FarAwayThing Down South
April 5, 2023 at 6:49 am Leave a comment
I had not heard of Farthing Downs in Coulsdon, south London, until TimeOut Magazine reported that it was about to become an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The planned proposals would add it to the Surrey Hills AONB, which it adjoins, making it the first London area to achieve this honour, giving it extra protection from planning proposals and ensuring it’s well conserved in the future.
TimeOut describes Farthing Downs which belongs to the City of London as a nice looking park with scrubby grass, hedgerows and trees; but if you go deeper, it is a magical place, one that’s dotted with the mysterious detritus of history, from neolithic burial mounds to traces of Saxon farms to the remnants of WWII anti-aircraft guns. It’s already designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its impressive range of flora and fauna, including skylarks, orchids, pipistrelle bats, roe deer and Roman snails (which our Latin-speaking forebears brought over to enliven their lavish banquets).
What about visiting Farthing Downs on the next trip to London? It’s half an hours ride on the train from Victoria Station.
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EXTRA TIME 
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