Portal:South_East_England
Portal:South East England
Portal maintenance status: (June 2018)
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The South East England Portal
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England in the United Kingdom at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It consists of the counties of Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex. Major towns and cities in the region include Brighton and Hove, Canterbury, Milton Keynes, Southampton, Portsmouth, Slough, Reading and Oxford.
South East England is the third-largest region of England, with a land area of 19,072 square kilometres (7,364 sq mi), and is also the most populous with a total population of over nine million. The region contains eight legally chartered cities: Brighton and Hove, Canterbury, Chichester, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester. The region's close proximity to London has led to South East England becoming a prosperous economic hub with the largest economy of any region in the UK, after London. The region is home to Gatwick Airport, the UK's second-busiest airport, and Heathrow Airport (the UK's busiest airport) is located adjacent to the region's boundary with Greater London. The coastline along the English Channel provides numerous ferry crossings to mainland Europe.
The region is known for its countryside, which includes two national parks: the New Forest and the South Downs, as well as the North Downs, the Chiltern Hills and part of the Cotswolds. The River Thames flows through the region and its basin is known as the Thames Valley. It is also the location of a number of internationally known places of interest, such as HMS Victory in Portsmouth, Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, Thorpe Park and RHS Wisley in Surrey, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Windsor Castle in Berkshire, Leeds Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, Brighton Palace Pier, and Hammerwood Park in East Sussex, and Wakehurst Place in West Sussex. The region has many universities; the University of Oxford is the oldest in the English-speaking world, and ranked among the best in the world.
South East England is host to various sporting events, including the annual Henley Royal Regatta, Royal Ascot and The Derby, and sporting venues include Wentworth Golf Club and Brands Hatch. Some of the events of the 2012 Summer Olympics were held in the south east, including the rowing at Eton Dorney and part of the cycling road race in the Surrey Hills.
In medieval times, South East England included much of the Kingdom of Wessex, which was the precursor to the modern state of England. Winchester was the capital of England after unification of the various states, including the kingdoms of Kent, Sussex and Mercia. Winchester stopped being the administrative capital of England some time in the 13th century as its influence waned while the City of London dominated commerce. The last monarch to be crowned at Winchester was Richard II in 1377, although the last monarch to be crowned by the Bishop of Winchester was Queen Mary I in 1553. (Full article...)
Selected article
The main buildings of Jesus College, one of the colleges of the University of Oxford, are located in the centre of the city of Oxford, England, between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street, and Market Street. Jesus College was founded in 1571 by Elizabeth I caused by the petition of a Welsh clergyman, Hugh Price, who was treasurer of St David's Cathedral. Her foundation charter gave to the college the land and buildings of White Hall, a university hall that had experienced a decline in student numbers. Price added new buildings to those of White Hall, and construction work continued after his death in 1574. The first of the college's quadrangles, which includes the hall, chapel, and principal's lodgings was completed between 1621 and 1630. Construction of the second quadrangle began in the 1630s, but was interrupted by the English Civil War and was not completed until about 1712. Further buildings were erected in a third quadrangle during the 20th century, including science laboratories (now closed), a library for undergraduates, and additional accommodation for students and fellows. In addition to the main site, the college owns flats in east and north Oxford, and a sports ground.
The chapel, which was dedicated in 1621 and extended in 1636, was extensively altered in 1864 under the supervision of the architect George Edmund Street. The alterations have had their supporters and their critics; one historian of the college (Ernest Hardy, principal from 1921 to 1925) described the work as "ill-considered". The hall's original hammerbeam roof was hidden by a plaster ceiling in 1741 when rooms were installed in the roof space. The principal's lodgings, the last part of the first quadrangle to be constructed, contain wooden panelling from the early 17th century. The Fellows' Library in the second quadrangle dates from 1679 and contains 11,000 antiquarian books; it was restored at a cost of £700,000 in 2007. A new Junior Common Room, about twice the size of its predecessor, was completed in the third quadrangle in 2002. Further student and teaching rooms were added in Ship Street, opposite the college, in 2010.
