Surrey is a Fascinating Place to Visit

Before the Romans invaded Surrey, this area was under the control of Atrebates tribe who had settled at Calleva Atrebatum in the present county of Hampshire. After the Romans abandoned Britain in 410AD the region of present Surrey officially became part of Britannia Prima. Many rulers came and ruled Uk for many years until the Saxons came around 480 AD. They gave this area a name and built their kingdom on it. At that time, forests covered most of the area. In 568, the borders of Kent and Surrey were sketched and marked by digging a ditch. Surrey was the last English county to adopt Christianity in 675. Its boundaries kept changing with its neighbouring counties and a variety of different tribes settled here.

In 860 the territory of Surrey was seized by Wessex and became a shire like many other counties under Wessex. It witnessed many more wars. It is written in the history books that Surrey was overrun by Danish troops led by Canute in 1011 and by 1016 the whole of England. In 1035, Canute died and what followed as there was no clear successor to the crown and all fighting with each other and no perfect ruler was found.

Interestingly, in 1920s the remaining skeletons of several hundred soldiers, most probably Normans, were found to the west of Guildford. They seem to be bound and were executed. The date on the grave read 1040. It is assumed that they were the body guards of poor Prince Alfred.

Some leftovers of the ancient British, the Roman and the Saxon era are found in Surrey. An Iron Age hill-fort is situated at Holmbury Hill and only remains of the Roman roads Stane Street and Ermine Street remain. Celtic and Roman relics, of no great importance, have been found at several locations. Many more battles and rebellions took place on the land of Surrey, eventually ruled by a Royal family and democracy started prevailing.

The Local Government Act 1888 renewed county level regional government all over England and Wales. According to it, the administrative county of Surrey was created in 1889 and the Provisional Surrey County Council met for the first time and it had 57 councilors and 19 aldermen. Initially exercised by the county's justice department in terminal sessions the county council took the administrative responsibilities in its hands. The county had several changes in its boundaries and cities, many coming in and many going out.

Other than local functions, government the executive county of Surrey and county borough of Croydon kept forming a county of Surrey to which a High Sheriff, a Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum or a Chief Magistrate was appointed. Sessions house and government HQs were located at Newington since 1790, but as it was over shadowed by County of London, a new site was required for Surrey. In 1891 a County Hall was built in Kingston, but once again it came under the shadow of continuously flourishing London. All areas that lay on the south of River Thames were transferred to London county. Simultaneously the county of Middlesex, which lay dissolved came under Surrey, called borough of Spelthorne. Under the Local Government Act 1972, non metropolitan counties were introduced in place of administrative counties.

The best landscapes in Surrey is at Box Hill, which is located just north of Dorking, Frensham Common, heathland with a variety of plant, birds and animal life, the Devils Punch Bowl at Hindhead plus the Great Pond and Little Pond existing since the Middle Ages when they were built to make food available for the Bishop of Winchesters estate. In south east England, Leith Hill that is located at the south west of Dorking is the peakest point. Elstead Moat, Witley Common and Thursley Common are exclusive regions of very old heathland and are situated just south of Godalming. These are administrated by the National Trust and Ministry of Defense. The Surrey Hills are an area of outstanding natural beauty or AONB.

In south of Esher sight of beautiful manicured landscapes can be given a look at Claremont Landscape Garden, these are here from 1715. There is also Winkworth Arboretum, located in south east of Godalming, which was established in the 20th century. Wisley houses the Royal Horticultural Society gardens.

Surrey has notable country houses like Clandon Park, an 18th century Palladian mansion in West Clandon situated to the east of Guildford. Close at hand is Hatchlands Park in East Clandon, in east of Guildford, which was constructed in 1758 with Robert Adams designed interiors and a vast collection of keyboard instruments. There is a museum about life in the countyside, Rural Life Centre, Tilford. On a tiny scale, Oakhurst Cottage in Hambledon close to Godalming is a renovated 16th century workers home. Polesden Lacey that is situated south of Great Bookham is a regency villa with vast and big sprawled grounds.

On the River Tillingbourne, is an 18th century water mill known as Shalford Mill. The county is connected to the sea by the River Wey and the Wey and Godalming Navigations. There are several basic British villages including Holmbury St Mary which is spread on an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, near the North Downs Way and Greensand Way. It was refurbished in the 19th century and still has a main Victorian character as no new building is allowed to be built near it. The youth hostel, created in 1935 in the village, was the first purpose built by the Youth Hostels Association.

Historically Runnymede at Egham has a great importance as the site of the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. Waverley and Chertsey Abbeys were very important in middle ages. Guildford Cathedral was built after a war cathedral that is built from bricks made from the clay hill on which it is situated. The motoring past of Surrey is exhibited at Brooklands Museum.. The county also houses Thorpe Park, a sister concern of the theme park of Alton Towers.