Sunbury-on-Thames facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sunbury
Town
Thames Street, Sunbury
Sunbury
Area	7.60 km2 (2.93 sq mi)
Population	18,041 (2011 census)
• Density	2,374/km2 (6,150/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TQ105695
• London	13 miles (21 km)
District	Spelthorne
Shire county	Surrey
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SUNBURY-ON-THAMES
Postcode district	TW16
Dialling code	01932
Police	Surrey
Fire	Surrey
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Spelthorne
List of places UK England Surrey 51°25′23″N 0°25′26″W / 51.423°N 0.424°W / 51.423; -0.424

Sunbury-on-Thames, often called Sunbury, is a town located on the north side of the River Thames in Surrey, England. It's about 13 miles (21 km) southwest of central London. Historically, Sunbury was part of Middlesex county. In 1965, it became part of Surrey instead of Greater London. Sunbury is close to other towns like Feltham, Hampton, Ashford, and Shepperton. Walton-on-Thames is just across the River Thames.

The town has two main areas. Lower Sunbury, also known as Sunbury Village, is the older part right by the river. Sunbury Common, or Sunbury Cross, is further north. This area is near the railway station and the start of the M3 motorway. Lower Sunbury has many parks, pubs, and historic buildings. Sunbury Common is more modern, with offices and hotels. Lower Sunbury hosts a fun fair and a boat race (regatta) every August.

Sunbury railway station is on the Shepperton branch line. You can catch trains from here to London Waterloo, operated by South Western Railway.

Sunbury's History

Coin from the Sunbury hoard, made between 100 and 50 BC.

Sunbury Court Conference Centre, built in 1723.

People have lived in Sunbury for a very long time. The oldest signs of human life here are funerary urns from the Bronze Age, about 3,000 years ago. There's also an ancient burial mound called Cloven Barrow. It was mentioned in an old Anglo-Saxon document around the year 962.

Later, many Huguenot refugees came to Sunbury. They were French Protestants who had to leave their home country. This is why there's a street called French Street in Sunbury.

The name 'Sunbury' comes from old English words. It means 'Sunna's burgh' or 'Sunna's fortification'. Sunna was likely a person's name. Sunbury was also mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. This was a big survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. It showed that Sunbury had farms and about 22 households.

For about 200 years, Lower Sunbury was a quiet, rural village. Many old buildings from the Georgian era (1714-1837) are still there. These include the local church, which was rebuilt in 1752.

In 1889, a group of famous music hall performers met in the Magpie Hotel in Lower Sunbury. They formed a group called the Grand Order of Water Rats. This group helps people in the entertainment industry who need support. The Three Fishes pub on Green Street is also very old, dating back to the late 1500s.

In the 20th century, kennels near Sunbury Cross kept greyhounds for racing. Sunbury was historically part of Middlesex. In 1965, it became part of Surrey county.

Exploring Sunbury

Map of Sunbury-on-Thames.

The island park – Rivermead Island.

View of Sunbury Park.

Sunbury is divided into two main parts by the M3 motorway.

Lower Sunbury

Lower Sunbury, often called 'Sunbury village', is next to the River Thames. It's mostly a quiet residential area with lots of green spaces. There are eight schools here, including three secondary schools. This part of Sunbury has many parks, including Sunbury Park, which is great for walking and cycling.

London Irish rugby club has been based in Sunbury since 1932. Many of their players train here. The eastern border of Lower Sunbury is Kempton Park Racecourse. This area also has important woodlands and wildlife areas.

A special artwork called the Millennium Embroidery is in Lower Sunbury. It's a large tapestry that shows famous Sunbury landmarks. You can see it in the Sunbury Millennium Embroidery Gallery, which is in a lovely Walled Garden. The garden also hosts concerts and events in the summer.

In July, a traditional ceremony called Swan Upping starts in Lower Sunbury. This is when swans on the River Thames are counted and marked. In August, the Sunbury Amateur Regatta takes place on the river. This is a fun boat race event.

Lower Sunbury has many pubs and independent restaurants. It's a great place for families, with many houses from the 1930s to 1960s that have gardens.

Sunbury Common

Clock tower at Sunbury Cross, built in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

The northern part of Sunbury is called Sunbury Common. It has a mix of homes, offices, and shops. You'll find big companies like Siemens and BP here. The M3 motorway separates Sunbury Common from Lower Sunbury.

Sunbury Common has a long shopping area with stores like Marks & Spencer, Halfords, and Tesco Extra. North and east of this area, there's a green belt with a small farm and natural habitats. This includes the Kempton Park Reservoirs SSSI, which has wild flowers and wetlands.

Sunbury Cross Centre in 2009. Some offices here have been turned into flats.

Sunbury Common also has several tall buildings, including residential flats and hotels. Many businesses are located in this area. The Queen Mary Reservoir, a large body of water, is on the western border. It was built between 1914 and 1925 and has a sailing club.

Landmarks

St Mary's Church

St Mary's Church, Sunbury.

St Mary's Church is a very old church in Sunbury. Its foundations date back to the medieval period. The church was rebuilt in 1752 and later changed in 1857. It's a beautiful historic building.

