PURLEY 123 



Bottom and ran along the left-hand side of the Brighton 

 Road in a cutting now partly obliterated by the deeper 

 cutting of the South Eastern line. The ideas of those 

 old projectors were magnificent, for they cherished a 

 scheme of extending to Portsmouth ; but the enter- 

 prise was never a financial success, and that dream was 

 not realised. Nearly all traces of the old railway are 

 obliterated. 



The marvel-mongers who derive the name of Waddon 

 from " Woden " find that Haling comes from the 

 Anglo-Saxon " halig," or holy ; and therefrom have 

 built up an imaginary picture of ancient heathen rites 

 celebrated here. The best we can say for those 

 theories is that they may be correct or they may not. 

 Of evidence there is, of course, none whatever ; and 

 certainly it is to be feared that the inhabitants of 

 Croydon care not one rap about it ; nor even know — 

 or knowing, are not impressed — that here, in 1624, 

 died that great Lord High Admiral of England, 

 Howard of Effingham. It is much more real to them 

 that the tramcars are twopence all the way. 



At the beginning of Haling Park, immediately 

 beyond the " Swan and Sugarloaf," the Croydon toll- 

 gate barred the road until 1865. Beyond it, all was 

 open country. It is a very different tale to-day, now 

 the stark chalk downs of Haling and Smitham are being 

 covered with houses, and the once-familiar great 

 white scar of Haling Chalk Pit is being screened behind 

 newly raised roofs and chimney-pots. 



The beginning of Purley is marked by a number of 

 prominent public-houses, testifying to the magnificent 

 thirst of the new suburb. You come past the " Swan 

 and Sugarloaf " to the " Windsor Castle," the " Purley 

 Arms." the " Red Deer," and the " Royal Oak " ; and 

 just beyond, round the corner, is the " Red Lion." 

 At the " Royal Oak " a very disreputable and stony 

 road goes off to the left. It looks like, and is, a derelict 

 highway : once the main road to Godstone and East 

 Grinstead, but now ending obscurely in a miserable 

 modern settlement near the newly built station of 



