There's a wealth of scenic towns and villages just beyond London's boundaries, with Essex, Sussex and Surrey boasting plenty of lush countryside and quaint homes a convenient distance from the city. One area in Surrey seems as though it's been lifted straight from a storybook. Tucked away just outside Guildford, this captivating Surrey Hills village is surrounded by charming woodland and National Trust land.
East Horsley, bordered by the equally picturesque villages of Shere, Great Bookham and West Clandon, welcomes drivers with a sight that could be straight out of a Disney film - a striking castle-like building complete with turrets right next to the road. Horsely Towers, a 19th-century country house designed by Charles Barry for banker William Currie, contributes to the village's allure. The grand estate was later sold to William King-Noel, 1st Earl of Lovelace, who extended the house twice, adding bold architectural features.
Now a Grade Two-listed hotel, Horsely Towers was constructed using local flint and brick. It features an intricate network of walls, tunnels, arches, bastions, and a long cloister. Lovelace had a particular liking for tunnels and bridges, and to facilitate the transportation of timber by horse-drawn carts in the hilly woods south of Horsley Towers, Lovelace had tracks and bridges built.
Originally numbering 15, ten of these structures still exist today, reports the Express . Presently, visitors can explore the Lovelace Bridges in the Surrey Hills. On.
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