Beddington, Surrey Beggars Bush 1819

There are a number of references to this site in Surrey Archaeological Collections (SAC). Vol. 1,p.211 refers to it being on the summit of a hill, on an old trackway leading up from Cold Harbour, which was cut below the ground surface and crossed Mear Bank, an ancient raised ridge, just before Beggars Bush. The track formed the boundary between Croydon & Beddington, going on to Foxley Gate.

SAC Vol.III p.250 says it was on the southern extremity of Mear Bank, on the chalk downs, where it suggests many such names are found.

SAC Vol. VII,p.xxxvi-ii reports a brief account by a Dr Shorthouse of the finding of 60 skeletons, of which he had seen 18 which were gigantic, about 18” below the surface some 12 years earlier while making a trench for a shrubbery & belt of trees. He describes the location of the skeletons as being parallel to the Foxley Hatch to Duppas Hill road, which he says was then beneath the Warehousemans Clerks & Drapers School.

From c.1866 when the school was built it was known as Russell Hill after Lord Russell. There is a Coldharbour nearby.

The site is referred to and shown on several maps in and referred to in an archaeological survey. This also suggests that the nearby track may not be ancient. A Survey of Surrey dated 1874 shows the site with Cold Harbour to the north, and just to the south Hungry Bottom.

Anthologies

The site is referred to by J. S. Farmer and W.E. Henly, A dictionary, historical and comparative of the heterodox speech of all classes of society for more than three hundred years. With synonyms in English, French, German, Italian, etc Privately Published, London (1890). In contrast to Brewer, who says these places are haunts of beggars, Farmer & Henley appear to have used more original research and got the origin correct.
“BEGGARS BUSH, TO GO BY BEGGARS BUSH, phr (old) means to go to ruin . . . Russell Hill, near Croydon, where the Warehousemen’s and Clerk’s schools are, is known locally as BEGGARS BUSH.” They also refer to Twelve Ingenious Characters.

Thanks

John Pile, Surrey RO

Posted: April 4th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: Beddington, Surrey, Twelve Ingenious Characters, anthologies | No Comments »