Illustrated Tales of Surrey

Surrey is one of the smallest and most populous English counties, with a rich history and folklore that includes legends, strange tales, and unusual history. The book explores many of these stories, such as the giant sisters at St Catherine's and St Martha's hills, the witch said to have inhabited Mother Ludlam's Cave, the Crowhurst Yew, and the Godstone pirate. Other unusual sites include Merstham Tunnel, Betchworth Castle, the Railway of the Dead, the Silent Pool, the Camberley Obelisk, and a haunted house in Egham. Modern mysteries and urban legends have also entered into Surrey folklore, such as the A3 Ghost Crash of 2002, the Surrey Puma, the Thornton Heath Vampire, the disappearance of Agatha Christie, the Queen's 'forgotten cousins' in Royal Earlswood Asylum, and the Reigate Martin Bormann.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2022
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

Surrey, a diminutive English county, boasts a remarkable population density while preserving a significant portion of its open spaces. This distinction makes it the most densely wooded county in England. Rooted in a rich history that extends beyond written records, Surrey is adorned with a wealth of folklore, legends, strange tales, and peculiar history. The book delves into numerous captivating stories that have emerged about Surrey's ancient landscape, including the legendary giant sisters at St. Catherine's and St. Martha's hills, the reputed witch residing in Mother Ludlam's Cave, and the awe-inspiring Crowhurst Yew, once home to a spacious room capable of accommodating a table, chairs, and numerous individuals. Among the legendary heroes and heroines of Surrey are Blanche Heriot, the infamous Mary Toft, the woman known for giving birth to rabbits, the Godstone pirate, William Davis (the Golden Farmer), and Mary Frith, better known as Moll Cutpurse, the notorious highwaywoman. The county is also home to eerie histories of various places, such as the unsolved murder that took place in Merstham Tunnel in 1905, the haunting of Betchworth Castle, the eerie "Railway of the Dead" at Brookwood, the Silent Pool, the Camberley Obelisk, and a haunted house in Egham. Additionally, Surrey boasts unconventional sites like Watts Cemetery Chapel, the Reigate Heath windmill church, and Brockham Hill crater, where peculiar, foreign plants sprouted in the 1940s. Modern mysteries and urban legends have also found their place in Surrey folklore, including the A3 Ghost Crash of 2002, the Surrey Puma, the Thornton Heath Vampire, the disappearance of Agatha Christie, the Queen's "forgotten cousins" in Royal Earlswood Asylum, and the enigmatic Reigate Martin Bormann. These strange and spooky stories are accompanied by illustrations of both present-day and historical locations in the county, adding an extra layer of intrigue and wonder to the rich tapestry of Surrey's history and folklore.

Weight: 286g
Dimension: 165 x 234 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781398111127