Construction 
of Oxted 
Tunnel as 
affecting 
volume of 
Bourne flow. 
34 
1866, when the matter was prominently brought to his 
attention by reason of a set of plans having been sub- 
mitted to him for approval (as Surveyor for the Croydon 
Local Authority) just before the Bourne appeared for 
the building of the public-house which is now known as 
the ‘‘ Royal Oak ” in the Brighton Road, the building of 
which would have completely blocked up the channels 
of the Bourne, and to which the Author objected, and 
he was then informed that the Bourne was not likely 
to flow again, as some works had been constructed in 
the hills, evidently alluding to the construction of the 
railway and the adit driven in advance of the Oxted 
Tunnel; but while the matter was under consideration 
the Bourne broke out to the surprise of all parties, and 
as a consequence provision was made for continuing 
the Bourne channel past the site of the house in 
question. 
It will not be out of place at this juncture to refer to 
the construction of the Oxted Tunnel as affecting the 
volume of the Croydon Bourne flow. 
It is not generally known that some years ago, 
before the present Oxted Tunnel was made, that there 
was a proposal to make a tunnel through the hills at a 
low level, 23 miles long, at Oxted, in connection with 
the original railway to Dover, but its construction was 
opposed by the landed proprietors on the chalk range 
by reason of the likelihood of its drawing off the water. 
Ultimately an agreement was made with the landed 
proprietors that they were to be compensated if the 
water was lost and the Bill passed. This tunnel was 
to be constructed not only through the chalk, but cut 
the gault as the present tunnel does. ‘The matter was 
' referred to Sir W. Cubitt, the engineer, who on investi- 
gation found that if the tunnel was made, the springs 
