Thorpe Park Resort lies southeast of the village of Thorpe, opened to the public in 1979 and has more than 30 rides; the number may change. The opening year is a historical reference point, while the number of rides remains a changeable feature of the offering. If the number matters for your plans, check the latest information. Alongside the theme park, there are the village's history and Monk's Walk, a local footpath through a wetland area. This gives you three distinct themes to plan your trip around: rides, history and landscape. If you are looking for hotels in Thorpe, this overview can help you decide what brings you to the area first.
Church and Memorial Sites
The Church of St Mary is listed as a Grade II* building. Its chancel arch dates from the 12th century. The listing applies to the building as a whole, while the date specifically refers to the chancel arch. Together, the formal listing status and a specifically dated architectural feature offer two different perspectives on the building's history.
The Lych Gate in Thorpe churchyard provides access to the village cemetery and is associated with remembering people from Thorpe who died in the First World War. The Thorpe War Memorial commemorates people from Thorpe who died in the First and Second World Wars. The Lych Gate therefore combines cemetery access with remembrance of the First World War, while the War Memorial covers both wars. Both memorial sites are connected to people from Thorpe, but their commemorative periods differ.
Village Life and Historical Functions
The Old Pound Enclosure illustrates village life, including the former need to confine stray animals so they would not damage crops. This offers a different perspective on Thorpe's past from architectural history or war memorials: the focus is on a practical aspect of village life. Forge Cottage is associated with its former use as the village forge, or smithy. The history of the Red Lion Pub as an inn on this site dates back to at least 1696. Crop protection, craftsmanship and the history of the inn thus represent three different aspects of the area's past. In chronological terms, the reference points range from the 12th-century chancel arch to the history of the inn dating back to at least 1696 and the resort's opening in 1979.
Monk's Walk and the Landscape
Monk's Walk is a local footpath that provides access through the surrounding area. It connects Thorpe with Chertsey at Abbey Mead and runs along an embankment through the wetland. The route describes the destinations; the embankment and wetland, by contrast, describe the landscape Monk's Walk passes through. The resort's location southeast of the village is a different relationship from the footpath's connection between Thorpe and Chertsey. Alongside village history and architecture, Monk's Walk offers a distinct focus for travellers interested in footpaths and landscapes.
Discover more destinations: East Molesey, Thames Ditton, Chipstead, Buckland, Worplesdon, Peasmarsh, East Horsley, Dorking
For the regional travel overview: Surrey.
