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Surrey
To many people Surrey conjures up a picture they imagine typical of London's commuter land; almost deserted during the day and a scene of frenzied activity in the mornings and evenings, as the thousands of inhabitants converge on, and exit from, London. It would be a great mistake however to dismiss it as. such for Surrey, although one of the smaller of England's counties, possesses a great deal of beauty and historic interest. True, there are many people who live here whose business takes them to London daily, but for those who care to explore its country lanes there are many charming villages and towns, as well as great open spaces and lovely scenery.
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Surrey is very fortunate in being within such easy reach of the capital on the one hand, and the south coast on the other, and it is doubtless this that has contributed, in some measure, to its popularity. Nevertheless, for anyone interested in matters botanical, or simply delighted by the sight and scent of profusions of every kind of flower, then Surrey is a county par excellence. Kew Gardens, with its great Palm House, and its grounds landscaped by Capability Brown is, of course, well known, but there are also the Royal Horticultural Society's lovely gardens at Wisley, and Winkworth Arboretum's superb woodland acres.
The very banks of the River Thames, as it winds its way through the countryside, are steeped in history. Runnymede saw the signing, by King John, of the draft of the Magna Carta in 1215 and the site now stands in National Trust property. Historic Richmond, so named by Henry VII to commemorate his original title of Duke of Richmond, stands on the slopes of a hill from the top of which may be seen a famous, and most beautiful, view of the river. Nearby Kingstonupon Thameshas been a royal borough for over 1100 years. Outside the Guildhall may be seen the 'King's Stone'on which several Saxon Kings were said to have been crowned. It seems right that it should be here, on this stretch of the Thames that has seen so much of the story of England's Kings and Queens.
Hampton Court
It is little wonder that so many visitors to these islands find their way to the palace and gardens of Hampton Court. The very thought of the intrigues and tragedies that have been played out here, the mental pictures of the larger than life Henry VIII succumbing to the delights of some new mistress, and the plotting that must have gone on behind the scenes; the King playing Royal Tennis in the closed court adjoining the palace, jousting taking place where the tiltyard gardens are now situated, and the royal cooks and servants scurrying from the kitchens to the great banqueting hall. All these events, and many more, become so vivid when the places where they actually occurred are seen, looking much as they must have looked then.
The palace was not, of course, originally built for Henry VIII. It was begun in 1514, and was the home of Cardinal Wolsey. The King was, however, a frequent and favoured guest and it was eventually given to him. Whilst a considerable part of the building we see today is original, it was enlarged and improved by Sir Christopher Wren during the reign of William III, when the facades overlooking the gardens were completed.
Although Hampton Court Palace is greatly favoured by visitors, it still attracts many local people, and particularly parties of school children, who feet a strong affection for it and consider it to be, quite rightly, an important part of their heritage.
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