The County of Kent – Often called “The Garden of England” the county of Kent is one of the Home Counties and is located to the south-east of London, actually bordering the Greater London area and also bordering the Thames Estuary, East Sussex and Surrey. Kent has an area of around 1,440 square miles and a sizeable population of over 1.7 million, making it the 6th largest county by population in England. Kent has one city in the shape of the historic Canterbury and has many fine attractions making it a worthwhile place to visit when you are in this part of England. Other large towns include Maidstone, Dartford, Ashford and Dover.
March 1, 2016
May 8, 2012
Darlington County Durham
Darlington County Durham – Darlington is a town in the north-east of England, not far from Durham. In 1974, this town was gathered with other localities to form the borough of Darlington in County Durham. Since 1st April 1997, the Borough of Darlington has the status of unitary authority that made it independent from the county of Durham. Darlington is two hours and forty minutes train ride from London by the East Coast Main Line. Darlington is twinned with Amiens (France). The local newspaper is the daily newspaper The Northern Echo. The town is proud of its railway heritage. The Darlington Borough Council and Morrison Supermarkets commissioned the artist David Mach in 1994 to create a large-scale sculpture entitled “Train”, to be installed on the Darlington site to commemorate the first British railway, the line from Stockton to Darlington. At 40 m long, this is the largest outdoor sculpture ever made in England and was opened on June 24, 1997.
See a map of Darlington here: http://www.streetmapz.co.uk/darlington.html
And a map of County Durham here: http://www.streetmapz.co.uk/county-durham.html
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April 6, 2012
Dorking Surrey
Dorking Surrey – Dorking is a town in England, below the North Downs in Surrey, about 40 kilometres south of London. The town has 17,000 inhabitants and belongs to the district of Mole Valley. Dorking began as a small postal station on Stane Street, the Roman road from London to Chichester. In the 11th Century, this Surrey town was listed in the Domesday Book as the Manor of Dorchinges. The landlords were the Dukes of Norfolk, who lived in Dorking, until they moved to Arundel. In the Middle Ages, Dorking, was a prosperous agricultural market, which benefited from its location on a variety of important roads. In 1750 the building of the Turnpike Road made Dorking a post station on the way to Brighton and the coast. This position was lost with the construction of the railway. Dorking is situated south of the town of Leatherhead and west of the town of Reigate, in the county of Surrey.
View a map of Dorking, Surrey here: http://www.my-towns.co.uk/dorking-map.html
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April 5, 2012
Harlow Essex
Harlow Essex – Harlow is a town in Essex in south-east England. It was created in 1947 as a New Town from the towns of Harlow, Great Parndon, Latton, Little Parndon and Netteswell and today with some 80,000 inhabitants, is one of the largest north-eastern suburbs of London. Administratively, Harlow is both a town and district in Essex. Harlow was the first British town, which was equipped with a pedestrian zone in the town, also here in 1951 was the first residential tower in the country, now a listed building. Harlow is located approximately 30 km northeast of London’s city centre. It has a highway access to the M11 (London-Cambridge) and a station on the London-Cambridge line.The Harlow area has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, in Parndon was found an axe, which was dated to about 6000 BC. The place name Harlow indicates a foundation by the Anglo-Saxons. Harlow was in the Magna Carta and was mentioned as a typical rural village. Harlow is situated to the north-west of Chelmsford and also to the north-west of Brentwood.
View a map of Harlow, Essex here: http://www.my-towns.co.uk/harlow-map.html
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October 28, 2011
Olympic Stadium Map
Olympic Stadium Map, Marshgate Lane, Stratford, London, United Kingdom.
View larger map
Olympic Stadium Map Stratford London – Above is a satellite map showing the Olympic Stadium located in Marshgate Lane, Stratford, London.
View a detailed street map of Stratford here: Stratford Street Map
See a map of the central areas of London here: London Street Map
Get more information on the Olympic Stadium here: Map of Olympic Stadium.
