SUL Language Schools

South East England

The South-East of England with London at its heart, consists of the counties of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire to the south with Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Bedfordshire and Essex to the west and north.

This is the richest region of the British Isles and our students enjoy visiting London and the wealth of ancient and modern culture to be found here. Being the closest region to the Continent of Europe, it also has the easiest access by boat, train and plane.

The only hills are the Chilterns to the North West and South Downs to the south – made of the same chalk as those famous white cliffs of Dover. Arable farming is common. The climate is becoming drier and warmer, even vineyards are re-appearing for the first time since Roman days!

Many of the greatest cities in this region are trading ports. London, Portsmouth and Southampton are all city ports. There are also south coastal tourist resorts like Margate, Brighton and Eastbourne.

History is important today

Being the closest region to the European continent, most invaders landed here. First came the Romans who established many of the towns and cities, including England’s capital London (the city port on the river Thames).

The invasion of Jutes, Angles and Saxons ended Roman rule but they in turn where invaded by the former Vikings, the Normans in the 11th century. Their legacy is seen in the infusion of the French language into English, a more hierarchical society with the landed aristocracy with the Roman rather than Celtic view of Christianity. They also established the great cathedrals and castles as symbols of their power – including Canterbury, Winchester and Salisbury Cathedrals, Windsor and Leeds Castles.

It was also the Norman King Henry II who founded the University of Oxford in 1167, making it the third oldest university in Europe after Bologne and the Sorbonne. The history of this region is also reflected in the work of two of England’s literary giants. Chaucer wrote his Canterbury Tales and Dickens set novels in London and Rochester in Kent.

Population and Employment

Many people commute to work in London every day but prefer to live in a less stressful, more natural environment. Fast commuter trains and motorways take thousands of people in and out of the capital every day.

This is the most densely populated region of the British Isles.The so called Green belt areas surround the towns to stop housing from spreading into the countryside. The resulting shortage of building land and water makes houses extremely expensive and helps prevent more people from coming.

Every kind of employment is found in this region except for the so-called heavy industries, based on coal and iron. The City of London has become one of the major financial centres in the world, generating the most wealth, but they have also helped cause the recent economic difficulties.