Coulsdon

The location forms part of the North Downs. The hills contain chalk and flint. A few dry valleys with natural underground drainage merge and connect to the main headwater of the River Wandle, as a winterbourne (stream), so commonly called "the Bourne". Although this breaks onto the level of a few streets when the water table is exceptionally high, the soil is generally dry. The depression and wind gap was a natural route across the Downs for early populations. Fossil records exist from the Pleistocene period (about 4,000,000 years ago). There is evidence of human occupation from the Neolithic period, Iron Age, Anglo-Saxon, Bronze Age, Roman and Medieval. In 675, Frithwald, an Ealdorman and…

Marlpit (a former chalk quarry) is the town's Marlpit Industrial / Business Park estate, which is strong in storage, distribution and technology.

In 1883, to prevent further loss of common lands arising from the inclosure acts, the Corporation of London (under provisions of the Corporation of London (Open Spaces) Act 1878), purchased from Squire Byron (Lord of the Manor of Coulsdon) Farthing Downs, Coulsdon Common and Kenley Common, to add to the earlier purchase of Riddlesdown Common. Rickman Hill Park is the highest public park in London, at 155 metres above sea level . A memorial park and recreation ground was purchased from the Byrons by Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council and Hall & Co Ltd in 1920, it was opened in 1921. The London Loop footpath passes through Happy Valley and Farthing Downs between Hamsey Green and…