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Olympic Stadium Stratford London
Olympic Stadium Stratford London: At the heart of the 2012 Olympic games in London is the amazing new Olympic Stadium which has been built in the Stratford area of East London. Stratford was chosen as the location for the stadium after being identified as an area in need of regeneration close to central London. Situated on land near Marshgate Lane in Stratford work on preparing the site started in 2007, though the actual building work did not begin until the twenty second of May 2008. The Olympic Stadium was completed on the twenty ninth of March 2011. The Olympic Stadium was designed by architectural firm, Populous, it has a seating capacity of 80,000, though this will be reduced after the completion of the games, when it will become a wonderful venue for the people of London.
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March 29, 2011
Coventry West Midlands
Previously part of Warwickshire, but, since the 1974 counties shake up, one of the cities of the West Midlands, Coventry is a large city with over 300,000 residents. It has a proud history of industry, first in weaving, then coal mining and finally car manufacture. The history of the city however goes back beyond any of these industries, to Saxon times, when it grew up around a Saxon nunnery during the seventh century. The modern history of Coventry is more brutal, with its almost total destruction by German bombing during World War 2. Due to this damage the city appears mostly modern, though a surprising number of old buildings survived, including Bird’s Hospital, the Charterhouse, the Golden Cross Inn and the St Mary’s Guild Hall. Many may not realise that a river runs under Coventry city centre, the River Sherbourne was mostly paved over, during the rebuilding work that took place after the War, outside the city the river is a nice place to take a stroll when the weather is fine. Coventry is approximately ninety seven miles from central London.
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December 18, 2010
Hoddesdon Hertfordshire
A a small commuter town located in the valley of the River Lea in Hertfordshire, Hoddesdon has a population of 20,250, and is an ancient town which mostly developed as a stopping point for horse drawn coaches travelling between London and Cambridge, heading north on the Great North Road. Hoddesdon originated as a Saxon settlement probably deriving its name from the Old English or Danish, it was significant enough in the 11th century to be listed in the Domesday Book and later received a charter to hold a market. As the importance of horse drawn carriages declined, another industry provided income for the town in the form of gravel, though this ran out by the 1970’s, leaving water filled gravel pits providing water sports facilities for its modern day residents. Hoddesdon is just north of Broxbourne and surrounding villages include Roydon, Great Amwell, Hunsdon, Lower Nazeing and Stanstead Abbotts.
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December 8, 2010
Chesham Buckinghamshire
The largest town in the Chiltern District of Buckinghamshire, lying in the south-east of the county, Chesham is a market town situated in a steep sided valley at the source of the River Chess. A progressive town with a population of around 20,000, Chesham is a popular commuter town which is on the London Underground line (Metropolitan), giving good access to the capital. Chesham holds a market twice a week, much as it has done for centuries, and a more recent addition, the Elgiva Theatre attracts thousands of visitors to the town, providing much needed entertainment for both its residents and those living nearby. Surrounded by wide expanses of beautiful countryside, Chesham offers plenty of opportunity for walking and cycling, while providing a relaxed and friendly shopping experience for those choosing to stay in the town centre. Places of interest nearby include the Hertfordshire village of Bovingdon, which holds a well known Saturday market on its disused airport, on the same airport you can try out paintballing or watch banger racing, should you wish, and also the pretty village of Ashley Green, a charming place to spend an hour or two.
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October 26, 2010
Grantham Lincolnshire
Once acting as a staging point between London and Lincoln, the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire is an ancient and historical town, perhaps best known for its St Wulfrum’s church, with its 281 foot spire. One of its best known buildings is the Angel Inn, dating from the 14th century, and said to be the place where Richard III signed the Duke of Buckingham’s death warrant in 1483. Grantham Museum is worth a visit, and contains some interesting exhibits relating to Sir Isaac Newton who was born nearby and attended Grantham’s King’s Grammar School. When the weather is nice, you could take a walk along the charming Grantham Canal, which opened in 1797.
