As the cheery name suggests, Sunbury has long been an attractive place to live. In fact, by 1751 it had become so popular that its original church - dating back to 967 - had to be pulled down and rebuilt on a grander scale. The arrival of rail in 1864 brought even more settlers, and Sunbury's status as a commuter's paradise was cemented with the arrival of the nearby M3 motorway in the 1990s. The station itself serves the west of London with regular trains to Kingston, Clapham Junction and London Waterloo.
A subway from the station leads to the main shopping area of Sunbury Cross, dotted with charming independent shops. Sunbury actually has two centres - the other, Lower Sunbury, is also refereed to as Sunbury Village, and offers pleasant riverside walks. The town is also famous for its racecourse at Kempton Park. Opened in 1889, its most famous race is the King George VI Steeplechase, held every Boxing Day.