Superman
- James Tyler Kent, the physician
- Peter Kent, Global news reporter
- Arthur Kent, Canadian television journalist
- Rockwell Kent, the artist
- William Kent, the architect
- James Kent (Chancellor Kent), the legal scholar for whose family Kent, New York is named
- Kent (Fire Emblem), a fictional character from the Fire Emblem series.
- Corita Kent, artist and nun
- Arthur Atwater Kent, engineer and inventor.

Other things named Kent


- Kent cigarettes was a cigarette brand, first to introduce smoke filters in 1952
- Kent, a Swedish rock band, and their album by the same name
- HMS Kent, a ship
- The Duke of Kent
- The Kingdom of Kent
- The Earl of Kent
- Ford Kent engine is an engine used in for instance Ford Anglia
- Kent State shootings
- Fort Kent, Maine
- The Kent Applicative Operating System, a computer operating system
- Kent Acres, Delaware
- Kent City, Michigan
- Kent Group National Park, in Tasmania, Australia
- Kent Island, Maryland
- Kent Narrows, Maryland
- The Kent Recursive Calculator, a programming language
- Kentville, Nova Scotia
- New Kent County, Virginia
- Old Kent Road and New Kent Road in London
- Kent is also a brand of fireplace.

History

The name comes from the Kingdom of Kent, and probably from the Cantiaci tribe. ko:켄트

Maidstone, England

Maidstone is the county town of Kent, in southeast England, about 30 miles from London. It is also the administrative centre for the Borough of Maidstone. It stands on the River Medway at a point where the tributaries of the combined Rivers Beult and Teise enter the main stream. Maidstone is literally a "stone of the maidens", most likely indicating a place where they were known to gather. Its Anglo-Saxon form was Mægthan stan.

History of the town

Early history

River Medway Although Stone Age finds have been made locally, it is the Romans who first gave Maidstone some importance. Their road from Watling Street at Rochester to Hastings across the Weald passed through the site, and two villas have been discovered. They were also among the first to extract stone (the sandstone known as Kentish Rag) from the area. This part of the Medway Valley was important too, by the time of the Domesday Book. In the Middle Ages there were two hospitals here built for the care of wayfarers, especially those on pilgrimage; and a “college” of secular priests.

Town Status

Maidstone’s town status was confirmed when, in 1549, it was incorporated. It had originally been governed by a portreeve, 12 brethren and 24 commoners under the direction of the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, when the people of Maidstone rebelled against the crown in support of Thomas Wyatt in 1554, this charter was revoked, although a new charter was established five years later, when Maidstone was created a borough. The town's charter was finally ratified in 1619 under James I, and the coat of arms, bearing a golden lion and a representation of the river, was designed. Recently these arms were added to by the head of a white horse (representing Invicta, the motto of the county of Kent), a golden lion and an iguanodon. The iguanodon relates to the discovery in the 19th century of the fossilised remains of such a dinosaur locally. These remains are now displayed in the Natural History Museum in London.

Industries

The quarrying of good building stone around Maidstone has always been important and continues even today. Some of the sandstone is also used in the glass industry. In the 17th century the Wealden cloth industry reached as far north as the town; for here were deposits of Fuller's earth used for degreasing the wool and, perhaps more importantly, the means of transporting the finished products—the river. In Maidstone there were many little breweries at the end of the 19th century. the river being useful for transport and water for the beer production. As a result one of the biggest, the Style & Winch brewery, was situated on the river bank in the centre of the town. The brewery shut in 1965 and the building demolished in 1976. There were five other breweries; today only a very small one (Goachers) remains. Another by-product of the riverside location was paper mills, known locally as "the treacle mines". Paper was produced at places such as Turkey Mill and Hayle Mill, and what was to become the Reed group had several paper and cardboard milling plants in Maidstone. Until 1998 the sweet factory of Trebor Basset, makers of liquorice allsorts, was located in central Maidstone and provided a significant source of employment.

Communications

The river

Improvements had been made about 1740 to the river, so that barges of 40 tons could get upriver to East Farleigh, Yalding and even Tonbridge. This meant that a good deal of trade, including corn, fodder, fruit, stone and timber passed through the town, where there were several wharfs. The medieval stone bridge was replaced in 1879 to give better clearance: it was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette. There are now two bridges, a modern one having been built in the 1980s. Today the river is of importance only to pleasure-boat owners and the considerable number of people living on houseboats. For many years there has been an annual river festival during the last weekend in July, and a millennium project inaugurated the Medway River Walk, the Medway Park and a new footbridge linking the former cattle market (which is now a multiplex cinema and nightclub) south of the river to the shopping area to the north.

Roads

One of the first roads in Kent to be turnpiked was that from Rochester to Maidstone, in 1728, giving some indication of the town’s importance. Today the town is served by the M20 motorway, although it is the hub of the pre-motorway network in this part of Kent. Major roads link it to the Medway Towns, the Isle of Sheppey, Ashford and Folkestone, Hastings, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and London.

Railways

Maidstone was not well served when railways were first being built in the 1840s. It was reported at the time that inhabitants were bitterly opposed to the railway: the mayor suggesting that “Maidstone will be ruined as a commercial town”. It was said that wharfingers and corn and coal merchants would be hard hit. In the event, in 1842, the South Eastern Railway, in its haste to reach the Channel ports of Folkestone and Dover, put its main line through Tonbridge and Ashford, some six miles to the south. A station named Maidstone Road was built in an isolated spot called Paddock Wood, from where coaches were run to the county town. Two years later a branch line was built to Maidstone. In 1846 another branch line (the Medway Valley Line) connected Strood with the town. It was not until 1874 that the line from London arrived; and another 10 years before Ashford was connected by rail. There are three stations: Maidstone West and Maidstone Barracks on the Medway Valley Line (whose platforms are visible one from the other); and Maidstone East on the Ashford line.

