Surrey has the reputation for being on the London ‘stockbroker’ commuter belt and therefore not a great place to visit.
However, even they do I’m sure contain many stockbrokers, the following villages are just as pretty and interesting as neighbouring Hampshire or Sussex…
1. Shere
Shere is a village in the Guildford district of Surrey, England 4.8 miles (7.7 km) east south-east of Guildford.
It is a small still partly agricultural village chiefly set in the wooded ‘Vale of Holmesdale’ between the North Downs and Greensand Ridge with many traditional English features.
2. Godstone
Godstone is a village and civil parish in the county of Surrey, England. It is centred 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east of Reigate at the junction of the A22 and A25 roads, and near the M25 motorway on the escarpment of the North Downs to the north.
3. Buckland
Buckland is a village and civil parish in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, between Dorking and Reigate, its nearest towns.
Buckland is also the location of the Shag Brook, which local legend says was the home of a monstrous horse (in some versions a gorilla), called the Buckland Shag. This beast would drag travellers from the nearby coaching road and devour them on the Shag Stone, a large boulder in the brook with a blood red vein of iron ore running through it.
It’s also got a working wind saw mill (pictured above).
4. Witley
Witley is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Waverley in Surrey, England centred 2.6 miles (4 km) south west of the town of Godalming and 6.6 miles (11 km) southwest of Guildford.
5. Shamley Green
A quiet, very English (village green, local pub, cricket during the summer etc) village, which has attracted several famous people such as Alfred Hitchcock and Eric Clapton, who had houses here.
6. Abinger Hammer
Abinger Hammer is a village or small community in a narrow part of the Vale of Holmesdale where it forms the valley of the River Tillingbourne Its name comes from a local mill and forge, used to work the local Surrey iron.
7. Lingfield
Near the borders with Kent and Sussex this pretty village is famous for the nearby Lingfield Park racecourse.
8. Hambledon
A small viillage near the town of Godlming. Be sure to visit the Merry Harriers pub there…
9. Ripley
Built on the important stagecoach route between Portsmouth and London, Ripley is home to the Talbot Inn where many a sailor (including Nelson) stayed on the way from and to the sea.
10. Cranleigh
As large as a town, Cranleigh claims to be the largest village in England. It’s also home to a thriving arts scene.
11. Peaslake
Another lovely village, near Shere, Peaslake has now become a centre for mountain bikers.
12. Chiddingfold
A small village near Guildford, Chiddingfold was famous for its glassmaking, particularly in Tudor times.
Home to the 13th century Crown Inn (pictured).
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