St Johns and Hook Heath is a suburban ward in Surrey consisting of two settlements founded in the 19th century in the medieval parish of Woking. The two 'villages' have residents' associations and are centred 2.5 km WSW and SW of Woking's town centre in the northwest of the English county – by including such suburbs, Woking is the largest town in the county. The ward in 2011 contained 1,888 homes across its . St Johns History The village is elongated along the south of the Basingstoke Canal (completed in 1794), providing boat navigation and a quieter alternative for pedestrians and cyclists to access to the town centre than its various suburban streets. St Johns formed towards the end of Goldsworth Road leading from what was becoming gradually a town centre. It dates largely from the 19th century, when housing first began to be constructed to accommodate workers employed at the local brickworks. The village gained its name from the Church of England St John the Baptist's church, built here in 1842 from designs prepared by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The church houses a notable organ, described in the National Pipe Organ Register. A narrow majority of shops and homes exhibit late Victorian to Edwardian architecture, styles which have been promoted in new buildings in and around its conservation area. Amenities Economic amenities Today the village is home to a mixture of shops and businesses which include a pharmacy, a small supermarket, restaurants, and office premises. Informal social and leisure amenities. Wildlife is present on the canal and at St Johns Lye – a public open space with a football ground, areas set aside for habitat, a rolling elevated landscape, and other outdoor leisure use. Organised social and leisure groups The sole church, mentioned in history, is an active religious group and the dedication of the building gives rise to the name of the settlement. Scout, guides, a residents' association providing voluntary work, the Women's Institute, a floral art group and the 'Churchill Tennis Club' operate in St Johns. Baroness Anelay of St Johns is a notable member of the Village Hall facilities provision group for St John's Memorial Hall which is in the centre of the village. Schools A county secondary school is 500m west of St Johns western border, The Winston Churchill School The following primary schools are in St Johns: Hermitage School Oaktree School St Hugh of