This map shows how the village of Chorleywood, north of London, grew over the decades from 1868 to 1994, the stages of urbanisation.
From this information, it is clear that Chorleywood has changed considerably during this time, having developed alongside the construction of important transportation routes in the form of roads and railways.
Between 1868 and 1883, the first stage of Chorleywood’s development included a rudimentary road system that lay the groundwork for future extensions. The most expansion occurred between 1883 and 1922, seen through the development of residential communities around the main street. With the arrival of the railway in 1909, access to the Rowhedge area expanded significantly, and this encouraged people to come to the area. Not only did this spur residential development, but it also made possible attractions such as Chorleywood Park and the golf course and so further made the village more attractive to prospective residents.
It maintained its expansion through to 1970 capitalising on its proximity to transport links. Another trend of this time was the construction of a series of new houses, particularly along the main road, as increased housing demand developed. The completion of the motorway in 1970 was a crucial development for the village, dramatically improving transport links and facilitating further development of the village leading up to 1994. By now, the surrounding countryside had been increasingly swallowed up by extensive residential developments, with the scenes depicted as of the importance of the urban streamlining over the last three decades.