Education

When Maidstone was incorporated in 1549 it was authorised to build a grammar school, which survives to this day as Maidstone Grammar School. Famous alumni of the school include James Burke, television presenter, and Lord Beeching, responsible for the famous cuts to British railway routes. William Golding was a teacher there. William Lambe, a wealthy clothmaker, endowed another school in 1574. Early in the 19th century a government inquiry discovered there were no fewer than 13 schools (some of very poor quality) teaching the poor of the town. Also in Maidstone is the University College for the Creative Arts at Maidstone at which the acclaimed British artist Tracy Emin begun her artistic education, among others. Maidstone is the home of several schools, including Maidstone Grammar School.

Maidstone Prison

The prison lies to the north of the town centre. It was built in 1818 to replace the bridewell and old jail in the centre of the town. The first prisoners moved in at the end of 1818. Building work had been carried out by French prisoners-of-war. The final execution took place on Penenden Heath to the NE of the town in December 1830. A new gallows was built in front of the county prison. On 28 April 1868 the last person in Britain to be publicly hanged was Frances Kidder, a 25-year-old woman who had murdered her step-daughter; the execution took place outside Maidstone Prison.

Barracks

There have been two Army barracks in Maidstone. One is now closed. The present Invicta Barracks is home to the Royal_Engineers 36 Engineer Regiment, which includes 2 Gurkha field squadrons.

Sport

The local football team Maidstone United FC, formed in 1897, have had a turbulent recent history. Their greatest achievement came in gaining promotion to the English Football League in 1989 after many years of success in non-league football, though in 1992 they collapsed under the weight of debt and went into liquidation. They now play in the Kent League and in November 2004 were granted planning permission to build a stadium on Whatman Way in Maidstone, after having been forced to play their home games in the grounds of a local [http://www.mormon.org LDS] church since selling their London Road ground in the 1980s. Kent County Cricket Club play a week of first class cricket at the Mote Cricket Ground in Mote Park every summer.

Maidstone today

The original site of the town, where the main streets are, is on the rising ground to the east of the River Medway. High Street and King Street run up from the river crossing at Lockmeadow; Week Street and Gabriel's Hill bisect this route. Much of the modern centre is traffic-free or has restrictions imposed. The county council offices, to the north of the town centre, beside the prison, were built 1910-1913 of Portland stone. Maidstone General Hospital opened on the outskirts of the town in 1983, replacing West Kent General Hospital, which had been opened 150 years earlier in Marsham Street. Many of today's residents use Maidstone as a base to commute to London, or are employed within the retail, administrative or service sectors within the town. In mid-2005, the 350,000ft Fremlin Walk shopping arcade opened, after years of development on the site of a derelict brewery in the centre of the town.

Population

Maidstone has grown considerably since the start of the 19th century:
- 1801 8,000
- 1861 23,100
- 1921 37,300
- 1961 59,800
- 2001 138,948 - for the whole of Maidstone District of which 68,350 are male and 70,598 are female

External links


- [http://www.Maidstone.gov.uk Maidstone website]
- [http://www.labology.org.uk/brewhist.htm Shepherd Neame history]
- [http://www.inmytown.co.uk/maidstone.html In Maidstone]
- [http://www.ctrfm.com Maidstone's Very Own Radio Station CTR 105.6fm]
- [http://www.yowza.co.uk/ Local Maidstone Website] Category:Towns in Kent Category:English county towns

East Sussex

East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex and, to the south, by the English Channel. The ancient kingdom of Sussex had seperate county administrations since the 12th century, with the county town of the eastern division being Lewes [http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/newsroom/CONNECTIONS_12%20.pdf]. This situation was formalised by Parliament in 1865, and the two parts were given distinct elected county councils in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888. In East Sussex there were three self-administered county boroughs: Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. In 1974 the East Sussex was made a ceremonial county also, and the three county boroughs became districts within the county. At the same time the western boundary was altered, so that the Mid Sussex region (including Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath) was transferred to the administrative county of West Sussex. In 1997, Brighton & Hove became a self administered unitary authority and was eventually granted city status in 2000.

Geography

The South Downs, a range of moderate chalk hills, run across the southern part of the county from west to east. The northern part of the county is dominated by the High Weald, and in between runs the valley of the River Rother (also known as the River Limen). The highest point in the county is Ditchling Beacon, at 248m/814ft. It is also a Marilyn.

Towns and villages

Note that the website Villagenet contains details (including historical) of 240 villages in East Sussex, including some that are noted below. http://www.villagenet.co.uk/ See the list of places in East Sussex.

Places of interest


- Ashdown Forest
- Batemans
- Beachy Head
- Bodiam Castle
- Ditchling Common
- Heritage railways: Bluebell Railway, Lavender Line Steam Railway, Kent & East Sussex Railway
- Herstmonceux
- South Downs Way, a long distance footpath
- University of Sussex

See also


- History of Sussex
-

External links


- [http://www.britishcounties.info/sussex/ Information on Sussex, history, maps]
- [http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/ East Sussex County Council]

Surrey

:For other places with the same name, see (disambiguation). Surrey is a county in southern England, part of the South East England region and one of the Home Counties.

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 traditional county town is Kingston upon Thames, which was lost to the county following the continued expansion of London. The present 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

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.

