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The Urban District of Ruislip-Northwood is an almost entirely
residential one, the occupiers of the larger and middle-sized houses
being employed in London, the smaller cottages and Council houses
being largely occupied by those employed by the inhabitants of the
larger houses and tradesmen.
The land at South Ruislip is mostly agricultural. There are no
large factories. A Royal Air Force Aerodrome and Stores Depot
occupy many acres of South Ruislip.
The nature of the land throughout the whole of the RuislipNorthwood
area is clay, but in several places there are patches of
sand and gravel, apparently portions of the Reading beds. These
sand and gravel beds are on the surface in Northwood at the Golf
Links, in the village of Ruislip, and along the bed of the River Pinn,
at Eastcote.
With these exceptions the land is stiff, heavy clay, of varying
thickness, with loam above it. This clay holds up the water during
and after wet weather, and thus tends to make the atmosphere
damp, and causes ground mists in Autumn and Winter. It is,
therefore, very essential for the health of the dwellers that sufficient
land drainage be provided, and that existing water-courses and
drains be kept open.
Houses built upon clay are not necessarily unhealthy, provided
that the surface of the land around is well drained, good damp-proof
courses are used, and the sites covered with some impervious material.
The levels of the land in the District vary from 120 feet at
the South, to 360 feet at the North.
The River Pinn flows from East to West through the centre
of the District.