Scilly Isles, Surrey

Road sign for the Scilly Isles roundabout

The Scilly Isles (/ˈsɪli/) is a double roundabout in Hinchley Wood, Surrey, between the English towns of Esher and Kingston upon Thames on the traditional route of the Portsmouth Road. The name is a corruption of "silly islands", a nickname given to the road system when it was built in the 1930s.

History and notability

Since the 19th century there has been a large pub at the junction, named after a prominent aristocrat-soldier the Marquis of Granby however, this shut down in 2021 due to the The covid pandemic. The junction acquired its name during the 1930s when the then new Kingston by-pass road rejoined the original route of the Portsmouth Road that was then the equivalent to today's A3. The present road is termed the A307 and the A309 crosses this and links via a dualled section to the A3 road and the north. A series of roundabouts were built at the busy (for the 1930s) intersection, then called "traffic islands". The unfamiliar nature of the double roundabout caused it to be called the "silly islands", which became locally accepted as its name, but this soon evolved into the "Scilly Isles", copying the name of the islands to the west of Cornwall.[1] This name, although intended to be disapproving, thus became an official name, visible on all approaches to the junction and the highest definition maps.

The nearby Sandown Park Racecourse hosts the annual Scilly Isles Novices' Chase.[2] Littleworth Common and Ditton Marsh to either side are almost undeveloped commons, mostly covered by trees and grass/scrub respectively.

Position

The Scilly Isles is located in the north-western proximity of the suburb of Hinchley Wood, which is signposted on the approaches to the junction. This area is in the north of the borough of Elmbridge, Surrey, around 2 miles from the Greater London boundary.

The junction is near to the centre of the parish of Weston Green, which is divided in terms of post towns between Esher and Thames Ditton,[3] which is a village by the River Thames 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ Florence, Oliver; Davey, Kieran (22 June 2022) [13 June 2022]. "6 notorious Surrey roundabouts drivers love to hate including Crooked Billet". Surrey Live. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Scilly Isles Chase: The History". www.thejockeyclub.co.uk. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  3. ^ Google maps KT7 and KT10
  4. ^ The Parish of Weston Green The Church of England. Retrieved 2014-01-19

51°22′40″N 0°20′57″W / 51.37781°N 0.34904°W / 51.37781; -0.34904