The village of Merrow, in Surrey, England in the 21st century constitutes the north-east suburb of Guildford. It is however centred 2 miles (3.2 km) from the town centre, right on the edge of the ridge of hills that forms the North Downs. Although now a relatively anonymous suburb, the village can trace its origins back many hundreds of years. According to the Institute for Name-Studies, Merrow means 'fat', literally, "probably referring to the high fertility of the land".