View from Severndroog Castle

Image: © Marathon Taken: 9 Apr 2017

Severndroog Castle is near the top of Shooters Hill and at 432 feet above sea level there are wonderful views from the top where it is said seven counties can be seen on a clear day. This day was slightly misty and the furthest that could be seen was the Wembley Arch. The main London to Dover road went over Shooters Hill and was plagued by highwaymen. The name was first recorded in 1226 as 'the hill of the shooter or archer'. Severndroog Castle was built to commemorate Commodore Sir William James who, in April 1755, attacked and destroyed the island fortress of Suvarnadurg (in English: Severndroog) on the western coast of India, between Mumbai and Goa. James died in 1783 and the castle was built as a memorial to him by his widow, Lady James of Eltham.The first stone was laid on 2nd April 1784. Development of the area began in the 18th century and large houses were built for rich owners who wanted to live in the country but be near London. By the 20th century houses covered much of the farmland at the foot of Shooters Hill. Between 1922 and 1934 the London County Council bought large parts of the woodland as open space for the community. Severndroog Castle itself was derelict for many years but has now been fully restored, following a large Heritage Lottery Fund grant, and is open to the public - see http://www.severndroogcastle.org.uk/visitor-info.html and http://www.severndroogcastle.org.uk/learning-centre.html

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