Eleven parts of the college are listed buildings, including all four sides of the first and second quadrangles. Nine parts, including the chapel, hall, and principal's lodgings, have the highest Grade I designation, given to buildings of exceptional interest. Two other parts (an external wall and an early 20th-century addition in the third quadrangle) have a Grade II designation, given to buildings of national importance and special interest. The architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner described the first quadrangle as "small and pretty", and said that the reredos behind the chapel altar was "heavily gorgeous"; he was, however, critical of the Old Members' Building in the third quadrangle, opened in 1971, describing it as a "mannered and modish design". The historian John Julius Norwich said that the first quadrangle had "a curious charm", while the second quadrangle had "a strong feeling of unity owing to the somewhat relentless succession of ogival gables". The poet Sir John Betjeman said that the clear planning of the first and second quadrangles, coupled with the relationship of their size to the heights of the buildings around them, "make what would be undistinguished buildings judged on their detail, into something distinguished". However, he regarded the early 20th-century additions in the third quadrangle as "dull". (Full article...)
Selected pictures
- Image 4Breamore House in the west of the county, north of the New Forest (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 5 (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 7Credit: O1iveSt Mary in Castro (or St Mary de Castro) is the church at Dover Castle.(from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 8Credit: Sdwelch1031Rochester is a large town in Kent, England, at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London. Construction of Rochester Cathedral, shown, began in about 1080. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 9Waterfall at Virginia Water on the north-western (Berkshire) border (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 11Credit: Oliver DixonThe Pilgrims' Way is the route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 12Georgian hotel/restaurant typical of many larger Surrey villages and its oldest towns. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 13A Bentley in the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 14One of the several golf courses in Woking's borough in the mid/north-west of the county (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 15Twyford Post Office and stores, between Winchester and Southampton (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 16Credit: Baryonic BeingChartwell, located two miles south of Westerham, Kent, England, was the home of Sir Winston Churchill. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 17The Rose Bowl, near Southampton, home to Hampshire County Cricket Club (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 19View looking east along West Street, New Alresford (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 21The town of Dorking and its section of the Vale of Holmesdale from Box Hill in the North Downs, with more heavily wooded Greensand Hills beyond. These sets of hills make up the Surrey Hills AONB. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 22Hayling Island's mainly shingle beach with Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower beyond (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 23Credit: Marco SinibaldiAround AD 50 the Romans built a lighthouse which still stands to its full height in the grounds of Dover Castle. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 24 (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 25Beachy Head and lighthouse, Eastbourne, East Sussex (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 26 Aerial view of Oxford city centre (from Portal:Oxfordshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 28Credit: XtrememachineukThe Channel Tunnel is a 31 mile long rail tunnel beneath the English Channel connecting England to France. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 29Great Fosters restaurant/hotel, Runnymede (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 30The church at Breamore in the west of the county, north of the New Forest (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 32 The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, as viewed from the tower of the Church of St Mary the Virgin. (from Portal:Oxfordshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 34Fawley Oil Refinery from the remains of Netley Hospital in the Royal Victoria Country Park (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 38Credit: StephenDawsonThe Channel Tunnel terminal at Cheriton near Folkestone in Kent, from the Pilgrims' Way on the escarpment on the southern edge of Cheriton Hill, part of the North Downs. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 39Credit: Craig BassRamsgate Harbour constructed between 1749 and 1850, has the unique distinction of being the only Royal Harbour in the United Kingdom. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 40Credit: Cas Liber.Leeds Castle dates back to 1119, though a manor house stood on the same site from the 9th century. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 41Pineferous forest of the sandy Bagshot Formation spanning parts of four boroughs towards the north-west and in the far west of the county, with defensive positions for historic army training near Deepcut and Pirbright (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 42Typical interior of old pub-restaurant, semi-rural example near Reigate in the east of the county (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 43Credit: Tony HobbsScotney Castle is a country house with gardens in the valley of the River Bewl in Kent, England. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 44Credit: O1iveDover is a major channel port in the English county of Kent (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 46 (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 47Credit: Michael RoweCanterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 49Credit: O1iveBrockhill Country Park is dominated by a large grassy valley, bisected by the Brockhill Stream as it makes its way to the Royal Military Canal at Hythe. