Thames Tributary, Darent - Sundridge

Thames Tributary Darent
The Darent continues parallel to and north of the A25 turning north east

Post to the west Sundridge
Post to the north Chipstead

Dry Hill Lane
Dry Hill Quarry. Former rag stone quarry disused and grassed over to create a public open space that has been designated by English Nature as a geological local nature reserve. It had been opened by Sevenoaks RDC as a source of roadstone in 1921. Top soil was used for sandbags in the Second World War. Ragstone was prised out and then smashed with hammers on the quarry floor but in the 1940s crowbars were replaced by explosives. The crushed stone was mixed with tarmac for the roads. The seam was exhausted by 1951 and the quarry was closed. The site and provides a classic exposure through the "rag and hassock" faces of the Hythe Beds. The faces show characteristic sediments the early development of chert. The site was famous for its rich and diverse fossils crucial for paleontological studies but these cannot easily be seen in the rock faces now showing. Feel the crumbly texture of some of the exposed rock faces - difficult to work. The variety of colours in the rock can also be seen.
Dryhill picnic area. Kent County Council Recreation Ground. Road stone quarry planted with wild flowers. .
Cold Arbour Wood
Wellers Farm 1465
Dryhill Cottages 1465

Sevenoaks by Pass A21
Started by KCC in 1964, opened in 1967. Difficult to build because of unstable section of soil. Route ended up having to be altered.

Sundridge Ponds
Sundridge Lakes Fishery
Darent Lakes Wood, were gravel works now trout. The Darent runs the length of the ponds. The Lakes are at different levels. The first one goes over a weir and the Darent becomes an embanked stream. Part of flow of river diverted into a culvert below the A21. Steel grids to keep the fish in. Many birds.

Westerham Road
Warren Farm
Piggeries
Council depot
Dunbrik Depot. Refuse

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