Norwood Ridge

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Coordinates: 51°25′16″N 0°04′34″W / 51.421°N 0.0761°W / 51.421; -0.0761
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Shooters Hill is visible and in the far south a dip slope of the North Downs
.

The Norwood Ridge is a 10-square-mile (26 km2) rectangular upland which occupies the geographical centre of

Claygate Beds.[1][2]

Extent and components

Hering's Sewerage in Europe map of 1882 (excerpt). Click for broader map and to enable varied magnification. This ridge sits around the Effra Branch.

The area is rectangular, measuring 2 miles (3.2 km) broad. Its longest side is 5 miles (8.0 km) if measured from central Brockley around which are three related knolls including Rye Hill, Nunhead or 0.7 miles (1.1 km) less if the start-point of the ridge is taken as One Tree Hill, Honor Oak. The upland is visible on terrain maps as three main parts of different elevation.

The high, eastern ridge (Sydenham Hill Ridge) runs from One Tree Hill

Upper Sydenham, the east of Gipsy Hill and Crystal Palace (which has, since the station of that name was built, among many residents replaced the Sydenham Hill and Anerley Hill names, except chiefly for the road Sydenham Hill which sits on the ridge), then Upper Norwood, then South Norwood Hill then the north-east of Thornton Heath and far north of Selhurst, in particular Grangewood Park. Upon the ridge is the Crystal Palace transmitting station, founded in 1933, the main television transmitter for the London area, and also the Croydon transmitting station
.

The ridge is above 110 metres (360 ft) and from a few raised west-facing places the western ridge can be seen, beyond which is Wimbledon Common, of similar height. The north has very narrow peaks which allow views of the tall buildings of Central London, but the ridge's eastern slope widely commands unobstructed views over Bromley and Addiscombe to the rises of Chislehurst as well as higher Kent parts of the North Downs. Nineteen of its access or approaching roads could be mistaken as forming separate structures, the greatest of which is the broad south slope leading west,

Beulah Hill
:-

  • Beulah Hill and Upper Beulah Hill, off of which are the following approaches:
    • Spa Hill
    • Biggin Hill (not to be confused with Biggin Hill further south at the edge of Greater London.
    • Norbury Hill
    • Convent Hill
    • Gibson's Hill
  • Grange Hill
  • Sylvan Hill and Beaulieu Heights
  • Highfield Hill
  • Fox Hill
  • Westow Hill
  • Anerley Hill
  • Central Hill
  • Salters Hill
  • Westwood Hill
  • Round Hill
  • Derby Hill
  • Manor Mount
  • Cleve Hill
  • Honor Oak Rise

The slightly lower central near-plateau is listed from the north:

Knight's Hill
.

The second or western ridge is narrower and fractionally lower. It begins very broad and gradually in the south around Furzedown, Streatham then runs through central Streatham, Tulse Hill, Herne Hill, Denmark Hill/Champion Hill culminating at the crossroads of Dog Kennel Hill/Grove Hill/Champion Hill. Fourteen of its access points can be said to give areas of this rise their own 'Hill' or 'Mount' names:-

Some of the above slopes are in the catchment of the

Crossness works and tributaries of the tidal Thames respectively.[3] In the east the south slopes feed the Pool
.

To the south underlying layers of London Clay and

Graveney which feeds into the River Wandle
.

Human geography

See also: Crystal Palace, London

Political geography and landmark status

The ridge and the historic

postcode districts: SE19, SE20, and SE26. The ancient boundary between Surrey and Kent passes through the area and from 1889 to 1965 the area lay on the south eastern boundary of the County of London. It included parts of Kent and Surrey until 1889 and then parts of Kent, London and Surrey between 1889 and 1965.[6][7]

For centuries the area was occupied by the Great North Wood, an extensive area of natural oak forest that formed a wilderness close to the southern edge of the then expanding city of London. The forest was a popular area for Londoners' recreation right up to the 19th century, when it began to be built over.[4] Some of the area was a home of Gypsies, with some street names and pubs recording the link.[4]

Industry and conservation

Beds of clay and brickearth around the ridge hosted until the 20th century some of London's brickfields. Many railway tunnels cut through the ridge. The ridge still retains many vestiges of woodland.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Online communities | Croydon Council".
  2. ISBN 0-7518-3206-5
  3. ISBN 978-0951538418
  4. ^ a b c d F. H. W. Sheppard (General Editor) (1956). "Norwood: Introduction". Survey of London: volume 26: Lambeth: Southern area. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 3 July 2013. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ Hughes, Pete (28 May 2012). "Crystal Palace Triangle: How life in the three London boroughs compares". Croydon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  6. ^ "Upper Norwood Triangle Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan" (PDF). Croydon Borough Council. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  7. ^ Ordnance Survey (1933). 1933 Ordnance Survey Map (Map). Ordnance Survey.

51°25′16″N 0°04′34″W / 51.421°N 0.0761°W / 51.421; -0.0761

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