About rural Surrey

Surrey, despite its proximity to London, remains a deeply rural county in many areas — defined by its wooded hills, chalk downs, and historic farming landscapes. The North Downs and the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty preserve swathes of countryside where ancient field systems and managed woodlands still shape the land.

Farming continues on the rolling slopes near Dorking, Cranleigh, and Farnham, with a mix of sheep grazing, vineyards, arable cropping, and equestrian land use. Hedgerows, sunken lanes, and timber-framed barns point to a long-standing relationship between people and the land.

Surrey is also home to extensive common land and heath, much of it once grazed and now maintained through conservation grazing and stewardship schemes. Rural villages like Shere, Chiddingfold, and Peaslake retain their working character, despite commuter influence.

Though under pressure from development, Surrey’s countryside still thrives — productive, diverse, and more deeply rural than its commuter reputation suggests.