Sydenham Hill Wood Work

Hard at Work Last Sunday (4th), volunteers carried out the vital task of a litter-pick in the upper part of the wood, along the boundary with Sydenham Hill. They managed to clear enough to fill eight large rubbish sacks , a great achievement but sad that it was necessary.  (Photo - Sam Taylor) The Wednesday group worked on improving the main access path connecting the old railway alignment and Dulwich Wood. This busy section of path crosses over the bank at the edge of the railway and it had become particularly damaged during the past fifteen months. The old worn steps were replaced as was the path surface and a new handrail was installed. (Photo - Sam Taylor)  

Finding the Villas....Part 3 Fairwood Of all the villas along Sydenham Hill, Fairwood has left the best-known relic, the folly and its accompanying cascade. However , the re are other clues as to its existance. Just inside the fence along Sydenham Hill, there is a gate-post complete with ironwork, there are footings for greenhouses and, against the wall separating it from Beechgrove, there is lead flashing suggesting a hot house of some sort. There are also the remains of the main terrace and its cellars.     Remains of Fairwood.   Gate post for Fairwood's drive. Fairwood's cellar wall, in the background, a chute, perhaps for coal deliveries? Steps leading down from the terrace to the garden. The wall between Fairwood and Beechgrove. What was once a lean-to greenhouse, note remnants of a plaster coating and eyes in the brickwork for training vines.  O.S. maps show terraces in Fairwood's garden. The sudden change in level suggests this is one of them. Half way down f...

In the Glade Volunteers has been hard at work replacing the bench in the main glade next to the old railway line. Using old railway sleepers made available when the bridge over the Am Brook was rebuilt, a new bench was made and installed to replace the old one which was life expired.   Photos - Sam Taylor The glade is the largest open area in the Wood and as such attracts a wide range of wildlife, especially butterflies and dragonflies. Both these were seen on the same day the new bench was installed. An emperor dragonfly resting in the glade. Large Skipper butterfly feeding on a bramble flower. Both photos - David Ward.  

  Finding the Villas....Part 2 It is surprisingly difficult to find out exact dates for when the villas were demolished. However, an Ordnance Survey map of 1959 shows all eight villas whereas one revised and published in 1968 show that The Hoo, Fairwood and Fernbank had, by that time, been demolished.    Lapsewood Demolished sometime in the early 1970s, very little remains of this substantial house. Adjacent to Sydenham Hill, the levelled ground is some 2-3 metres lower and this marks the site of the house. There is a high brick retaining wall that divided the grounds of Lapsewood from those of Beechgrove next door. Although not shown on the 1870 map, that of 1916 shows the gap between Lapsewood House and this wall had been filled in by a glass structure, perhaps a conservatory. Further along Cox's Walk, the remains of the greenhouses can be found emerging from the ivy. Mainly brick footings and retaining walls, also there are some tiling panels still to be found. The mul...

Bridge across the Am The small footbridge across the Am Brook has been renewed. The new bridge is a complete replacement of the old one and includes new steps down from the old railway line. The bridge itself has a completely new abutments, supports, deck and handrails. During the course of excavating the steps, an iron spike which fixed the railway line to the sleeper was found. Also an old oyster shell was dug up; perhaps it was thrown from an excursion train on its way to The Crystal Palace? Oysters were a cheap fast food in the Victoria era.

 Finding the Villas When, in 1852, the Crystal Palace was moved to its new permanent site on the heights of Upper Sydenham, it fired the starting gun for a race to develop the area. The ridge running northwards from the site, with its fine views over Kent to the east and London to the north, its clean air and  wooded character, attracted developers who saw it as an ideal spot to build large villas for the wealthy. The area had already attracted interest for development and in 1851, Beltwood was built for a London solicitor, Edward Saxton and his family. This house and much of its grounds remain and are not part of the Wood.    Beltwood House in 1916 Beltwood House photographed in 1953  A brief history of the villas in the Wood. A composite of two OS maps from 1870 showing the main villas on the west side of Sydenham Hill.   Much of the land was owned by the Dulwich Estate, so the new mansions and their extensive grounds were sold subject to 99 year leases...