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Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding Non-metropolitan district|local government district, located in the west of Surrey, England. It functions as a dormitory town of the London commuter belt and is located 23 miles (37 km) south west of Charing Cross in central London. Woking town itself, excluding the surrounding district, has a population of 62,796,[Surrey County Council census data] and the civil parish, which covers part of the urban area inclusive of Sheerwater and Knaphill, has a population of 30,403. It should be noted that this population should not be confused with the local government district (Woking (borough)|the borough of Woking), which has an approximate population of 90,700 (2006 estimate).
Woking also plays a role in literature: it is the town in which the Martian (War of the Worlds)|Martians first land in H. G. Wells' science fiction novel ''The War of the Worlds''. It also features in Douglas Adams|Douglas Adams's ''The Meaning of Liff'', as the word for when you go to the kitchen but forget why.[Douglas Adams, 'The Deeper Meaning of Liff', London: Pan Books/Faber & Faber, 1992, p. 109.]
Twin towns
- Rastatt in Germany
- Amstelveen in the Netherlands
- Le Plessis-Robinson in France[
]
- fano|italy molise in italy
Woking borough twin town info
History
Though Woking's earliest written appearance is in Domesday Book, it is mentioned as the site of a monastery in an 8th century context, as History of Woking#Pre-1800|''Wochingas''. In Domesday Book it appears as ''Wochinges'', being held in 1086 by King William the Conqueror, Walter FitzOther, Constables and Governors of Windsor Castle|constable of Windsor Castle, and Ansgot and Godfrey from Osbern FitzOsbern, then bishop of Exeter.
Modern Woking formed around the railway station, built over 150 years ago at the junction between lines to London, the south coast, and the South West England|south-west of England, and the private railway to Brookwood Cemetery, which was developed by the London Necropolis Company as an overflow burial ground for London's dead. As a result, the original settlement became known as "Old Woking". Later, Woking was home to the first crematorium in the United Kingdom (St Johns), and the first mosque in the UK (on Oriental Road). The Shah Jahan Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Shah Jahan, Begum of Bhopal|Shahjehan, Begum of Bhopal|Begum of Bhopal (princely state)|Bhopal (1868-1901), one of the four female Muslim rulers of Bhopal who reigned between 1819 and 1926 giving rise to the towns' significant Asian community.
The War of the Worlds (1898), by H. G. Wells, based in Horsell common in Woking is an early science fiction novel which describes an invasion of England by aliens from Mars. It is one of the earliest and best-known depictions of an alien invasion of Earth, and has influenced many others, as well as spawning several films and radio dramas, and a television series based on the story. The 1938 radio broadcast caused public outcry against the episode, as many listeners believed that an actual Martian invasion was in progress, a notable example of mass hysteria.
Politics
The Woking (UK Parliament constituency)|constituency of Woking has historically been a Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative party safe seat, with the Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats the principal opposition in the last two Elections in the United Kingdom|general elections. Its current Member of Parliament is Humfrey Malins, who has a majority of around 6,500. The borough council is currently run by the Conservatives.[2007 local election results]
Facilities
Woking has a modern shopping centre called The Peacocks and an older shopping area, Wolsey Place.[Wolsey Place web site]
The main area for evening entertainment is around Chertsey Road[Map showing Chertsey Road] which contains restaurants serving a number of cuisines and there are also numerous bars and pubs. The Ambassadors cinemas[Web site for the Ambassadors cinemas and New Victoria Theatre] and New Victoria Theatre[Pool in the Park web site] and a separate leisure centre. Outdoor facilities include a skatepark, tennis courts, five-a-side football pitches, a cricket pitch (during the summer), bowling greens, a crazy golf course, and a children's adventure playground. These leisure facilities are all located within the attractively landscaped Woking Park[Woking Park web site] near to the town centre. Woking also has the largest public library in Surrey.
The scene at St Peter's Church, Old Woking is an inspiration for many local artists, as is another local beauty spot at the lock at St John's Lye.[(a) (b) Two sites on David Drury, a local artist]
Woking is home to a new arts and heritage centre called 'The Lightbox'[The Lightbox website]. The modern structure, located next to the Basingstoke Canal, was designed by architects Marks Barfield[ Marks Barfield - Lightbox architects The Guardian newspaper], the architects of the London Eye.
There is also a Hawker Hunter jet fighter painted silver and mounted on a pole roughly ten metres tall outside the 'Big Apple' family entertainment complex. This was used to promote the previous 'Planets' family entertainment complex, designed to look like a space craft, and has never been removed. However, originally the craft was black with various logos and livery on it. These were removed when the Planets complex was taken over.
Energy policy
- ''See related article: '''Energy policy of the United Kingdom'''
Woking council is one of country's leaders in adopting greener energy technologies. Several cogeneration|combined heat and power stations provide district heating and electricity, and electricity is also provided by a combination of Hydrogen economy|hydrogen fuel cells and solar cells dispersed throughout the borough. These are linked via an innovative private electricity distribution system operating completely off the public Electric power transmission|power grid.
