Coulsdon in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Early History
Early History
Evidence dating from the Neolithic period tells us that people have lived and worked on Farthing Downs for over 6,000 years.
The Neolithic and Bronze Age people who first settled on Farthing Downs started to clear trees to make space for small farms. Eventually a patchwork of small fields developed. This 'Celtic Field System’ is mainly attributed to the Iron Age, which spanned the period of 700 BC to AD 43, although if continued to be used into the Romano-British period. Over time the action of ploughing created earth banks and ditches, some of which can still be seen today.
The Celtic Field System had fallen out of use by the Saxon period, but the presence of Saxon burial mounds indicates that Farthing Downs was still open rather than wooded. The burial mounds would have been visible for miles around.
In medieval times commoners used Farthing Downs as rough pasture for their livestock, a practice that continued into the 19th Century.
( photo caption )
- An artist’s impression of an Anglo-Saxon Barrow
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas.
Location. 51° 17.973′ N, 0° 8.096′ W. Marker is in Coulsdon, England, in Greater London. Marker is at the intersection of Ditches Lane and Drive Road, on the left when traveling north on Ditches Lane. Located on Farthing Downs. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Coulsdon, England CR5 1DA, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Recent History (here, next to this marker); Chalk Grassland (here, next to this marker); Open Spaces (here, next to this marker); The City of London (here, next to this marker); Lord Nelson Memorial (approx. 13.3 kilometers away); Merton Place (approx. 13.4 kilometers away); The Mansion (approx. 13.5 kilometers away); Sweech House (approx. 13.6 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Coulsdon.
Also see . . . Farthing Downs on Wikipedia. (Submitted on February 11, 2019, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 11, 2019, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 102 times since then and 3 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 11, 2019, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.