174 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 



red berries of the Pyracantha overhung the ducks 

 without apparent disagreement. 



The opening of Brockwell as a public Park has had 

 the effect of banishing most of the rooks. There was a 

 large rookery, but year by year the nests decrease. In 

 1896 there were thirty-five nests, the next year twenty, 

 while in 1898 there were only eight or ten. Thus every 

 season they are getting fewer, but still, in the spring of 

 1907, one pair of rooks were bold enough to build. 



DuLwicH Park 



Dulwich Park is not very far from Brockwell, but 

 its surroundings are more open. A few of the roads 

 near it have some feeling of the country left. The 

 houses that are springing up are of a cheerful villa 

 type, and have nothing of the monotony and dulness 

 of most of the suburbs. Fine old trees grow along 

 many of the roads. The chestnuts, for instance, in 

 Half Moon Lane between Heme Hill and Dulwich 

 are charming, and also on the further side of the Park, 

 where the celebrated inn, the "Green Man," was situated, 

 there is a rural aspect and a delightful walk between 

 trees. It was within the grounds of the " Green Man " 

 that the Wells of chalybeate water were situated. The 

 Wells had been discovered in the reign of Charles II., 

 and the water sold in London, but the " Green Man '* 

 did not become a popular resort until after 1739. A 

 story connected with this popular spa is recorded in the 

 "Percy Anecdotes" in 1823. A well-known literary 

 man was invited to dinner there, and wished to be 

 directed. However, he inquired vainly for the " Dull 

 Man at Greenwich," instead of the "Green Man at 

 Dulwich." One of the entrances to the Park is close 