In order to do this the local government laid new power lines to all locations on the Woking sustainable community energy system (due to Department of Trade and Industry regulations). Should the public power grid fail, central Woking would continue to have an energy supply.[
]
The cost for providing this is approximately Pound sterling|UK£0.01/kilowatt-hour|kWh less than for public electricity. It has been reported that the borough saves UK£974,000 a year in energy costs if the installation costs are ignored.[London Climate Change Authority Press Release]
Woking Station Canopy, which was approved by Woking Councillors in March 2004, was built in 2007. It is equipped with photovoltaic cells to collect sunlight and convert it into energy.[Woking government news ''Final stage of the canopy to Albion Way'']
On Friday 23rd March 2007, Prince Charles opened a climate change exhibition in Woking. The exhibition, which is a joint venture by Business in the Community and BCSC and endorsed by the Climate Group, featured display stands with information on issues like recycling, energy use, transport, waste reduction and food sources. He also inspected work on the Albion Square canopy. After the launch, the prince took lunch at Auberge. He then gave a speech to introduce Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth, which was being viewed by local business leaders.
Transport
Rail
Woking railway station is situated on the Alton Line, Portsmouth Direct Line, South Western Main Line and West of England Main Line. Accordingly, there are frequent trains to and from Waterloo station|London Waterloo (via Clapham Junction), a journey taking approximately half an hour. There is also the twice hourly Waterloo via Weybridge railway service|Waterloo/Woking stopping service that calls at many stations between Waterloo and Woking.
A canopy has been built between the station and the main shopping area of the town. It stretches from the railway station entrance (town - platform 1 - side) to Albion House and includes landscaping of the area which, along with the canopy, creates a new entrance to the town from the railway station.[Woking borough press release]
Road
Woking is accessible from M25 motorway, M3 Motorway & the A3 road (Great Britain)|A3.
A320, the main access road, passing through the centre of town connects to the M25 motorway|M25 junction 11 to Woking's north and to the A3 road (Great Britain)|A3 to its south at Guildford. M3 Motorway Junction 3 connects to Woking either via Chobham, Surrey|Chobham (B3046) or A322 & A324.
Bus
A RailAir coach service connects Woking and London Heathrow airport. The service runs approximately every 30 minutes from the railway station main entrance to the airport bus station and terminal 5. Gatwick Airport can be accessed via Guildford railway station, Surrey|Guildford railway station or Clapham Junction.
The bus services in Woking are mainly operated by Arriva Guildford & West Surrey|Arriva, Countryliner Coaches|Countryliner and Travel Surrey. The main bus terminal is just outside the station and provides services to Byfleet and West Byfleet, Camberley, Guildford, Kingston upon Thames|Kingston, Ripley, Surrey|Ripley and Staines.
The Bustler community transport service operates in and around Woking, serving people with a transportation disadvantage.[Woking Bustler web site]
Suburbs
Woking has several suburban districts including :-
Horsell, Hook Heath, Mount Hermon, Barnsbury, Maybury, Sheerwater, Goldsworth Park, St Johns, Pyrford, Kingfield, Westfield, Ridgway and Old Woking.
The adjacent village of Knaphill is often considered outer suburbs of Woking. Old Woking is cited as a separate village. Mayford and Sutton Green are to the south on the border between Woking and Guildford
Sport
Football:
Woking has a non-League football|non-League football club, Woking F.C., that competes in the Conference National|Nationwide Conference (tier 5). The origin of the club's nickname, the "Cards", is disputed. One attractive proposal is that the name was acquired because Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, after whom the smaller of the two shopping centres is named, was staying with King Henry VIII at Woking Palace (the remains of which can be seen near the River Wey at Old Woking) when he heard he had been made a Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal by Pope Leo X in 1515. A more prosaic alternative is that the Cards are so named because of the Cardinal (color)|cardinal red in one half of their home strip. It is interesting to note that this colour was chosen because of the town's link to Cardinal Wolsey.
Rugby:
Woking has a rugby union club[Woking RFC] that competes in Surrey League 3 (Level 11).
The local senior club Chobham Rugby Club [Chobham Rugby] has 6 senior teams, the 1st XV, 2nd XV (Cannons), 3rd XV, 4th XV (Devils), 5th XV (Crusaders)& Veterans (Martyrs).
The 1st XV play in London Division 2 South (Level 6), finishing third in their first season at this level (07/08). All four other senior teams play in the John O'Neil and Partners Surrey Reverse leagues. The Devils won their league cup in the 2006/7 season. Chobham won London 3SW in 2006/07.
There is also a large junior and mini section with many County and Divisional players. One of the products of the youth system, Dan Frazier, has just signed with NEC Harlequins at 18.
Hockey:
Woking Hockey Club[Woking Hockey Club] women's first XI compete in the English field hockey|Hockey League Women's League 1 (tier 2); the men's first XI compete in a regional league. The club has two AstroTurf pitches at a clubhouse based in Goldsworth Park.
