Sunningdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sunningdale |
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 Shops on London Road |
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 Sunningdale
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| Population | 4,875 (2001) 5,347 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SU955675 |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Ascot |
| Postcode district | SL5 |
| Dialling code | 01344 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Royal Berkshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Sunningdale is a lovely village and a civil parish (a local government area) in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. It is located in the very south-east part of Berkshire, England. The village is surrounded by beautiful green areas, including the famous Sunningdale Golf Club and Wentworth Golf Club. The northern parts of Sunningdale are close to Virginia Water Lake.
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Where is Sunningdale Located?
Sunningdale is right next to Surrey. It is east of a place called Sunninghill, which is where Sunningdale gets its name from. The village is also south of Virginia Water Lake. Sunningdale is about 23 miles (37 km) west-south-west of Charing Cross in London.
The closest big towns to Sunningdale are Bracknell, Camberley, Staines upon Thames, and Woking. You can reach some of these towns using the A30 main road. Sunningdale also has its own train station, Sunningdale railway station, which is on the Waterloo to Reading line. This makes it easy to travel to and from the village.
A Look at Sunningdale's History
The village of Sunningdale became its own official civil parish in 1894. This happened because of a law called the Local Government Act 1894. Before this, Sunningdale was part of Old Windsor.
For a long time, until 1995, Sunningdale was split between two different counties: Berkshire and Surrey. The part of the village in Surrey was called Broomhall. It was even divided between two different local government areas within Surrey. This made things a bit confusing!
After a lot of discussions, everyone agreed to make Sunningdale entirely part of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire. This change happened in 1995. The area is very popular with professional golfers. This is because of the amazing green spaces nearby, like the Sunningdale Golf Club and Wentworth Golf Club.
Famous Houses in Sunningdale
Sunningdale is home to some impressive and historic houses.
Charters: An Art Deco Mansion
Charters is a special house that is officially listed as a Grade II building. This means it is important and protected. It is an art deco style mansion built in 1938. The house was designed for a rich businessman named Frank Parkinson by architects Adie, Button and Partners. It was built where an older country house used to be.
Many famous people visited Frank Parkinson at Charters. These guests included Winston Churchill, who was a Prime Minister, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Later, in 1949, another important person, Sir Montague Burton, bought the house. Charters was then used as a company office for a while. Today, it has been turned into fancy apartments and a spa where people can relax.
Coworth House: Now a Hotel
Coworth House is a large country house that was built in the late 1700s. It used to be the home of Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby. He was an important person in the early 1900s, serving as the Secretary of State for War and the British Ambassador to France. Today, Coworth House is a very nice place to stay, known as the Coworth Park Hotel.
Sunningdale Park and the Peace Agreement
Sunningdale Park is another important location in the village. A very significant event in history happened here. The Sunningdale Agreement was signed at the Civil Service Staff College (now called the National School of Government) on December 9, 1973. This agreement was an early step towards the Northern Ireland peace process. It was an important effort to bring peace to Northern Ireland.
Well-Known People from Sunningdale
Many famous people have lived in Sunningdale over the years. Here are some of them:
- Richard Beckinsale
- Brian Blessed
- Agatha Christie
- Darren Clarke
- Junior Campbell
- Diana Dors
- Emma Forbes
- Anna Friel
- Philip Hanson
- Chesney Hawkes
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- Gary Lineker
- Paul McGinley
- Nanette Newman
- Billy Ocean
- Marcus Österdahl
- Cliff Richard
- Five Star
- David Thewlis