Timeline

Surrey's History starts in 480. 125,000,000 B.C. In 1983, plumber and amateur fossil hunter Bill Walker found a foot-long claw belonging to the 125 million years old flesh-eating dinoasaur at a clay pit in Surrey. 54 B.C. Second Roman attack on Britain. These spur local tribes to regroup. Tribal areas around our area at this time were Regni based around Chichester, Atrebates based around Silchester, Cantii based around Canterbury, Trinobantes based north of the Thames and Belgae based around Winchester. 50 B.C. Commius the Gaul flees to southern Britain from Gaul and his followers settle there. He is King of the Atrebates and Regni until 35 B.C. 35 B.C. Commius the Younger is King of the Atrebates and Regni until 20 B.C. Area covered is roughly modern Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. 20 B.C. Tincommius is King of the Atrebates and Regni until A.D. 5. 5 Eppillus is King of the Atrebates and Regni until 10, then rules the Cantii (Kent) 10-25. 10 Verica is King of the Atrebates and Regni until A.D. 40, but from 25 there were other rulers in the area, see below. 25 Epaticcus is another ruler until 35. 35 Caratacus is another ruler until 40. 43 Roman invasion led by Aulus Plautius and colonisation of southern Britain begins. He becomes the first Roman governor of Britain (43-47). Claudius was Roman Emperor at the time (41-54). 50 Londonium (London) starts to become an important settlement. Principal Roman Settlements in Surrey, that develop later, are Staines, Merton, Ewell, Dorking and Southwark. Southwark was originally a series of islands in the River Thames. This was the best place to ford or bridge the river and it became an important part of Londinium when the Roman's built the first London Bridge. Two Roman roads, Stane Street and Watling Street, met here, in what is now Borough High Street. 60 Iceni led by Boudica (Boudicea) revolt and burn London amongst other towns. A counter attack defeats her and wipes out the rebels. The south is then garrisoned. 118 The south is by now settled. Towns have markets and industry. Also there are villages and farms. The basilica of London is built. The road system is extensive. 211 Roman Britain split into two provinces Britannia Superior (run from London and included Surrey area) and Britannia Inferior (run from York). Money is now beginning to be spent by the rich on themselves more (e.g. villas) and less on public works. Tiberius Julius Pollienus Auspex is the first Governor of Britannia Superior (211). 296 Britannia split into four provinces: Britannia Prima (South of the Thames, run from Cirencester and included our area), Britannia Secunda (Wales), Maxima Caesariensis (North of the Humber) and Flavia Caesariensis (North of the Thames). By now the spending of money on the villas has reached its peak. 313 Religious freedom granted by the Edict of Milan. 410 Roman's leave Britain. In the later years they may have been members of the small community of Christians in Britain. 'Romanised' Britons try to carry on living in the same style, but the towns and villas were starting a slow decline. Local British Tribes run by Kings, in our area it was mainly Regia (which spread down to Sussex area as well) and there were 3 tribes nearby Atrebatia (Hampshire and Berkshire), Londein (North of the Thames) and Cantia (Kent area). Owen is King of the 'Britains' (410-425). 420 Saxon mercaneries come to Britain to stop raids by Irish/Picts/Germanic tribes. First use of the 'English' Language, but it is called Old English and is very different from Modern English. 440 Saxons start to turn on the local British tribes. Saxon Kent gradually expands westward from 450 to 500 when it is controlling all of Kent (Cantia) and the north-east of Surrey. 449 Hengist is joint King of Kent (449-455). Horsa is joint King of Kent (449-455). 455 Aesc (Oeric)(Oisc) is King of West Kent. (455-488). Hengist is King of East Kent? (455-488). 477 Aella is King of Sussex (South Saxons) (477-514). 480 At around this time Surrey (Suth Rig) is formed (in Old English this meant South Ridge and probably indicates a link with the Middle Saxons (Middlesex). Saxons were forcing the 'Britons' westwards and northwards. 500 Local peace agreements. Saxons control only north and east of Surrey. Saxon Sussex expands west and northwards into Regia. 519 Cerdic is King of Wessex (West Saxons) (519-534). 550 Agreements end, 100 years of war which the Saxons win. Saxon kingdoms of Kent, Wessex, Sussex and Mercia fight to control Surrey which is a sub-kingdom. Surrey northern border is the River Thames. 568 Surrey's northern border is the River Thames and the eastern border with Kent consolidated by a ditch. Saxon Sussex expands into Regia, so by around 570 it controls most of modern Sussex. By 600 it controls the rest (modern West Surrey). Similarly Wessex is expanding into Atrebatia and Essex into Londein. Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate...... This year Ceawlin, and Cutha the brother of Ceawlin, fought with Ethelbert, and pursued him into Kent. And they slew two aldermen at Wimbledon, Oslake and Cnebba. 585 Creoda (Cryda) is King of Mercia (585-593). 587 Sledda is King of Essex (587-604). 600 Saxon kingdoms of Kent (moving westwards), Wessex (fanning out from Hampshire area) and possibly Essex (and later Mercia) fight to control Surrey which is often a sub-kingdom. Vandals moved up the River Thames westwards (River Wandle near Wandsworth showing the influence in their names). Sussex halted its advances by the Weald. There may have been pockets of British settlements around Chertsey and Walton areas for many years. 645 Wessex was under direct Mercian rule 645-648. 661 Mercia wins control of Surrey area from Wessex. 666 Chertsey Abbey formed and the first Roman Catholic Abbot was Erkenwald. 674 First recorded use of "Sudergeona" (Southern district - sub kingdom of Mercia), this later was corrupted to "Surrey". Surrey was described in the Tribal Hidage as a provincia which had a subregulus (sub-king) of its own. Frithuwold is King of Surrey (673-675). (Sub-King under Mercia rule) Wessex tribes in the Surrey area include Aeschingas, Godhelmingas (around Godalming), Tetingas and Woccingas. 