Cricket:
Woking also has a number of cricket clubs including Old Woking CC, Woking & Horsell CC, and Westfield CC.
Motor Racing:
The McLaren Formula One motor racing team is based near to the town, as is Räikkönen Robertson Racing, begun by Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen.
Korfball:
Woking Korfball Club] has been active for 25 years[Woking Korfball Club], training and playing in the Woking area. It operates in the London league, challenging for titles every season and with 2 or 3 teams of players appearing regularly for the club. In the Season 2007/2008 Woking was second in the London & District Korball Association's Senior Premier League.
Thai Boxing:
Woking has two Muay Thai (or Thai Boxing) clubs one of which uses Woking Leisure Centre while the other has its own premises.
Education
Infant and junior schools in the area include: Goldsworth Primary School, Knaphill Junior School, Knaphill Lower School, Horsell CofE Aided Junior School, Horsell Village School, The Prins Willem-Alexander school (Dutch private primary school), St Hugh of Lincoln Catholic Primary School, St. Dunstan's Catholic Primary School, Barnsbury Primary and Infant School, Westfield Primary School, The Hermitage Junior School, Sythwood Primary School and The Oaktree School, Beaufort Primary School and St John's Primary School.
Secondary schools in the area include: Bishop David Brown School (Woking)|Bishop David Brown School , St. John the Baptist School (Woking)|St. John the Baptist School, St Andrew's School (Woking)|St Andrew's School The Winston Churchill School (Woking)|The Winston Churchill School, and Woking High School.
Woking College is located in Old Woking and provides post-16 education.
There are also private sector schools. There are several private preparatory schools in Woking: Hoe Bridge(lads), St Andrew's, Greenfield, Oakfield School and Ripley Court are all mixed, while Halstead School is girls only.
Peer Productions, a large theatre company, is based at the Woking Youth Arts Centre in Knaphill. It provides dramatic education for students of all ages.
Woking is also home to the Tante Marie cookery school[Tante Marie location], the UK's oldest established professional cookery school[Tante Marie - The UK's oldest professional cookery school]. According to the Woking News and Mail, it has now been bought by famous chef Gordon Ramsey who intends to set up his own catering college.
Healthcare
Woking comes under Surrey PCT (Primary Care Trust), administered and run by National Health Service (England)|NHS. Group of GP's together with Woking Community hospital [List of GP's & Woking Community hospital] serves the local resident's primary healthcare needs.
Specialist hospitals near by are St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey (for Emergency department|A&E) and Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford.
For Private hospital|Private healthcare needs, Nuffield Hospital[ Nuffield Hospitals, Woking Community hospital] mainly serves Woking's local residents.
Woking used to have its own hospital with maternity and A&E amongst other departments. Woking Victoria Hospital [Listed in the National Archives] was situated on the corner of Victoria Way and Chobham Road, right by the Basingstoke Canal, from 1950 until the mid-80's.
Notable residents
Woking was home to author H.G. Wells, who had the Martians in ''The War of the Worlds (novel)|The War of the Worlds'' land on Horsell Common, close to the town centre. There is a large sculpture of a (Wellsian) Tripod (The War of the Worlds)|Martian Fighting Machine in the town centre commemorating Woking's fictional destruction.
The English composer Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944) lived and died in Woking.
The Jam are from Woking, and its singer/songwriter Paul Weller (singer)|Paul Weller (who later, together with Mick Talbot, formed The Style Council) was born there in 1958. The song ''A Town Called Malice'' was written about Woking, and Weller's 1995 solo album, ''Stanley Road'', is named after the street in which he was born and lived.[Map with Stanley Road indicated]
Kazuo Ishiguro studied at Woking Grammar School. Literature
Douglas Adams describes Woking in The Deeper Meaning of Liff (ptcbl. vb.) as:
- ''Standing in the kitchen wondering what you came in here for.''
Emergency services
Woking is served by these emergency services:
- '''Surrey Police'''.
- '''South East Coast Ambulance Service''' as of 1 July 2006, is the local National Health Service (England)|NHS Ambulance Services Trust. The '''Surrey Ambulance Service''', Sussex, and Kent Ambulance services have all merged, and have now ceased to exist.
- '''Surrey Fire & Rescue Service'''.
- 2 x Water Tender Ladder
See also
- Brookwood Cemetery, Woking
- Horsell|Horsell Village, Woking
- Goldsworth Park|Goldsworth Park estate, Woking
- Knaphill|Knaphill Village, Woking
- Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
- Woking, Alberta
Notes
Further reading
- Guardian article: Woking to teach London to be a world leader in tackling climate change
External links
- Woking Borough Council
- Woking - Information Site
- Aerial photographs of Woking
- Photographs of Woking
Category:Towns in Surrey
Category:Local government in Surrey
Category:Shire districts
Category:Woking
Related Images- Sculpture of a Wellsian Martian Tripod.
Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL
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