10 things you may not know about Surrey
How much do you know about our Surrey. Here are a few facts you may or may not have heard before about our beautiful county.
- Surrey is officially England’s most densely-wooded county, with more than one-fifth of its land area covered by trees.
- Featured in a whole host of blockbuster movies, you may well have spotted Surrey in Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Holiday and the James Bond film Skyfall, among others.
- A surprising number of literary greats, from Charles Dickens to Jane Austen and Lewis Carroll, have found inspiration here.
- Covering a quarter of the county, the rolling countryside of the Surrey Hills is one of Britain’s most beautiful landscapes. It was the second area to get special planning protection under the new Planning Act of 1958.
- Reigate Hill was once home to a network of hidden underground tunnels believed to have been used during the war.
- If you know where to look, Surrey has its own ‘secret’ sandy beach (clue: it’s not far from Farnham) - Find out more.
- The county is home to one of England’s largest vineyard, Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, as well as a host of smaller vineyards.
- Also popular with ancient inhabitants, Surrey boasts a number of Bronze Age forts and burial mounds.
- The highest point in south-east England, Leith Hill is famed for its stunning views – and, on a clear day, you can even glimpse the sea. It’s even higher than the Shard building in London, which you can view from the tower.
- Many famous musicians call Surrey home, including Kenney Jones from the Who, Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen, while Freddie Mercury is buried in Woking’s Brookwood Cemetery. The original band members of Genesis all attended Charterhouse School in Godalming and guitar legend Eric Clapton, who was born in Ripley, now lives in Ewhurst.