675 Frithuric is King of Surrey (675?). (Sub-King under Mercia rule?) 685 Surrey is gained by Wessex. 688 Caedwalla King of Wessex converts to Christianity and abdicates. Mercia gains Kent, but Wessex still has control of Surrey. Wessex at some point after this year loses control of Surrey as in King Offa's (of Mercia) reign he has control see 775. 690 Surrey's western border consolidated. 693 King Ine creates West Saxon Law Codes. 705 Surrey transferred from the Roman Catholic Diocese of London to Diocese of Winchester. 722 Surrey is at this time known as Suthrige (in a charter). 775 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... In the days of this same Offa was an alderman, of the name of Brorda, who requested the king for his sake to free his own monastery, called Woking, because he would give it to Medhamsted and St. Peter, and the abbot that then was, whose name was Pusa. Pusa succeeded Beonna; and the king loved him much. And the king freed the monastery of Woking, against king, against bishop, against earl, and against all men so that no man should have any claim there, except St. Peter and the abbot. 802 Ecgberht or Egbert is King of Wessex (802-839), controlled Mercia for a time and as such could claim the title King of England as could his successors at certain times(829-830). 823 Wessex win Surrey and other land back from Mercia. Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... Then sent he his son Ethelwulf into Kent, with a large detachment from the main body of the army, accompanied by his bishop, Elstan, and his alderman, Wulfherd; who drove Baldred, the king, northward over the Thames. Whereupon the men of Kent immediately submitted to him; as did also the inhabitants of Surrey, and Sussex, and Essex; who had been unlawfully kept from their allegiance by his relatives. 825 Aethelwulf (Ethelwulf) is King of Surrey, Essex, Kent and Sussex (825-839) . Sub-King under Wessex rule. 836 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... Ethelwulf, the son of Egbert, succeeded to the West-Saxon kingdom; and he gave his son Athelstan the kingdom of Kent, and of Essex, and of Surrey, and of Sussex. 839 Surrey by now is locally ruled from Kent (though at this time Kent is a dependency of Wessex). Athelstan is King of Surrey, Kent, Essex and Sussex (839-851 or 856). Sub-King under Wessex rule. 851 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... The same year King Athelstan and Alderman Elchere fought in their ships, and slew a large army at Sandwich in Kent, taking nine ships and dispersing the rest. The heathens now for the first time remained over winter in the Isle of Thanet. The same year came three hundred and fifty ships into the mouth of the Thames; the crew of which went upon land, and stormed Canterbury and London; putting to flight Bertulf, king of the Mercians, with his army; and then marched southward over the Thames into Surrey. Here Ethelwulf and his son Ethelbald, at the head of the West-Saxon army, fought with them at Ockley, and made the greatest slaughter of the heathen army that we have ever heard reported to this present day. There also they obtained the victory. 853 Huda is Alderman of Surrey (???-853) Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... The same year also Elchere with the men of Kent, and Huda with the men of Surrey, fought in the Isle of Thanet with the heathen army, and soon obtained the victory; but there were many men slain and drowned on either hand, and both the aldermen killed. 860 Kent and possibly Surrey merges with Wessex. 886 Around this time, the London Bridge was rebuilt. Earl Aethelred as the Governor of London established two defended Boroughs to defend the bridge. London (Lundenburgh) and Southwark (Suthringa Geworc, meaning defensive work of Surrey Men). 894 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... The king had divided his army into two parts; so that they were always half at home, half out; besides the men that should maintain the towns. The army came not all out of their stations more than twice; once, when they first came to land, ere the forces were collected, and again, when they wished to depart from their stations. They had now seized much booty, and would ferry it northward over Thames into Essex, to meet their ships. But the army rode before them, fought with them at Farnham, routed their forces, and there arrested the booty. And they flew over Thames without any ford, then up by the Colne on an island. 899 Edward I (1st) is King of Wessex (899-924), first King crowned in Kingston. This was probably used as an attempt to unite Wessex and Mercia, divided by the Thames, against Danish raiders. 919 Mercia and Wessex merge. 921 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... After this, a great force collected soon in harvest, from Kent, from Surrey, from Essex, and everywhere from the nighest towns; and went to Colchester, and beset the town, and fought thereon till they took it, and slew all the people, and seized all that was therein; except those men who escaped therefrom over the wall. 924 Aethelstan or Athelstan is King of Wessex (924-927), crowned in Kingston and is King of England (927-939) Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... This year died King Edward at Farndon in Mercia; and Elward his son died very soon after this, in Oxford. Their bodies lie at Winchester. And Athelstan was chosen king in Mercia, and consecrated at Kingston. 927 Kingdom of England proclaimed. 939 Eadmund or Edmund I (1st) is King of England (939-946), crowned in Kingston, gained York from the Norse. 946 Eadred or Edred is King of England (946-955), crowned in Kingston, but lost York to Eric Bloodaxe. 955 Eadwig or Edwy is King of England (955-959), crowned in Kingston, but lost Mercia and Northumbria to his brother Edgar I (957-959). 964 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... This year drove King Edgar the priests of Winchester out of the old minster, and also out of the new minster; and from Chertsey; and from Milton; and replaced them with monks. And he appointed Ethelgar abbot to the new minster, and Ordbright (Ordbert) to Chertsey. 975 Edward II (2nd) is King of England (975-978), crowned in Kingston. 