Sunbury Court

Sunbury Court (built in 1723) is in Lower Sunbury. Since 1925, it has been the home of the high council of The Salvation Army, a worldwide Christian organization.

Hawke House

Hawke House was the home of Admiral Hawke. He was a famous British admiral in the 1700s. The house is made up of three Georgian buildings.

Millennium Embroidery

This is a large, detailed tapestry that celebrates Sunbury's history and landmarks. It was designed by John Stamp and David Brown and made by over 140 volunteers. It took four years to finish! Queen Elizabeth II visited it in 2001. You can see it in its own special gallery.

Wheatley's Ait

Wheatley's Ait is one of the longest islands on the River Thames. People live on this island, and it's connected to the mainland by a footbridge.

Sunbury Court Island

Sunbury Court Island is another residential island in Sunbury. It's privately owned and connected by a narrow footbridge.

Sunbury House

Sunbury House was a large building with gardens. In 1855, a French officer named Captain Auguste Frederic Lendy started a military academy there. This academy taught students skills needed to become army officers. The house was mostly destroyed by fire in 1915, but parts of it still stand today.

Education

Sunbury has several schools for children of different ages.

Primary Schools

There are six primary schools in Sunbury:

• Chennestone Primary School
• Beauclerc Infants School
• Hawkedale Infants School
• Kenyngton Manor School
• St Ignatius RC Primary School
• Springfield Primary School

Secondary Schools

Sunbury has three state secondary schools:

• St. Paul's Catholic College
• Sunbury Manor School (a specialist humanities school)
• The Bishop Wand Church of England School

Independent Schools

There are also several independent (private) schools nearby. These include Hampton School for boys and Lady Eleanor Holles School for girls in Hampton. Other options include Sir William Perkins's School in Chertsey and Halliford School in Shepperton.

Leisure Activities

There are many fun things to do in Sunbury!

Sports and Fitness

• The Hazelwood Centre: Home to London Irish Amateur Rugby Club.
• Sunbury cricket club
• Sunbury and Walton Hawks Hockey Club
• Nuffield Health Club (a private gym)
• Everyone Active Sunbury Leisure Centre (a public leisure centre)

Other Activities

• Kempton Park Racecourse: You can watch horse racing here. They also have a fair with fireworks in November.
• 1st–4th Sunbury Scouts/Guides: Groups for young people to learn new skills and go on adventures.
• West Surrey Racing: A team involved in touring car racing.
• 862 (Sunbury) Air Training Corps: A youth organization focused on aviation.
• Sunbury Riding School: A place to learn horse riding.

River Thames Activities

• Sunbury Skiff and Punting Club: You can try skiffing (a type of rowing) and punting here.
• Licensed rod fishing: If you have a license, you can fish in the river.
• Motor boat hire: You can rent motor boats to explore the Thames.

Nearby Attractions

• Hampton & Kempton steam train children's railway
• Kempton Park Steam Engines museum
• Middle Thames Yacht (motorboat) club

Entertainment

• The Riverside Arts Centre: This place hosts theatre shows, amateur plays, and live music (classical, jazz, and blues).
• Many local pubs also have live music performances.

Sunbury in Books

Sunbury has been mentioned in several famous books:

• In Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, the riverside St Mary's Church and the nearby Ferry House are mentioned.
• Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome talks about Sunbury's islands and rowing on the River Thames.
• The 1890 novel Kit and Kitty by R. D. Blackmore is set in Sunbury.
• In H. G. Wells's The War of the Worlds, Sunbury is briefly described as being covered in a strange, inky mist by the Martians.

Notable People

Many interesting people have lived in Sunbury:

Nearest Places

Nearby Towns

	Ashford	Feltham	Hanworth
	Upper Halliford		across Stain Hill Reservoirs and Hampton Water Treatment Works: Hampton
		Sunbury on Thames
	across Vicarage and Watersplash farms: Shepperton	across the River Thames: Walton-on-Thames	across the River Thames: Molesey

Transport

Abellio London route 235 bus leaving its stop in Sunbury.

Roads

• The A316 road starts here and becomes the M3 motorway.
• The A308 road goes towards Staines-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames.
• The A244 road goes towards Hounslow and Walton-on-Thames.

Trains

• Sunbury
• Kempton Park

Buses

Sunbury is served by several bus routes, including some Transport for London routes:

• 216 (Staines-upon-Thames – Kingston upon Thames)
• 235 (starts at Sunbury and goes to North Brentford Quarter)
• 290 (Staines-upon-Thames – Twickenham; serves Sunbury Cross)

Other local bus routes include the 555 and 557.

Air Travel

• Heathrow Airport is only about 5 miles (8 km) from the center of Sunbury.

Emergency Services

Sunbury is served by these important emergency services:

• Surrey Police: They help keep the community safe.
• South East Coast Ambulance Service: They provide emergency medical help.
• Surrey Fire & Rescue Service: They respond to fires and other emergencies.

Namesakes

Sunbury has two places named after it in other parts of the world:

• Sunbury, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• Sunbury, Pennsylvania, a city in Northumberland County, USA.

Images for kids

• 

  Sunbury Cross Centre in 2009. The former Chubb offices have since been converted to flats.

See also

In Spanish: Sunbury-on-Thames para niños