Sunbury on Thames is a sleepy town sprawled out along the outskirts of Greater London, en route to Southampton, along the M3.
A storied town, Sunbury has a history unlike most others. From the Grand Order of Water Rats to Lord Sunna and his many namesakes, allow us to guide you through the history of Sunbury on Thames.
Sunbury: A Hamlet from the Bronze Age
Sunbury is a town of about 39,000 people as of 2021, located just southwest of London and caught inside the M25 loop. In the modern day it’s a place for capital commuters and downsizers, built next to the Thames and made up of large, architecturally pleasant family homes. It wasn’t always this way however; written records date the town back to a riverside hamlet with a grand total of 22 houses, working five ploughs and a cattle pasture between them. For London, that’s an astonishingly small number of people!
While it sounds like a nod to the warm summers of southern England, the name ‘Sunbury’ actually comes from the words ‘Sunna’s Burgh’, a chartered town founded by Lord Sunna.
A Saxon chief ruling in the mid-600s, Sunna’s land stretched across eastern Berkshire, and he planted his name in many towns and hamlets under his jurisdiction. These are the earliest facts we have in written history about Sunbury on Thames. Anything earlier was an archaeological mystery up until a farmer ploughed up several bronze age burial urns in the 1890s.
So, what kind of history does Sunbury have, and why is it connected to water rats? You’d never guess, but it’s got a lot to do with ponies and magpies.
The Grand Order of Water Rats
In 1889, the comedian Joe Elvin was the proud patron of a trotting pony called ‘The Magpie’ – a regular race winner, and a dream for any betting man (which Elvin unashamedly was).
Elvin, and his co-conspirator, Jack Lotto, owned a prize-winning pony, which generated significant funds for the two – a rare success for performance artists, who were notoriously poor across the board. In a profession reliant on reputation, education and wealthy patrons, the duo were doing far better than many of their colleagues, and they decided to put the money back into the industry by founding their own fraternity.
One evening, Elvin was leading the show-stopping pony back to its stable in the pouring rain, soggy and bedraggled from the race (like every modern Londoner on a miserable day). With its mane plastered down and its coat soaked through, the poor horse turned the head of a passing bus driver, who shouted: “Trotting pony? Looks more like a bleedin’ water rat!”
A born comedian, Elvin saw an opportunity: a name that befitted an organisation of artists who don’t take themselves too seriously, and one that would definitely turn heads along the way.
So was born the Grand Order of Water Rats, a charitable fraternity of performance artists still active to this day, giving funds to theatrical veterans unable to work or perform.
It’s an interesting little tale, and one Sunbury can lay claim to.
The very first meeting that formed the Grand Order was held in the Magpie pub in Lower Sunbury. While the details vary between sources (Who owned ‘The Magpie’? Was the pub named after the horse?) – there’s no doubt that it was Sunbury on Thames that bore one of the most high-profile entertainment fraternities in the world.
Middlesex, Surrey or London?
Most people have heard of Middlesex but can’t tell you where it is – that’s because it no longer exists!
Established somewhere in the early Middle Ages, the area was originally spelled ‘Middelseaxan’ – a name which appeared in a charter of 704 to refer to the Middle Saxon people.
A county for over a thousand years, Middlesex was devoured by Greater London in the rehash of 1965, concluding centuries of being eaten away by the capital giant.
A town originally belonging to Middlesex, Sunbury on Thames was thrown into disarray when the county was dissolved.
With a flood of Londoners moving into commuter towns, Sunbury’s future was looking increasingly like its neighbours by the day: a Greater London town, caught in the net of the M25.
In a spin of fate however, Sunbury was absorbed instead by the neighbouring county of Surrey, which took on the rest of Middlesex after London had its due.
With that, Sunbury bid Middlesex goodbye – but the town (and its history) remains.
Modern Sunbury: A Riverside Retreat
Today, Sunbury is an idyllic retreat for Londoners and commuters who don’t want the crowds of the city on their doorstep.
With a thriving community, beautiful countryside and London within reach, it’s the perfect spot for families and professionals alike to enjoy the south.
From cosy terraces to quaint townhouses, the history of Sunbury on Thames is on full display around the borough, making it a favourite among London’s commuter towns.
Thinking of moving to Sunbury? Whether you’re downsizing, buying a holiday home or just staying for a while, an Attic Self Storage unit can help you fully enjoy a life in Sunbury on Thames without cluttering up your sunny southern retreat.
Posted on 20th March 2025 by Shanaiqua Desa | Last updated on 21st March 2025
