Surrey

Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (Ascott Robert Hope), 1846-1Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 321K words
Chapters: 33

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Surrey by A. R. Hope MoncrieffAuthor: Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (Ascott Robert Hope), 1846-1927,Language: English, Class: DA: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Great Britain, Ireland, Central Europe, Release Date: Sep 26, 2014

Editor's review

Moncrieff's Surrey belongs to the county-history tradition of early English local writing and was digitized and reprinted by Project Gutenberg. Its appeal lies in its prose account of the geography, towns, historic sites, and scenery of the English county of Surrey, written in the unhurried tone of early twentieth-century travel writing, both informative and readable. For readers who enjoy English local history, rural landscapes, or classic travel literature, it is a light but flavorful read; for those studying the county-history genre, it also shows how writers of that generation organized material and selected anecdotes. There is no need to read it systematically; skip about by town or theme, and keep a map at hand to look up place names, which will bring out the author's sense of space. Note that the book is old and some information is outdated; use it as a historical text rather than a current guide.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy English local history and rural scenery
Those interested in classic travel literature and county-history writing
Travelers planning to learn about Surrey's historical background
Students studying the county-history genre and early nonfiction writing

Not a good fit for

People who need current practical travel information such as transport and accommodation
Readers who prefer fast-paced narratives or novels
Chinese readers who struggle with English and have no aids

Reading tips

Keep a map of Surrey on hand and follow the place names in the book one by one to build a sense of space.
Skip about by town or theme rather than reading straight through.
Look up further material on historic sites and anecdotes, distinguishing historical information from the author's own observations.
Compare the book's descriptions with today's landscape to sense what has and has not changed over a century.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can this book be used as a travel guide?

It is not suitable as a current guide. It was written in the early twentieth century, and transport, accommodation, and opening hours have long since changed, so its practical information is unreliable. Its value lies in historical background and scenic description; it can be read as cultural preparation before a trip, not as an itinerary reference.

Can I read it without a background in English history?

Yes, but it takes patience. The book involves many place names, churches, and family anecdotes, and without background it is easy to get lost. It is advisable first to learn where Surrey lies in southeast England and its general history, then read slowly with a map; understanding will be much smoother.

What are the stylistic features of this book?

It continues the tradition of English county histories and travel essays, linking geography, historic sites, and local anecdotes in prose, in an unhurried tone that is both informative and enjoyable. It is neither a scholarly monograph nor a guidebook, but better suited to casual reading and reference.

Comments

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About the author

Moncrieff, A. R. Hope (Ascott Robert Hope), 1846-1 Author

A. R. Hope Moncrieff (Ascott Robert Hope Moncrieff, 1846–?) was a British writer of topographical and travel works active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; details of his life and the year of his death are scarce in publicly available sources. Six of his works are held here, including The Heart of Scotland, Isle of Wight, Bonnie Scotland, Surrey, Kew Gardens and Middlesex. They focus on the landscapes, local history and gardens of Britain and were written for general readers, combining a guidebook's usefulness with literary charm. His style is narrative and descriptive, weaving place-name lore, rural scenery and anecdotes about notable figures into accessible, companionable prose suited to leisurely reading. Such regional books were popular in the age of railway travel, helping readers form a broad impression of local culture beyond a single visit, and they remain readable popular references for the British places and travel writing of their time.