978 Aethelred or Ethelred II (2nd) is King of England (978-1013) and is the last King crowned in Kingston. Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... In this year was Ethelred consecrated king, on the Sunday fortnight after Easter, at Kingston. And there were at his consecration two archbishops, and ten diocesan bishops. 991 Viking Attacks on England. 993 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... This year came Anlaf with three and ninety ships to Staines, which he plundered without, and went thence to Sandwich. 1009 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... Being fore-warned that there was an army gathered against them at London, they went over at Staines; and thus were they in motion all the winter, and in spring, appeared again in Kent, and repaired their ships. 1011 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... This year sent the king and his council to the army, and desired peace; promising them both tribute and provisions, on condition that they ceased from plunder. They had now overrun (northern counties)....... and, to the south of the Thames, all Kent, and Sussex, and Hastings, and Surrey, and Berkshire, and Hampshire, and much of Wiltshire. 1016 Eadmund or Edmund II (2nd) is King of Wessex (1016). (by treaty England was divided, Canute was King of Danelaw) Cnut or Canute is later King of All England. (1016-1035) 1023 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... This year King Knute in London, in St. Paul's minster, gave full leave to Archbishop Ethelnoth, Bishop Britwine, and all God's servants that were with them, that they might take up from the grave the archbishop, Saint Elphege. And they did so, on the sixth day before the ides of June; and the illustrious king, and the archbishop, and the diocesan bishops, and the earls, and very many others, both clergy and laity, carried by ship his holy corpse over the Thames to Southwark. And there they committed the holy martyr to the archbishop and his companions; and they with worthy pomp and sprightly joy carried him to Rochester. 1042 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... This year died King Hardacnute at Lambeth, as he stood drinking: he fell suddenly to the earth with a tremendous struggle; but those who were nigh at hand took him up; and he spoke not a word afterwards, but expired on the sixth day before the ides of June. 1051 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... And they issued proclamations throughout to London, whither all the people were summoned over all this north end in Siward's earldom, and in Leofric's, and also elsewhere; and Earl Godwin was to come thither with his sons to a conference; They came as far as Southwark, and very many with them from Wessex; but his army continually diminished more and more; for they bound over to the king all the thanes that belonged to Earl Harold his son, and outlawed Earl Sweyne his other son. 1052 Coins minted in Guildford, Surrey between 1052 and 1064 name Blacaman and Aelfric as the local moneyers. Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... And whilst he abode in this land, he enticed to him all the Kentish men, and all the boatmen from Hastings, and everywhere thereabout by the sea-coast, and all the men of Essex and Sussex and Surrey, and many others besides. Then said they all that they would with him live or die. also.... It was on the Monday after the festival of St. Mary, that Godwin came with his ships to Southwark. 1066 Norman's invade England, Battle of Hastings. Normans conquer England. Ansculf de Picquigny is Surrey's High Sherrif for (1066-1080). Sherrifs had been in office during Anglo-Saxon times as 'Shire Reeves' actng on the king's behalf in the shires, but records seem to have been lost. William I increased their power so that they became royal officials, judges, tax collector and military leader for their shire. They had precedence over all but the King and Royal's in the county. Sheriffs of Surrey also were Sheriffs in other counties during these early times. For example from 1066-1080 Buckinghamshire, from 1106-1154 numerous other counties, from 1167-1168 Kent and from 1229-1231,1232-1240,1242-1567,1571-1636 Sussex. 1080 O? is Sheriff of Surrey (1080-1086). 1084 Local Excert from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles - Remember that the year and data may be inaccurate ...... In this year died Wulfwold, Abbot of Chertsey, on the thirteenth day before the calends of May. 1086 Ranulf is Sheriff of Surrey during the Domesday Survey (1086-1098). Surrey was named as Sudrie in the Domesday Book. 1088 William de Warerine (Warenne or Warren) (born 1055) is believed to have been made an Earl of Surrey. He was married to Gundred the Fleming. He and his successors were styled either Earl Warenne or Earl of Surrey. Earl William dies this year in Lewes Sussex. William II de Warren (born 1071) becomes Earl of Surrey. 1098 Rannulf is Sheriff of Surrey (1098-1103). 1103 Ralph FitzNigel is Sheriff of Surrey (1103-1105). 1105 Wymond is Sheriff of Surrey (1105). THE HISTORY BETWEEN 1105 AND 2000 WILL BE ADDED SOON! 2000 Brian Coffin is Surrey County Chairman for 2000-2003. Micheal More-Molyneaux is Surrey's High Sherrif for 2000/1. Denis O’Connor, CBE becomes Chief Constable of the Surrey Police. Also Surrey Police now covers the whole area of the Surrey County Council area, taking over control of Spelthorne, and other parts from the Met Police. 2001 Bill Biddell is Surrey's High Sherrif for 2001/2. 2002 Nick Skellett from Surrey becomes the 3rd Chair of the South East Regional Assembly. Penelope Keith is Surrey's High Sherrif for 2002/3. 2003 Andrew Wates is Surrey's High Sherrif for 2003/4. Sheila Gruselle is Surrey County Chairman for 2003-2006. Duke Miles dies. His son Edward Fitzalan-Howard (born 1956) becomes the 18th Duke of Norfolk and the 31st Earl of Surrey and the Earl of Arundel. His son Henry Fitzalan-Howard (born 1987) is the current courtesy Earl of Surrey and Arundel. Woking to be the future County town. 2004 Dr Grace Dowling is Surrey's High Sherrif for 2004/5. 2005 David Hypher is Surrey's High Sherrif for 2005/6. Surrey declares a major incident in response to the London bombs. Surrey County Council, School Trip cancelled by the London bombs.

