The village stretches alongside the main north-south road (A29) which here follows the line of Roman Stane Street. Ockley is in the central, southern part of the county 2½ miles north of the boundary with West Sussex. The village is to the south-east of the end of the ridge, of which Leith Hill is a part.

Ockley Village Green, 1925
Photographic Survey and Record of Surrey no. 7586

The most important feature is the long, broad green, which is said to be one of the most impressive in southern England. The surrounding countryside can be seen through the irregular spacing of cottages on the west side, which increases the feeling of spaciousness. There are many interesting old properties such as Elderslie, dating from the 17th century.

Ockley, Red Lion inn, 1906
Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection

Ockley Church and Ockley Court, the remains of a fortified place and probably the site of the original Ockley village, lie a little to the east of the former Roman road and to the north-east of the present village.

Ockley Church, 1890
Photographic Survey and Record of Surrey no. 5343

Ockley is an an agricultural parish with a long and continued history of a few substantial land ownerships. These factors have contributed to the lack of pressure for change and development, though the southern end of the village has seen some new housing.

Ockley, Post Office, 1914
Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection

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