Hydon's Ball
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| Hydon's Ball | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 179 m (587 ft) |
| Location | North Downs, England |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 186 |
| OS grid reference | SU977395 |
Hydon's Ball is a 587 foot hill on Hydon Heath, Surrey. It is situated roughly 6 km (3.5 miles) south east of Godalming, in central southern England.
Sometimes known as Hydon Ball, or Cup Hill, it is now in the care of the National Trust. At its highest point is a large stone seat which was placed there in 1915 as a memorial to Octavia Hill, one of the Trust's founders.
It is believed that the term "ball" refers to a signalling station which once stood at the top of the hill. (Typically, "ball" signalling stations were used to synchronize the time visually at given points during the day across long distances.)
There is a short poem associated with Hydon's Ball, which may explain its other alternative name:
- On Hydon's top there is a cup
- And in that cup there is a drop
- Pick up the cup, and drink the drop
- And place the cup on Hydon's top.
Its slopes are planted with a range of tree species, including native oak, rowan, birch and pine. Two non-native shrubs, Amelanchier and Gaultheria, are said to have been planted there by landscape gardener Gertrude Jekyll.
Hydon's Ball has become a traditional meeting spot for local Morris Dancers who gather on the hilltop to welcome the first day of spring.
Hydon's Ball is the seventh highest point in Surrey.
