South of England
UK IMAGES and REFERENCE

Royal County of Berkshire
Berkshire is one of the Home Counties in southern England and is home to the British sovereign's royal residence of Windsor Castle and Windsor Great Park. The county has a long history and has been a favourite place with monarchs over the years. Berkshire has easy access to London and borders Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. Prominent towns in Berkshire include Bracknell, Eton, Maidenhead and Reading.

County of Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a county in the south of England and home to the Chiltern Hills and many areas of outstanding natural beauty. The River Ouse, which runs towards the Wash, and the River Thame, on its way to join the Thames, pass through Buckinghamshire. The county's southern boundary is formed by the bank of the River Thames.

County of Dorset
Dorset is a county in south-west England steeped in history with beautiful rolling hills, fine sandy beaches and many areas of outstanding natural beauty. With warmer than average weather, glorious beaches and breathtaking countryside, it will come as no surprise that Dorset is one of the UK's most popular holiday destinations.

County of Gloucestershire
With the contrasting landscapes of the Cotswold Hills and the fertile Vales of Gloucester, Gloucestershire is a county of great beauty. The adage - "As sure as God is in Gloucestershire" is thought to refer to the number of wealthy abbeys and large churches in the county.

County of East Sussex
East Sussex, with Lewes as the county town, is divided north to south. The north is occupied by the well-wooded Weald, which extends far into Kent, and was once covered by the immense forest of Andredsweald, of which the main relic is Ashdown Forest. Sussex oak was long held the best timber for shipbuilding.

County of Hampshire
Hampshire is a beautiful county in the south of England on the English Channel coast. It has a rich and varied history, and is home to two National Parks - The New Forest and the South Downs National Park. The County town is the historical city of Winchester which was the capital of England in Roman times. It remained the most important city in England until the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

County of Kent
Kent has been called the 'Garden of England' from the fruit orchards which are a conspicuous feature, especially in the blossoming season. The Hop Gardens are noticeable at all times. The North Downs overlook the Thames Valley and eventually meet the sea in the famous chalk cliffs to continue beyond the Straits of Dover in the Pas de Calais.

County of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is home to many churches and mansions of great architectural interest. It saw several of the early conflicts in the Civil War, when, as a Royalist stronghold, the city of Oxford added military importance to its academic fame. The scene of Scott's 'Woodstock' is in this county, and in the upper valley of the Thames roamed Matthew Arnold's 'Scholar Gipsy'.

County of Somerset
Somerset is one of the larger English counties and home to the inland districts of Exmoor Forest, the Mendips, and the Quantocks. The area is mostly agricultural, with a well marked dialect of its own, and produces excellent cheese (cheddar) and cider. It contains some of the most historically interesting towns in the country, and is noted for its beautiful Perp. church towers.

County of West Sussex
West Sussex is one of the Home Counties surrounding Greater London and borders East Sussex to the east, Hampshire to the west and Surrey to the north. The south borders the English Channel. The county was formerly a medieval kingdom and Chichester is the county town. West Sussex has a varied landscape and scenery including wealden, downland and coastal styles. It is also home to many castles and stately homes.

County of Wiltshire
Wiltshire is an inland agricultural county noted for its dairy farming in the north, sheep farming and bacon. Three-fifths of the area is occupied by Salisbury Plain (including the Marlborough Downs, a spacious chalk upland, whose pastoral solitude has been invaded by military requirements. Wiltshire is the county of Stonehenge and Avebury, and none is richer in prehistoric remains.