| Newlands Corner | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location in Surrey | |
| Type | Nature reserve |
| Location | Guildford,Surrey |
| OS grid | TQ044493 |
| Coordinates | 51°13′59″N0°30′22″W / 51.233°N 0.506°W /51.233; -0.506 |
| Area | 103 hectares (250 acres) |
| Managed by | Surrey Wildlife Trust |
Newlands Corner is a 103-hectare (250-acre) nature reserve east ofGuildford inSurrey, England. It is owned by the Albury Estate. It used to be managed by theSurrey Wildlife Trust under an access agreement between the estate andSurrey County Council,[1] but is no longer managed by them.[2]
The site reaches 567 feet (173 m) with hill-grazed grass slopes below interspersed with trees. There are areas ofchalk grassland and woodlands. Visible are some of the greatest prominences of the WesternGreensand Ridge and the site lies on theNorth Downs Way. There are 129 ancient yews with a girth over 3.5m (over approx 500 years old) with some over 6m girth (probably at least 1000 years old) on the northern wooded slope. Some trees are so old the centre is hollow and the whole tree can be walked through.[3]
Newlands Corner was a key location in the crime writerAgatha Christie's disappearance in December 1926. Her car was found in a bush overhanging a chalk pit at Newlands Corner, at the bottom of the south side of the hill. She was found some days later having checked in under analias at a hotel inHarrogate. As a result, Newlands Corner is the setting of the climax of the final scene of theDoctor Who episode "The Unicorn and the Wasp".
Drove Road at Newlands Corner is a good site in the region foramateur astronomy as it is adark sky site, close to London and its southern satellite towns. With a downhill slope facing south, the viewer faces many constellations such asOrion andGemini in winter. Once or twice a year the Guildford Astronomical Society and other local societies hold public events at Newlands Corner with about 25 telescopes and 150 members of the public in attendance.
In October 2015, Surrey County Council announced the first stage of plans to cut funding of Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT). The plans spawned an online petition, criticism from the local residents and parish councils in the area, and a "Save Newlands Corner" website.[4] In July 2018, parking charges were introduced, although plans for development of a restaurant, shops, and coach park were halted.[5]
