Hurst Green: a view across gardens and rooftops

Image: © Stefan Czapski Taken: 28 Nov 2010

Seen from the raised station approach. The area must have been entirely rural when the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway reached here in 1884, as it extended its tentacles to Lingfield, Edenbridge and Hever. Even then, it was not until 23 years later - 1907 - that trains condescended to stop. (The station was originally known as 'Hurst Green Halt', making it sound like a request stop). It was only after the place had a station that residential development could go ahead. Hurst Green's permanent parish church was not built until 1912, replacing an earlier structure first provided for the navvies who constructed the railway. The view is WNW, on a chilly November afternoon. The tower of St John's Church is just visible between two tall cypress trees, just to the right of the centre of the frame. In the distance are the North Downs, beyond the M25. The history of the railways of these parts is told, in plodding fashion, in Dendy Marshall's book, 'A History of the Southern Railway'.

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