Portal:South East England
The South East England Portal
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England that are in the top level category for statistical purposes. It consists of the nine counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex. South East England is the third-largest region of England, with a land area of 19,072 square kilometres (7,364 sq mi), and is also the most populous with a total population of 9,691,844 in 2025.
South East England contains eight legally chartered cities: Brighton and Hove, Canterbury, Chichester, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester. Officially it does not include London, which is a separate region. The geographical term for "South East England" may differ from the official definition of the region; for example, London, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex are sometimes colloquially referred to as being in the south east of England. This article only considers the South East as being the official statistical region.
In medieval times, South East England included much of the Kingdom of Wessex, which was the precursor to the modern state of England. Winchester was the capital of England after unification of the various states, including the kingdoms of Kent, Sussex and Mercia. Winchester stopped being the administrative capital of England some time in the 13th century as its influence waned while the City of London dominated commerce. The last monarch to be crowned at Winchester was Richard II in 1377, although the last monarch to be crowned by the Bishop of Winchester was Queen Mary I in 1553.
Today, the region's close proximity to London has led to South East England becoming a prosperous economic hub with the largest economy of any region in the UK, after London. The region is home to Gatwick Airport (the UK's second busiest airport). The coastline along the English Channel provides numerous ferry crossings to mainland Europe. South East England is also known for its countryside, which includes two national parks: the New Forest and the South Downs, as well as the North Downs, the Chiltern Hills and part of the Cotswolds. The River Thames flows through the region and its basin is known as the Thames Valley.
It is also the location of a number of internationally known places of interest, such as HMS Victory in Portsmouth, Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, Thorpe Park and RHS Wisley in Surrey, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Windsor Castle in Berkshire, Leeds Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, Brighton Palace Pier, and Hammerwood Park in East Sussex, and Wakehurst Place in West Sussex. The region has many universities; the University of Oxford is the oldest in the English-speaking world, and ranked among the best in the world.
South East England is host to various sporting events, including the annual Henley Royal Regatta, Royal Ascot and The Derby, and sporting venues include Wentworth Golf Club and Brands Hatch. Some of the events of the 2012 Summer Olympics were held in the south east, including the rowing at Eton Dorney and part of the cycling road race in the Surrey Hills. (Full article...)
Selected article
Oxfordshire (/ˈɒksfərdʃər, -ʃɪər/ ⓘ OKS-fərd-shər, -sheer; abbreviated Oxon) is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Gloucestershire to the west. The city of Oxford is the largest settlement.
The county is largely rural, with an area of 1,006 sq mi (2,605 km2) and an estimated population of 763,218 in 2024. Oxford, which is famous for its university, is near the centre of the county. Other settlements include Banbury in the north, Bicester in the north-east, Abingdon-on-Thames and Didcot in the south, and Witney in the west. For local government purposes Oxfordshire is a non-metropolitan county with five districts. The part of the county south of the River Thames, largely corresponding to the Vale of White Horse district, was historically part of Berkshire.
The lowlands in the centre of the county are crossed by the River Thames and its tributaries, the valleys of which are separated by low hills. The south contains parts of the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills, and the north-west includes part of the Cotswolds; all three regions are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The county's highest point is White Horse Hill (261 metres/856 ft), part of the Berkshire Downs. (Full article...)
Selected pictures
Credit: O1iveSt Mary in Castro (or St Mary de Castro) is the church at Dover Castle.(from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Credit: Craig BassRamsgate Harbour constructed between 1749 and 1850, has the unique distinction of being the only Royal Harbour in the United Kingdom. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Waterfall at Virginia Water on the north-western (Berkshire) border (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
Oxford skyline from the University Church of St Mary the Virgin (from Portal:Oxfordshire/Selected pictures)
The lower end of the Staines-upon-Thames reach of the Thames, showing typical trees of the next reach and Penton Hook Island, a small nature reserve. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
Reading Festival in 2007 (from Portal:Berkshire/Selected pictures)
McLaren Technology Centre, Woking (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
Credit: Michael RoweCanterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Oxford skyline from the University Church of St Mary the Virgin (from Portal:Oxfordshire/Selected pictures)
The church at Breamore in the west of the county, north of the New Forest (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
A boat on the Basingstoke Canal (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
A 1959 view of South Street in Dorking, Surrey. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
Credit: Ian Dunster(from Portal:East Sussex/Selected pictures)
Looking up at the East Hill Cliff Railway in Hastings, the steepest funicular railway in the country.
