Woking

Woking is a town and the administrative center of the Borough of Woking in Surrey, England. It is located in the western part of the county, about 23 miles southwest of central London, and is part of the London commuter belt. The town has a long history as a market settlement and developed rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries with the arrival of the railway and subsequent suburban expansion. A market charter was granted in medieval times, and later growth was linked to the London and South Western Railway network.

The Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking, built in 1889, is commonly cited as the first purpose-built mosque in the United Kingdom, reflecting the town’s historical connections to diverse communities. The town is also associated with H. G. Wells’s War of the Worlds, which begins with an invasion near Woking.

Culturally, Woking hosts The Lightbox, a gallery and museum that presents local history and contemporary art, and The Peacocks Shopping Centre in the town centre. The surrounding area includes Brookwood Cemetery, one of Europe’s largest graveyards, and the home ground of Woking FC, who play at Kingfield Stadium.

Transport and economy: Woking is served by Woking railway station with frequent services to London Waterloo and the South West, and lies close to the M25 and A3, facilitating access to Reading, Guildford, and Portsmouth. The town has a mixed economy with retail, services, and light industry, and provides a variety of primary and secondary education options, with higher education available in nearby Guildford and London.