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


- [http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/ Surrey County Council]
- [http://surreymaps.surreycc.gov.uk/public/viewer.asp Surrey Interactive Map]
- [http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ University of Surrey Homepage]
- [http://www.surreyproperty.com/aerial.html SurreyProperty.com/aerial.html] aerial photographs
simple:Surrey

Greater London

Greater London is the top level administrative subdivision covering London, England. It is one of the nine regions of England. The administrative area of Greater London covers the large conurbation which comprises the City of London, the City of Westminster and 31 other London boroughs, and encompasses what is commonly known simply as London, capital of England and the United Kingdom. It covers 1579 km² (609 sq. mi) and had a population of 7,172,036 at the April 2001 census. The results of the census were proved to be underestimated, and after careful research the UK Office for National Statistics published a 2001 midyear estimate of 7,322,400 which is more credible than the census itself. Since 2000 the Greater London region has been administered by the Greater London Authority (the "GLA"), and has a directly-elected Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, who is scrutinised by an elected London Assembly. The headquarters of the GLA is at City Hall in Southwark. The status of Greater London is somewhat unusual. It is officially classified as a Ceremonial county (excluding the City of London, which is a Ceremonial county itself) and as one of the nine official Regions of England - in this context properly called London. It is the only English region with wide ranging devolved powers, an elected regional assembly or a directly elected leader position. It contains 32 London boroughs (including the City of Westminster), which are effectively unitary authorities and the City of London, which has a unique government dating back to the 12th century. The term "London" is usually used in reference to Greater London or to the urban conurbation, not to the tiny City of London at its centre (which is usually styled as "the City" or "the Square Mile"). In strict legal terms however Greater London is not a "City" as it does not have official city status (though one London borough, Westminster, is officially a city, as well as the City of London itself). However in practical terms Greater London is effectively a single city, and is commonly thought of as such. In common parlance it is sometimes called a "town" (in the context of "going up to town", without specifying which one) and in terms of policing it is called a metropolis (see the Metropolitan Police whose head is the "Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis"). The highest point of the region is Botley Hill in the North Downs, at 267 metres.

History

Greater London was formally created on 1 April 1965, replacing the former administrative counties of Middlesex and London, adding the City, which was not under the London County Council, and absorbing parts of Kent, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and Essex. Greater London is bounded by the Home Counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, and Kent. Greater London originally had a two-tier system of local government, with the Greater London Council (GLC) sharing power with the Corporation of London (governing the small City of London) and the 32 London borough councils. The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986 under the government of Margaret Thatcher, with some of its functions devolved to the Corporation and the boroughs, and others reverting to central government. In 2000 the Labour government created a Greater London Authority consisting of a London Assembly and a Mayor of London to govern the entire area. The 2000 and 2004 Mayoral elections were both won by Ken Livingstone, the final leader of the GLC. The population on the current territory of Greater London rose from about 1.1 million in 1801 (back then only about 0.85 million people were in the urban area of London, while 0.25 million were living in villages and towns not yet part of London) to an estimated 8.6 million in 1939, but declined to 6.8 million around 1980, before starting to rebound in the beginning of the 1980s. As of 2003, the population in Greater London has only recovered the level of the beginning of the 1970s (which was also the level of population in 1921). Some researchers expect the population of Greater London to reach 8.15 million by 2016, which would still be 0.45 million short of the 1939 peak, but it is hard to make exact predictions for such a distant date. Wider definitions of London's metropolitan area (the London commuter belt) extend over a far larger region with about 12 million to 12.5 million in it, but generally include districts distinct from London proper. The term 'Greater London' had been used before 1965, particularly to refer to the area covered by the Metropolitan Police Service (which did not coincide with Greater London until 2000), however the term 'Metropolitan Police District' is now preferred.

Historical population

Metropolitan Police District Please note: Figures here are for Greater London in its 2001 limits. Figures before 1971 have been reconstructed by the Office for National Statistics based on past censuses in order to fit the 2001 limits. Figures from 1981 onward are midyear estimates (revised as of 2004), which are more accurate than the censuses themselves, known to underestimate the population of London. 1891, April 5/6 5,572,012 1901, March 31/April 1 6,506,954 1911, April 2/3 7,160,525 1921, June 19/20 7,386,848 1931, April 26/27 8,110,480 1939, Midyear estimate 8,615,245 1951, April 8/9 8,196,978 1961, April 23/24 7,992,616 1971, April 25/26 7,452,520 1981, Midyear estimate 6,805,000 1991, Midyear estimate 6,829,300 2001, Midyear estimate 7,322,400 2003, Midyear estimate 7,387,900 2006, Midyear estimate 7,511,989

Map

See also


- UK topics

External links


- [http://www.london.gov.uk/ Greater London Authority] Category:London Government Category:Geography of London Category:Regions of England Category:Counties of England London

Essex

:This article is about the county of Essex in England. For other places named Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). Essex is a county in the East of England. It borders Greater London to the south west, Hertfordshire by the River Stort to the west, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk by the River Stour to the north and Kent by the River Thames to the south. The county town is Chelmsford and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common near the village of Langley near the Hertfordshire border, which reaches 147m/482ft.

History

The name Essex derives from the Kingdom of Essex or Kingdom of the East Seaxe which was founded around 500 AD, occupying territory to the north of the River Thames, incorporating much of what would later become Middlesex and Hertfordshire, though its territory was later restricted to lands east of the River Lee. The boundaries of the ceremonial county cover a larger area than the present Shire county, including the unitary authorities of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea; the traditional county boundaries additionally include parts of East London.