Credit: StephenDawsonThe Channel Tunnel terminal at Cheriton near Folkestone in Kent, from the Pilgrims' Way on the escarpment on the southern edge of Cheriton Hill, part of the North Downs. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Slough Trading Estate plays a major part in making Slough an important business centre in South East England (from Portal:Berkshire/Selected pictures)
Credit: Dave Bushell.A Eurostar on High Speed 1 going through the Medway Towns (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Hayling Island's mainly shingle beach with Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower beyond (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
Large red damselfly in Swinley Forest, Berkshire (from Portal:Berkshire/Selected pictures)
View of the Vale of Holmesdale and Winterfold Forest from Newlands Corner, near Clandon and Albury, east of Guildford (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
The interior of Portsmouth Cathedral (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
Credit: O1iveBrockhill Country Park is dominated by a large grassy valley, bisected by the Brockhill Stream as it makes its way to the Royal Military Canal at Hythe. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Aerial view of Oxford city centre (from Portal:Oxfordshire/Selected pictures)
Credit: Hans MusilCanterbury Cathedral is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
The seafront and beach at Lee-on-the-Solent (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
Painshill Park in Cobham has follies on natural, but landscaped slopes by part of the Mole disguised as ornamental lakes and the Great Cedar thought to be the largest Cedar of Lebanon in Europe. In the mid-north of the county. (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
A view of Newbury, Berkshire and its surroundings (from Portal:Berkshire/Selected pictures)
Credit: C.HoyleEastwell Park was a British stately home at Ashford, Kent, that for a time served as a royal residence. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
The West window of Romsey Abbey (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
Autumn at Denbies Vineyard looking across the Mole Gap to Box Hill, the steepest slopes of the North Downs (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
Credit: James ArmitageHever Castle, in Kent, England (in the village of Hever), was the seat of the Boleyn family, later bestowed to Anne of Cleves following her divorce from King Henry VIII. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Credit: Baryonic BeingChartwell, located two miles south of Westerham, Kent, England, was the home of Sir Winston Churchill. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Highclere Castle in the far north of Hampshire, a large country house in the Jacobethan style by the architect Charles Barry, with a large park designed by Capability Brown, used as the set for Downton Abbey. (from Portal:Hampshire/Selected pictures)
Remains of the undercroft of the lay brothers' refectory at Waverley Abbey, near Farnham, main town of the Borough of Waverley (from Portal:Surrey/Selected pictures)
Credit: Lancevortex (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
Credit: LuckyStarrHops are a flower used primarily as a flavouring and stability agent in beer. The principal production centres for the UK are in Kent. (from Portal:Kent/Selected pictures)
_male_Swinley.jpg)
Oct2005.jpg)
Selected biography
Sir Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the rock band the Who, known for his powerful voice and charismatic stage presence. His stage persona earned him a position as one of the "gods of rock and roll".
Daltrey's hit songs with the Who include "My Generation", "Pinball Wizard", "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Baba O'Riley", "Who Are You" and "You Better You Bet". He began a solo career in 1973 while still a member of the Who, and has released ten solo studio albums, five compilation albums and one live album. His solo hits include "Giving It All Away", "Free Me", "Without Your Love", "Walking in My Sleep", "After the Fire" and "Under a Raging Moon".
The Who are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century and have sold over 100 million records worldwide. As a member of the band, Daltrey received a Lifetime achievement award from the British Phonographic Industry in 1988, and from the Grammy Foundation in 2001. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. He and Pete Townshend received Kennedy Center Honors in 2008, and The George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement at UCLA on 21 May 2016.
Daltrey was ranked number 61 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest singers of all time in 2008; Planet Rock listeners voted him rock's fifth-greatest voice in 2009. Daltrey has also been an actor and film producer, with roles in films, theatre, and television. In June 2025 Daltrey was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the Birthday Honours for services to charity and music. (Full article...)
On This Day in South East England
5 October:
1974: The Guildford pub bombing occurred.
Categories
Related portals
WikiProjects
Topics
| Berkshire |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | ||
| East Sussex | ||
| Hampshire | ||
| Isle of Wight | ||
| Kent | ||
| Oxfordshire | ||
| Surrey | ||
| West Sussex | ||
Districts with an asterisk (*) are unitary authorities. | ||
Associated Wikimedia
The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
-
Commons
Free media repository -
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals -
Wikidata
Free knowledge base -
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations -
Wikisource
Free-content library -
Wikiversity
Free learning tools -
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide -
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus
