Merrow, Surrey
| Merrow | |
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 Allotments and rooftops in Merrow |
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 Tree, hedge and verge-lined street typical of the majority of the streets of Merrow |
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 Merrow
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| Merrow shown within Surrey | |
| Area | 4.41 km2 (1.70 sq mi) |
| Population | 8,036 (Census 2011. Ward) |
| • Density | 1,822/km2 (4,720/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Merrovian |
| OS grid reference | TQ022508 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GUILDFORD |
| Postcode district | GU1, GU4 |
| Dialling code | 01483 |
| Police | Surrey |
| Fire | Surrey |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
The village of Merrow, in Surrey, England in the 21st century constitutes the north-east suburb of Guildford. It is however centred 2 miles (3.2 km) from the town centre, right on the edge of the ridge of hills that forms the North Downs. Although now a relatively anonymous suburb, the village can trace its origins back many hundreds of years. According to the Institute for Name-Studies, Merrow means 'fat', literally, "probably referring to the high fertility of the land".
Merrow is separated from Burpham (to the north-west) by the New Guildford Line, the second railway line between Guildford and London.
The village grew up around a crossroads: where what is now the A25, the road between Guildford and Leatherhead, crossed the original road (Merrow Street) from Burpham to Dorking.
The oldest houses in the village can still be seen along these two roads, together with St John's Church and the Horse and Groom, a 17th-century coaching inn next door. The old Dorking road squeezes between the church and the inn, creating a significant bottleneck for modern motor traffic.
To the north is Clandon Park, a 1000 acre private Grade 11 Listed agricultural parkland Estate that is the Seat of the current Earl of Onslow. On the South East corner of Clandon Park there is 9 acres of gardens & grounds where Clandon House is located. The Mansion House with 7 acres of gardens was gifted to the Nation by the Onslow family and is now a National Trust property. The Onslows provided some of the earliest Speakers of the House of Commons, such as Arthur Onslow who held this post through the reign of George II.
Merrow remained a relatively small settlement right up to the 1950s, when the Bushy Hill estate was built. This development of several hundred houses was originally all council-owned, but since the 1980s, many have passed into private ownership.
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Wikipedia