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Surrey

geography Maturity 5-7

Surrey is a place in England.

Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
It has many green trees. It is the most wooded place in England.
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
You can see big hills and rivers there. It is a very pretty place to visit. Do you like to walk in the woods?

51 words

Surrey is a place in South East England.

Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
It is near London. Many people live in the north part. The south part is more rural.
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
A long ridge of hills runs through it. This ridge divides the land in two. Surrey has more trees than any other place in England.
Leith hill tower.JPG
Leith hill tower.JPG
You can see many beautiful spots there. It is a lovely place to explore.

75 words

Surrey is a county in South East England.

Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
It sits near London. It is also near Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire.
Surrey - British Isles.svg
Surrey - British Isles.svg
The north of Surrey is very crowded. Many people live in towns like Woking and Epsom. Woking is the largest town. The south is more rural. This means it has more open land and farms.
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
A long ridge of hills called the North Downs runs through the county. This ridge divides the north from the south. The North Downs is made of chalk. Rivers like the Wey and the Mole flow through these hills.
Leith hill tower.JPG
Leith hill tower.JPG
Surrey has more trees than any other county in England. Over 22 per cent of the land is covered in woods. The highest point is Leith Hill. It has a stone tower on top.
Woking town centre from the west.jpg
Woking town centre from the west.jpg
You can visit many pretty spots. There are many paths for walking and riding horses. The land is full of life and green trees.

174 words

Surrey is a ceremonial county located in South East England.

Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
It sits near several other places like Kent to the east. To the south, you will find East and West Sussex. Hampshire and Berkshire sit along its western border. The north of the county touches Greater London.
Surrey - British Isles.svg
Surrey - British Isles.svg
This area is very crowded with many people living close together. Woking is the largest settlement in the whole county. Other busy towns include Guildford and Walton-on-Thames.

The land in Surrey changes a lot from north to south. A long ridge of chalk hills called the North Downs runs through the middle.

Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
This ridge splits the crowded north from the quiet, rural south. Rivers like the Wey and the Mole flow through these hills. The north is mostly flat land near the Thames river basin. In the south, you will see the Surrey Hills and sandy heath lands.
Leith hill tower.JPG
Leith hill tower.JPG
These areas are great for walking on many long paths.

Surrey is a very green place with many trees. It has the most woodland in all of England.

Surrey shield.svg
Surrey shield.svg
About 22.4 per cent of the county is covered in woods. This is much higher than the national average of 11.8 per cent. One area called Surrey Heath has even more tree cover. In 2020, that district had 41 per cent tree cover. Because there are so many trees, the county does not plan to plant new woodlands.
Lawns at Wisley.jpg
Lawns at Wisley.jpg

History tells us that many different groups lived here long ago. Before the Romans arrived, tribes like the Atrebates lived in the area.

Stane Street.JPG
Stane Street.JPG
Later, the Romans built roads like Stane Street across the land. Small towns like Staines and Dorking grew during Roman times. After the Romans, the Saxons arrived and settled the land. The name Surrey might come from a word meaning "southern region." By the year 825, the kingdom of Wessex took control of the area.

Today, Surrey is a place where people enjoy being outdoors. Many people live in the north, near the busy streets of London.

Woking town centre from the west.jpg
Woking town centre from the west.jpg
However, the south is perfect for quiet trips in nature. You can visit beautiful spots like Box Hill or Leith Hill. Leith Hill is the highest point in the county.
Guildford - Great Tower - geograph.org.uk - 3912930.jpg
Guildford - Great Tower - geograph.org.uk - 3912930.jpg
It is also the second highest point in all of southeastern England. People love to ride horses along the many bridleways found there.

427 words

Surrey is a ceremonial county located in South East England.

Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
It is positioned near several other important regions. To the northeast, it borders Greater London. To the east lies Kent. The southern border is shared with East and West Sussex. To the west, it meets Hampshire and Berkshire.
Surrey - British Isles.svg
Surrey - British Isles.svg
This location makes it one of the home counties of England.

