South End |
Great Bookham, Surrey |
MRKIPLING Percentage - 61 |
Brief Outline: South End, Great Bookham, dates back, to before 1841, appearing on that years census. Back then, Great Bookham was known as Bocheham, "the village by the beeches". Sometime in the late 1800’s, there were Southend Cottages along the Guilford road, close to today’s existing South End, but these are no longer standing. Today’s South End is just a little bit out of the main village of Bookham, but holds onto all of its charm. Great Bookham, though small, is afficilated with many famous people. Jane Austin spent a few years there while writing her novels, and uses it as a setting in one of her popular books, Emma. Later on, King Henry VIII used to pass through the village on hunting trips, stopping at one of its pubs, Ye Olde Windsor Castle, which is where it is said the pub got its royal name from. The villages played host to more Royals during the second world war, when the King and Queen of Yugoslavia were evacuated there. Only a few years later King George VI and his bride, Elizabeth, spent their honeymood at nearby Polesden Lacey. More recently, Bookham produced bassist and singer of Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, who was born in Great Bookham in 1943. As well as famous people, Bookham also holds many famous and rare breeds of animals. The Bookham Commons are made up of large oak woodlands, now property of the National Trust. The commons have many different habitats including 12 ponds which are home all three British species of newt, including the rare Great Crested Newt, as well as fish for recreational sports. The warden in charge of the Commons is very friendly and will tell you all about the wildlife if you pay him a visit. For the less out-doorsy among Southend Roadtrippers, the high street has a surprising amount of shops, most of them privately owned so you’ll never known what you might find. There are all sorts of gifts and food to be brought, and with a bakery and a butchers, you are bound to find a freshly made pie. The local council also have a sense of humour, which is displayed through the world’s only square-a-bout. Situated at the end of the high street, one might expect to find a mini round-a-bout, or a cross roads. No one really knows how to navigate this piece of engineering, most treating it as they would a round-a-bout, but others just tearing straight across. Despite this, it is obvious that they take good care of their signs. This South End is proud of their signs, they are clean and straight, and just to let you know where South End is, one sign includes a big arrow. Without a doubt, this South End is well worth a visit. |
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