Population and settlement

Because of its proximity to London and the economic magnetism which that city exerts, many of Essex's settlements function as dormitory towns or villages where London workers raise their families. Essex is known for being the origin of the political term Essex man, and of the Essex girl joke. Essex has recently overtaken Lancashire as England's most populous county. The pattern of settlement in the county is diverse. The London Green Belt has effectively prevented of the further sprawl of the metropolis into the County, although it contains the new towns of Basildon and Harlow, originally developed to resettle Londoners following the destruction of London housing in World War II but since much expanded. Part of the south east of the county, already containing the major population centres of Southend and Thurrock, is within the Thames Gateway and designated for further development. To the north of the Green Belt, with the exception of major towns such as Chelmsford, the county is rural, with many small towns, villages and hamlets largely built in the traditional materials of timber and brick, with clay tile or thatched roofs. Colchester in the north east of the county is Britain's oldest recorded town, dating back to Roman times, and has a rich history. A book has been recently published called '350 miles: An Essex Journey' by photographer Jason Orton and writer Ken Worpole, detailing a journey by foot and bicycle along the full length of the distinctive Essex coastline (ExDRA 2005). In 1998 the districts of Southend-on-Sea (pop. 160,300) and Thurrock (pop. 143,000) separated from the county of Essex becoming unitary authority areas.

Transport, commerce and industry

The Lakeside Shopping Centre at Thurrock was one of England's first out-of-town shopping centres; it remains popular despite congestion on the nearby M25 motorway and direct competition from Bluewater Shopping Centre. Essex also contains Stansted Airport and several smaller aerodromes that have evolved from bomber or fighter bases constructed during World War II. The port of Tilbury is one of Britain's three major ports, while the port of Harwich links the county to the Hook of Holland. Despite the road crossing to Dartford in Kent across the River Thames, a pedestrian ferry to Gravesend, Kent still operates from Tilbury during limited hours. Industry is largely limited to the south of the county, with the majority of the land elsewhere being given over to agriculture. Harlow is a centre for electronics, science and pharmaceutical companies, while Basildon is home to the Ford Motor Company and many related businesses. Chelmsford has been an important location for electronics companies since the industry was born, and is also the location for a number of insurance and financial services organisations, and is the home of the soft drinks producer Britvic. Other businesses in the county are dominated by light engineering and the service sector.

Towns and villages

See the List of places in Essex

Places of Interest


- Abberton Reservoir
- Colchester Castle, Colne Valley Railway
- East Anglian Railway Museum
- Hedingham Castle
- Mangapps Railway Museum (Burnham-on-Crouch), Mistley towers
- St Peter-on-the-Wall
- University of Essex (Wivenhoe Park, Colchester)
- Waltham Abbey
- Harlow New Town

See also


- Earl of Essex
- GHQ Line - World War II fortification
- UK topics
- Association of British Counties

External links


- [http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/ This is Essex, a gateway to Essex from two major Essex publishers]
- [http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/ Essex County Council] Official site
- [http://www.phoenixfm.com/bullseyeview.php A Bull's Eye View] A humorous look at Essex life from a resident
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/ BBC Essex]
- [http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/echo The Evening paper for the south of Essex]
- [http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/evening-gazette The Evening paper for the North of Essex]
- [http://www.essexairambulance.co.uk The Essex flight for life ]
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/ BBC Essex]
simple:Essex



Canterbury, Kent

Canterbury is a cathedral city in the county of Kent in southeast England. Canterbury is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the primate of the Church of England.

History

Early history

There has been a settlement in Canterbury since prehistoric times. Bronze Age finds, and Neolithic round barrows have been discovered in the area; and before the Roman arrival Durovernum was the most important settlement in Kent. Canterbury (known in Latin as Durovernum Cantiacorum) became a Roman administrative centre: it lay at the junction of three roads from their ports of Regulbium (Reculver), Dubris (Dover) and Lemanis (Lympne); and it stood on what has become known as Watling Street. The city walls and one of the city gates remain. The name Canterbury derives from the Old English Cantwarebyrig, meaning "fortress of the men of Kent". The bury element is a form of borough, which has cognates in words and place names in virtually every Indo-European and Semitic language, as well as others. For a fuller explanation, see under borough.

Religious significance

borough In 596 Pope Gregory the Great, sent St Augustine to convert England to Christianity. This was the first ever papal mission, St Augustine built a priory on the site of the present cathedral precincts in 597 AD. He also built an abbey outside the city walls where he was buried: as were other early archbishops. Though St. Gregory had planned the division of England into two archbishoprics, one at London and one at York, St. Augustine's success at Canterbury explains how the southern archiepiscopal see came to be fixed there instead of at London. The first beginnings of the diocese are told by St. Bede (Hist. Eccl., I, xxxiii). "When Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, assumed the episcopal throne in that royal city, he recovered therein, by the King's assistance, a church which, as he was told, had been constructed by the original labour of Roman believers. This church he consecrated in the name of the Saviour, our God and Lord Jesus Christ, and there he established an habitation for himself and all his successors". The Ancient Diocese of Canterbury was the Mother-Church and Primatial See of All England, from 597 till the death of the last Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Pole, in 1558. 1558 In the 16th Century the Church of England split from Rome under Henry VIII. St Augustine's Abbey was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries ordered by Henry VIII, although ruins remain. During this time Canterbury became the centre of the new Church of England, although a Catholic shrine remains. At the same time, the ancient religious school was refounded as the King's School. Canterbury Cathedral is the burial place of King Henry IV and of Edward the Black Prince, but is most famous as the scene of the murder of Thomas a Becket in 1170. As a result of this event, Canterbury became a major pilgrimage site, inspiring Geoffrey Chaucer to write The Canterbury Tales in 1387. The Hospital of St Thomas was a place of lodging for pilgrims in the city. The city is also associated with the family of Thomas More and was the birthplace of Christopher Marlowe. The city is also the start/finish point for many pilgrimage routes, such as the Via Francigena to Rome, and the Pilgrims' Way to Winchester.
- [http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/schools/keysites/staug.htm A comprehensive article on the Abbey is here].

