SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



321 



PRESERVATION OF CROHAM HURST. 



By Edward A. Mabtin, F.G.S. 



TEN miles from the Eoyal Exchange, and con- 

 tiguous to the county borough of Croydon, 

 is the well-knoAvn hill of Croham Hurst, bearing 

 on its summit some of the loveliest bits of wood- 



Jeffery, Photo. 



Croydon, 



View in Ckoham Hurst. 



land scenery to be seen within reasonable distance 

 of London. It is a favourite resort in the summer 

 for botanical and geological rambling clubs, and 

 has great attractions for the fungus hrmter in the 

 autumn on account of the rarities to be found 

 there. The whortleberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) 

 flourishes, and the lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria 

 majalis) finds a soil suited to its needs. The 

 common ling (Calluna vulgaris), covers the 

 southern declivities in profusion, and in other 

 parts the bracken spreads its feathery forest 

 sometimes as much as six feet in height. 



It is of special interest geologically. At its 

 base, forming the subsoil of the fields around, is 

 the chalk formation. It is, therefore, an instance 

 of a Tertiary outlier, and as such is regularly 

 visited by parties of student geologists who, 

 without going far afield, desire to make acquaint- 

 ance with this form of geological phenomena. 

 According to the maps, it is surrounded at its 

 immediate base by a ring of Thanet beds, this 

 being succeeded by another of Woolwich beds. 

 These two are evidently very thin. The mass of 

 the Hurst is made up of Oldhaven pebble beds, 

 and on the summit these are strongly in evidence. 

 In some places the pebbles are very small, but are 

 of average size on the slopes. On the south side 

 we have the steep place known as "Break-neck 

 Hill," and here the pebbles are loose through the 



constant fretting of ages of weathering, and, it 

 must be confessed, by the fretting of the number 

 of pairs of feet of frequent visitors. 



It is not in regard to the scientific aspect of 

 Croham Hurst that I wish now to write . This 

 lovely hill, with its woody glades, its magnificent 

 views, its specially interesting geological charac- 

 ter, and its health-giving breezes, is threatened 

 by the omnivorous builder. Croydon has been 

 creeping nearer and nearer to the base of the hill, 

 and at last the Hurst itself is threatened. It has 

 been an open space for many years, and Croydon's 

 himdred thoiisand of inhabitants have ever en- 

 joyed the privilege of roaming over and around it. 

 Certainly there were warning boards, calling 

 attention to the fact that the Hurst was owned 

 by the Governors of the Whitgift Foundation, an 

 institution founded three hundred years ago for 

 the good of the poor in the borough. People in 

 Croydon had come to believe that the Governors 

 in their generosity had determined that the public 

 should exercise the privilege of rambling undis- 

 turbed for ever ; and it came as a shock to them 

 to know that its sale for building purposes was 

 contemplated. 



By the activity of a former mayor of Croydon, 

 Sir Frederick Edridge, negotiations were recently 

 completed for the purchase by the Corporation 

 for ^1,000 of thirty-five acres out of a total 



Jeffery, Photo. Croydon, 



View in Ceoham Htjbst. 



of about eighty-five acres. The expenses in con- 

 nection with the matter will be, it is estimated, 

 about ■£4,000 more. As eligible building sites, 

 the Governors calculate that the remainder will 



Apeil, 



-No. 59, Vol. V. 



M 



