Stoneleigh Library

A proper local library tucked away in the Greater London sprawl, Stoneleigh Library is the sort of place you'd stumble upon if you were exploring Chessington on foot rather than heading straight for the theme park. It's a functioning community hub - nothing fancy, but genuinely useful if you're staying nearby and need a quiet hour or want to pick up something to read.

The opening hours are a bit fragmented (closed Wednesday, limited slots on weekdays), so you'll need to plan around them. Thursday mornings and Saturday afternoons tend to be your best bets. It's free to pop in, though borrowing might require membership. Don't expect the grandeur of a big city library - this is small-scale and local, which is rather the point.

Worth a visit if you're staying at Chessington World of Adventures Resort or Walton on Thames Camping and Caravanning Club Site and fancy a break from the theme park crowds. Kids won't be overstimulated by it, and you might find something decent on the shelves if you're mid-holiday and need fresh reading material. Give it 20 minutes, tops, unless you're genuinely after a specific book. It does what it says on the tin - serves the neighbourhood - and that's enough.