England, United Kingdom · Europe
Woking works well as a base: 5 minutes from Knaphill, 7km from Brooklands.
Woking is in England, United Kingdom, with about 100,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Knaphill, about 4 km away.
Woking ( WOH-king) is a town and borough in north-west Surrey, England, around 23 mi (36 km) from central London. It appears in Domesday Book as Wochinges, and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The earliest evidence of human activity is from the Palaeolithic, but the low fertility of the sandyRead more
local soils meant that the area was the least populated part of the county in 1086. Between the mid-17th and mid-19th centuries, new transport links were constructed, including the Wey Navigation, Basingstoke Canal and London to Southampton railway line. The modern town was established in the mid-1860s, as the London Necropolis Company began to sell surplus land surrounding the railway station for development.
Modern local government in Woking began with the creation of the Woking Local Board in 1893, which became Woking Urban District Council (UDC) in 1894. The urban district was significantly enlarged in 1907 when it took in the parish of Horsell, and again in 1933 when it took in the parishes of Byfleet and Pyrford. The UDC was granted a coat of arms in 1930 and Woking gained borough status in the 1974 reorganisation of local government. In 2022, a total of 30 elected representatives serves on the council, each with a term length of four years.
The Borough of Woking covers 64 km2 (25 sq mi) and had a population of 103,900 in 2021. The main urban centre stretches from Knaphill in the west to Byfleet in the east, but the satellite villages of Brookwood, Mayford, Pyrford and Old Woking retain strong individual identities. Around 60% of the borough is protected by the Metropolitan Green Belt, which severely limits the potential for further housebuilding. Recent developments have included the construction of two residential tower blocks in the town centre and the conversion of former industrial buildings to apartments. There are six Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the borough boundaries, of which three form part of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area.
Almost the entire town centre dates from the 20th and 21st centuries. Elsewhere in the borough, there are several historic buildings, including the ruins of Woking Palace, a royal residence of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Parts of St Peter's Church in Old Woking date from the reign of William I and Sutton Place, built for Richard Weston c. 1525, is one of the earliest unfortified houses in England. The Shah Jahan Mosque, constructed in 1889, was the first purpose-built Muslim place of worship in the UK. There are numerous works of public art in the town centre, including a statue of the author, H. G. Wells, who wrote The War of the Worlds while living in Maybury Road. Much of the novel is set in the Woking area.
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Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Woking.
Within an hour or so of Woking: Brooklands (7 km), Brooklands Museum (8 km), Thorpe Park (10 km), Virginia Water Lake, Surrey (Forbidden Forest) (10 km).
The nearest famous roads are Crystal Palace Circuit, Goodwood Festival of Speed and Rhinefield Ornamental Drive.
Woking is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Knaphill.
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Places within a drive of Woking. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United Kingdom8 notable places within an hour's drive.
racetrack
The world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit, opened 1907, where surviving sections of the towering concrete Members' Banking rear up out of the Surrey woodland. The museum holds racing cars and aircraft on the original site.
7 km · about 15 min drive
museum
The birthplace of British motorsport and aviation, featuring the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit from 1907.
8 km · about 15 min drive
landmark
Thrill-focused theme park near London catering to older children and adults with intense roller coasters.
10 km · about 20 min drive
film location
The lakeside and woods of Windsor Great Park doubled for the Forbidden Forest and the Hogwarts grounds in Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire.
10 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Family-friendly theme park near London with LEGO-themed rides, building workshops, and Miniland models.
17 km · about 20 min drive
cafe
Iconic biker and cyclist cafe at the foot of Box Hill in Surrey, a must-stop gathering point on one of England's most famous riding roads.
18 km · about 20 min drive
cafe
A popular roadside cafe at the base of the Box Hill zig-zag road, serving as the unofficial meeting point for the Surrey biker community.
18 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
The oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, serving as a royal residence for over 900 years.
19 km · about 20 min drive
4 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
April to October
Other places to explore near Woking.
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