The geography of Surrey is defined by its varied landscape. A major feature is the North Downs, a chalk escarpment. This ridge runs from the southwest to the northeast. It serves to divide the county into two distinct zones. The north is a densely populated lowland part of the Thames basin. The south is more rural and consists of different geological formations.

Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
The North Downs are pierced by the River Wey and the River Mole. Both of these are tributaries of the River Thames.

Geological deposits change as you move through the county. In the north, the land is mostly flat. The eastern part of this lowland is dominated by London Clay. The western part contains Bagshot Sands. Along the rivers, you will find alluvial deposits.

Leith hill tower.JPG
Leith hill tower.JPG
To the south of the Downs, the landscape shifts again. The western part contains the sandstone Surrey Hills. Further east lies the plain of the Low Weald. This area rises toward the High Weald in the southeast. These patterns of clay, sand, and chalk extend into Kent and Sussex.

Surrey is notable for its significant amount of greenery. It is the most wooded county in England. The woodland cover is 22.4 per cent. This is much higher than the national average of 11.8 per cent.

Surrey shield.svg
Surrey shield.svg
Because of this, local authorities do not recommend planting new woodlands. One specific area, the Surrey Heath district, has even more tree cover. In 2020, it had a tree cover proportion of 41 per cent. The county also contains the principal concentration of lowland heath in England. This heath sits on sandy soils in the west.

The human landscape of Surrey is divided by its geography. The north is part of the Greater London conurbation. This means it is part of a continuous urban area. Towns like Staines-upon-Thames and Epsom are located here. In the west, a second conurbation includes Camberley and Farnham.

Woking town centre from the west.jpg
Woking town centre from the west.jpg
Woking is the largest settlement with 105,367 people. Guildford is in the centre-west and is often seen as the historic county town. The south remains rural. Its main settlements are Horley and Godalming. The total population of the county is approximately 1.1 million people.

Surrey has a long and complex history. Before the Romans, the Atrebates tribe likely occupied the area. They were involved in wars with the Catuvellauni tribe. During the Roman era, the area was traversed by roads like Stane Street.

Stane Street.JPG
Stane Street.JPG
Small towns like Dorking and Kingston upon Thames existed then. After the Romans, the Saxons settled the region. The name Surrey may come from a word meaning "southern region." The county was a frontier area for many years. It was disputed by kingdoms like Kent, Essex, and Mercia. Finally, it was absorbed by Wessex in 825.
Cantium southsexia surria meddlesexia Atlas.jpg
Cantium southsexia surria meddlesexia Atlas.jpg
Even during Viking attacks, Surrey's inland position provided some protection.

Today, Surrey is a popular place for outdoor leisure. There is an extensive network of footpaths and bridleways. One famous route is the North Downs Way. The county supports a large horse population due to these paths. Many people visit notable beauty spots. These include Box Hill, Leith Hill, and Frensham Ponds.

Guildford - Great Tower - geograph.org.uk - 3912930.jpg
Guildford - Great Tower - geograph.org.uk - 3912930.jpg
Leith Hill is the highest point in the county. It is also the second highest point in southeastern England. The climate is maritime, with warm summers and cool winters. The Wisley weather station has recorded temperatures as high as 35.2 degrees Celsius.

654 words
🖼️ Images & Media (27)
File:Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
Surrey UK locator map 2010.svg
File:Surrey - British Isles.svg
Surrey - British Isles.svg
File:Surrey councils.svg
Surrey councils.svg
File:Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg
File:Leith hill tower.JPG
Leith hill tower.JPG
File:Woking town centre from the west.jpg
Woking town centre from the west.jpg
File:Stane Street.JPG
Stane Street.JPG
File:Surrey hundreds.svg
Surrey hundreds.svg
File:RunnymedeMagnacartaisle.jpg
RunnymedeMagnacartaisle.jpg
File:Guildford - Great Tower - geograph.org.uk - 3912930.jpg
Guildford - Great Tower - geograph.org.uk...
File:Waverleyabbeydormitory.jpg
Waverleyabbeydormitory.jpg
File:Nonsuch Palace watercolour detail.jpg
Nonsuch Palace watercolour detail.jpg

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