In 1215 tho Great Charter and the Charter of the Forests (Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta) were signed by John at Itunnimede, a narrow slip of fiat meadow-land on the bank of the Thames near Egham, on the border of this county : the Egham races are now run upon it. By Henry 111., nearly the whole county was disafforested. Attempts, at a later period, to bring parts of the county into Windsor Forest proved unsuccessful.
In the civil war of John, Guildford and Farnham castles were takeu by Louis of France and the insurgent barons. In tho civil war of Henry III., a body of royal troops, retiring from Tonbridge to Bristol after the battle of Lewes (1264), took Blechingley Castle, and routed a body of Londoners at Croydon. In the rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1554), he took possession of Southwark, and, marching to Kingston, forced a passage over the Thames into Middlesex, though the bridge at Kingston had been broken down. In the civil war of Charles 1. the county was devoted to the Parliamentary cause. After the battle of Edge Hill, and the advance of the Royalists towards London, part of the Earl of Essex's army was posted at Kingston (1642). Farnham Castle, which was held by the Royalists, was taken not long after by the Parliamentarians.
Surrey had at different periods before the Reformation about 30 religious houses of all kiods. Of these the most eminent were the abbeys of Bermoadsey (Cluniac), Chertsey (Benedictine), Merton (for regular canons of St. Augustine), and Waverley (Cisterciau); and the priories of St. Mary Ovcry, Southwark, and Newark, in the parish of Send, near Guildford, for regular canons of St. Augustine, and Shene, I now Richmond, for Carthusiaus. The remains of Merton Abbey have been noticed. Of Bermoudsey and Chertsey abbeys, and of Shene Priory, scarcely a fragment is left. The priory church of St. Mary
Overy, at the foot of London Bridge, now forms the parish church of the same name. The remains of Waverley Abbey, near Farnham, overgrown with ivy, extend in detached fragments over a surface of three or four acres; they comprehend some remains of the church, refectory, dormitory, and cloisters. There are some remains of the church of Newark Priory. Many of the parish churches in the county are of great antiquity. The early English style, which was in use in the reigns of Richard 1., John, Henry la, and Edward I., is prevalent.
&Wailes : Religious Worship and Educalion.—According to the Returns of the Census of 1851, it appears that there were then iu the county 540 planes of worship, of which 262 belonged to the Church of England, 84 to Independents, 73 to six sections of Methodists, 69 to Baptists, 14 to Roman Catholics, 11 to Quakers, and 4 to Mor mama The total number of sittings provided was 222,340. Of Sunday schools there were 363, of which 206 belonged to the Church of England, 61 to Independents, 50 to Methodists, and 25 to Baptists. The total number of Sunday scholars was 44,422. There were 1792 Day schools, of which 406 were public schools, with 54,210 scholars, and 1390 were private schools, with 30,994 scholars. Of evening schools for adults there were 49, with 1245 scholars. The number of literary and scientific institutions in the county was 25, with 3061 members and about 17,000 volumes iu their libraries.
&rings 1853 the county possessed 20 savings banks, at Camberwell, Carehalton, Chertsey, Clapham, Croydon, Dorking, ' Epsom, Ewell, Farnham, Godalming, Guildford, Kennington, Kings ton, Lambeth, Lambeth St. John, Reigate, Richmond, Itotherhithe, Southwark, and Wandsworth. The amount owing to depositors oil November 20th 1353 was 904,9921. 17s. 8d.
SU I tY-LE-COMTAT. [Lome.] SUS. [Susa.]