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September 9, 2010
Stroud Gloucestershire
Boasting some 5,000 years of human settlement the Gloucestershire town of Stroud is a fascinating place to visit. First settled by peoples of the Neolithic period, who practised agriculture in the areas around Stroud, and an ancient barrow (Hetty Pegler’s Tump) gives evidence of their time here, and dates from around 2,800 BC. Two of the finest ancient burial grounds in the region, Uley Bury and Nympsfield are also close by. Much later during the Industrial Revolution, Stroud became important for cloth production, and its perfect location for the powering of water mills, was a significant factor in this. Rainy weather brought a deluge of water from the Fibe Valleys, which meet at Stroud, and this power was well utilised in the production of woollen cloth for which the area became well known. Only 2 woollen cloth mills remain from 150 which once stood here, a sign of the ever decreasing industrial production of both Stroud and England in general. Among places to visit in Stroud are the Bank Gardens, the Church of St Lawrence, the Cornhill Market Place, Sim’s Clock and the Museum in the Park. Stroud is situated south of Gloucester and Cheltenham and is around eighty five miles from London.
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Tewkesbury Gloucestershire
The Gloucestershire town of Tewkesbury stands at the confluence of the River Avon and the River Severn, a fact which has resulted in many floods in the town over the centuries, during rainy weather. A charming old world town, Tewkesbury still has many fine old timbered buildings in the town centre, with picturesque old inns and houses to look at, two of the finest and best known of these houses are known as the Ancient Grudge and the Golden Key, both located in the High Street and worth a look if you are visiting. Tewkesbury has a magnificent Norman Abbey Church which was consecrated in the early 12th century. Tewkesbury is located to the north of Cheltenham and is around eighty seven miles from London.
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July 30, 2010
Hotel Mandolay Guildford Surrey
Mandolay Hotel Guildford
For your stay in Guildford, Surrey, you must certainly consider the beautiful 19th century Mandolay Hotel, one of the most popular and luxurious hotels in the town. Located centrally the Mandolay Hotel is only five minutes walk from the town centre of Guildford making it ideal for both business and pleasure guests, visiting the town or Surrey in general. Offering banqueting facilities, the Mandolay is also ideal for functions, weddings and parties as well as business conferences, having a ballroom for up to one hundred and eighty and dining for 150. The hotel also offers a fabulous fitness centre which you can make use of and is ideal when the weather is not so good. Guildford is a historic Surrey town, which is also the county town, it has many interesting attractions to visit. Rooms in the Mandolay Hotel Guildford are offered from 95 euros per night (about £80). Guildford can be reached from the A3, it is situated to the south-west of central London. Guildford Map.
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July 15, 2010
Slough Berkshire
Lying to the west of Greater London on the A4 trunk road, the town and borough of Slough was formerly part of Buckinghamshire but now comes under the county of Berkshire. With a population of around 117,000 and an area of some thirteen square miles Slough lies north of the River Thames and the town of Windsor, with the tiny village of Eton and its famous college sandwiched between the two. Though its modern day appearance does not suggest any significant history, Slough was actually a settlement (albeit a small one) way back in the 13th century when it was variously known as Slo, Slowe, Sloo, Slow and Le Slowe. Growing later as a town mostly due to the stagecoach trade, Slough is now a large industrial town. Becoming a local government area only in 1863, Slough was incorportated into Berkshire in the 1974 reshuffle. Experiencing a typical south England climate, Slough averages 45mm of rain monthly and has its best weather in the period May to September.
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March 13, 2010
Letchworth, Hitchin and Baldock Hertfordshire
Three of the larger towns in the county of Hertfordshire, England, Letchworth, Hitchin and Baldock could not be more different. Letchworth formerly just a small village, was joined with the villages of Norton and Willan to form Letchworth Garden City, one of Ebenezer Howard’s ‘new towns’ in 1903. Set out as part of his dream of a city surrounded by countryside, with every house having its own garden, Letchworth never quite lived up to Howard’s ideals. On the other side of the historic coin, Hitchin was a settlement of the Hicci tribe way back in the 7th century, its name seems to have derived from the local River Hiz (pronounced Hitch). The town later prospered due to the wool trade and was a staging post for coaches travelling north from London. Local legend tells that Henry VIII almost died in a fire in Hitchin, though he managed to escape across the aforementioned River Hiz. Not quite so old, but historic nonetheless, Baldock was founded by the Knights Templar during the 12th century, the town grew around the crossroads of the Icknield Way and the Great North Road, and, like Hitchin, became a coaching post for travellers to and from London. Baldock developed since the 16th century as an important brewing and malting centre, with three major breweries operating in the town, which was also renowned for its large number of pubs!
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