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 50Autumn at Denbies Vineyard looking across the Mole Gap to Box Hill, the steepest slopes of the North Downs (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 52 . (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 55Credit: Michael HaslamHowletts Wild Animal Park was set up as a private zoo in 1958 by John Aspinall in Canterbury, Kent. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 56Credit: C HoyleBrockhill Country Park is dominated by a large grassy valley, bisected by the Brockhill Stream as it makes its way to the Royal Military Canal at Hythe. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 58Walton Bridge built in the 2010s is a landmark of the northerly Spelthorne and Elmbridge boroughs (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 59Credit: C.HoyleEastwell Park was a British stately home at Ashford, Kent, that for a time served as a royal residence. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 60The mill at Greywell in the north-east of Hampshire (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 63 (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 65A 1959 view of South Street in Dorking, Surrey. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 69Epsom Downs, a racecourse which hosts The Derby annually. One of four in the county. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 71Credit: Michael WilmoreThe Kent & East Sussex Railway was opened by Colonel H.F. Stephens, the railway engineer, in 1900. At its fullest extent, it ran nearly 22 miles[35km] from Robertsbridge on the Tonbridge to Hastings main line to Headcorn on the main line between Tonbridge and Ashford, Kent. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 72Credit: CharlesdrakewThe bridge over the River Arun at Greatham. (from Portal:West Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 73Mermaid Street in Rye showing typically steep slope and cobbled surface (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 74Credit: LuckyStarrHops are a flower used primarily as a flavouring and stability agent in beer. The principal production centres for the UK are in Kent. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 75Seven reservoirs. View of four in Spelthorne with small lakes of lower elevation, from aggregate extraction, in the south of the borough to the right. Beyond three reservoirs in Elmbridge. The flattest areas of the far north of the county. Staines road and rail bridges span the Thames into Runnymede in the right of the photograph. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 77Credit: Adam MillerThe Swale refers to the strip of water separating North Kent from the Isle of Sheppey. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 78River Lambourn flowing through Eastbury, Berkshire (from Portal:Berkshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 79 Oxford skyline from the University Church of St Mary the Virgin (from Portal:Oxfordshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 80Credit: Michael RoweDover Castle is situated at Dover, Kent and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 82View of the Vale of Holmesdale and Winterfold Forest from Newlands Corner, near Clandon and Albury, east of Guildford (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 83Credit: Hans MusilCanterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 85West End Fire Station, near Southampton, designed by Herbert Collins (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 86Slough Trading Estate plays a major part in making Slough an important business centre in South East England (from Portal:Berkshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 91Remains of the undercroft of the lay brothers' refectory at Waverley Abbey, near Farnham, main town of the Borough of Waverley (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 92Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park in the north-west of the county (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 93Credit: Ian Dunster(from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
Looking up at the East Hill Cliff Railway in Hastings, the steepest funicular railway in the country. - Image 94Credit: PireotisRochester is a large town in Kent, England, at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 96 (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 98Credit: Dave Bushell.A Eurostar on High Speed 1 going through the Medway Towns (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 99Hovercraft passing the mixed architecture, public gardens and shingle beach at Southsea, Portsmouth (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 101Credit: James ArmitageHever Castle, in Kent, England (in the village of Hever), was the seat of the Boleyn family, later bestowed to Anne of Cleves following her divorce from King Henry VIII of England. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 102 (from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
- Image 103Highclere Castle in the far north of Hampshire, a large country house in the Jacobethan style by the architect Charles Barry, with a large park designed by Capability Brown, used as the set for Downton Abbey. (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 104Credit: Paddy BriggsSt Lawrence Ground is the home of Kent County Cricket Club and is notable as a first-class cricket ground that has a tree within the boundary. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
- Image 105St John the Baptist Church, Boldre in the New Forest (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 106Virginia Water Lake on the southern edge of Windsor Great Park (from Portal:Berkshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 107The lower end of the Staines-upon-Thames reach of the Thames, showing typical trees of the next reach and Penton Hook Island, a small nature reserve. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
- Image 109 Oxford skyline from the University Church of St Mary the Virgin (from Portal:Oxfordshire/Selected pictures)
- Image 110Painshill Park in Cobham has follies on natural, but landscaped slopes by part of the Mole disguised as ornamental lakes and the Great Cedar thought to be the largest Cedar of Lebanon in Europe. In the mid-north of the county. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
Selected biography
Honeysuckle Susan Weeks (born 1 August 1979) is a British actress best known for her role as Samantha Stewart (later Wainwright) in the ITV wartime drama series Foyle's War. (Full article...)
On This Day in South East England
24 April:
1953: Oxfordshire-born prime minister Winston Churchill was knighted.
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