Pictures of Downe

About Downe

Part of the urban sprawl that is Greater London contains amid the muddle of vast acres of concrete, little gems from the past that continue to enthrall and fascinate. Such a place is Downe, an almost secluded village on the ridge of the North Downs. In common with most of this region the history of Downe reaches down the centuries to the days of the Romans and William the Conqueror. Roman remains have been found here, and close to nearby Biggin Hill is Caesors Well, the source of the Ravensbourne River.

Most of the houses and cottages in Downe are built of flint and it is here that you will find the interesting home of the great Victorian Naturalist, Charles Darwin. Down House, mainly of 18th-century build, was Charles Darwin's home for 40 years until his death in 1882. It is an pleasant house to visit and shows many relics from Darwin's life and times.

Other places of note in the area are nearby Biggin Hill Airfield and Chislehurst Caves - a vast cavernous area where prehistoric fossils and Druid alter remains can be seen. These caves hid Royalists during the Civil War and in the last century were used as air-raid shelters.