Later history

Winchester The city became a county corporate in 1461. French Protestant refugees settled in the city during the sixteenth century: here they introduced silk-making During World War II the city was severely damaged by bombing after it was selected as one of the cities in England to be targeted by the Luftwaffe in the Baedeker Blitz. In 1944 the city was celebrated by film directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger in their film A Canterbury Tale. Canterbury today is a major city for tourism with Canterbury Cathedral alone attracting 1.2 million visitors in 2001. It still contains many ancient buildings and modern building development within the medieval town centre is strictly regulated. As of 2004 the Whitefriars area is undergoing major redevelopment and the associated archeological research is called the "Big Dig".

Demographics


- Population (Census figures):
  - 1801: 9,500
  - 1861: 16,700
  - 1921: 18,900
  - 1961: 30,400
  - 2001: 42,258 Other statistics for 2001 include:
    - Ethnicity: 94% white. No other classification exceeds 2%
    - Area: 23.54 km²
    - Density: 1,795 / km²
      - Figures for 1801-1961 taken from Kent History Illustrated Frank W Jessup [KCC, 1966]

Government

km²]] The local government district City of Canterbury covers an area some 13 times larger than the city of Canterbury itself, and includes Herne Bay and Whitstable. The city contains the district wards of Barton, Northgate, St Stephens, Westgate and Wincheap, plus part of the University of Kent (which straddles the city boundary) in the otherwise rural Blean Forest ward. Since October 7, 2004 the 5 wards entirely within the city have been represented by 9 Liberal Democrat, 3 Conservative and 2 Labour councillors, out of the total 50 members of the district council. The south-western end of Canterbury comprises the parish of 'Thanington without', the rest of the city is unparished. The parliamentary constituency of Canterbury is represented in Parliament by the Conservative MP Julian Brazier, a Shadow Trade Minister. Canterbury itself is twinned with Reims in France, while the district participates in the Sister Cities programme with links to Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, USA, and Vladimir, Russia.

Transport

Railway

Canterbury has two railway stations, Canterbury West and Canterbury East, the services from these are operated by South Eastern Trains. Canterbury West is served primarily from London Charing Cross with limited services from Victoria as well as by trains to Ramsgate and Margate. Canterbury East is on the service from London Victoria (journey time around 88 minutes) to Dover. The West station was the earliest to be built. It was opened by the South Eastern Railway from Ashford on 6 February 1846; on 13 April the line to Ramsgate was completed. Canterbury East is the more central of the two stations, although it came later, being opened by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway on 9 July 1860. Canterbury was also the terminus of the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway which was a pioneer line, opened in 1830, and finally closed in 1953. The locomotive which originally worked the line, Invicta, is displayed at the Museum.

Road

Canterbury is by-passed by the main A2 London to Dover Road. It is about 45 miles from the junction with the M25 London orbital motorway, and 61 miles from central London. The other main road through Canterbury is the A28 from Ashford to Ramsgate and Margate. The hourly National Express coach service to and from Victoria Coach Station, which leaves from the main bus station is typically scheduled to take 110 minutes.

Educational establishments

The city has many students as it is home to several Higher Education institutions and other colleges. The University of Kent at Canterbury stands on a hill about two miles outside the city centre. Chaucer College is an independent graduate college for Japanese students within the campus of the University. Near the University of Kent is the Franciscan International Study Centre [http://www.franciscans.ac.uk], a place of study for the worldwide Franciscan Order. Canterbury Christ Church University [http://www.cant.ac.uk/] is located in the city as is one of the campuses of the University College for the Creative Arts. There is also the Further Education institution, Canterbury College. Independent secondary schools include St Edmund's School, Kent College, and the world's oldest school The King's School. State secondary schools include The Archbishop's School, the Simon Langton Grammar School for boys and girls, and the voluntary-aided St Anselm's Catholic School.

Sundry information

The Postcode for the Canterbury area is CT. The telephone area code is 01227. The city gave its name to a musical genre known as the Canterbury sound or Canterbury scene (a subgenre of Progressive Rock). The homeless charity the Scrine Foundation is based in Canterbury. Projects included work on the Street Life Theatre. Some of Canterbury's famous offspring include: Christopher Marlowe, Michael Powell, Orlando Bloom and Rupert Bear. Canterbury has three World Heritage sites. These are: Canterbury Cathedral, St. Augustine's Abbey and St. Martin's Church.

External links


- [http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/ Canterbury City Council]
- [http://www.canterbury.co.uk/ Canterbury Tourism]
- [http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/ Canterbury Cathedral]
- [http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/ Archbishop of Canterbury] - official website
- [http://www.marlowetheatre.com/ Marlowe Theatre]
- [http://www.canterburytales.org.uk/ The Canterbury Tales]
- [http://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/ Canterbury Archaeological Trust]
- [http://www.thanington-pc.gov.uk/ Parish Council of Thanington Without]
- [http://www.channel4.com/history/timeteam/canterbury.html TimeTeam: Canterbury Big Dig]
- [http://www.scrine.org/ The Scrine Foundation]
- [http://www.hillside.co.uk/tour/tour.html Peter Collinson, "The Canterb