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On its westerly side, the country rises until it attains, at the highest
point of Sydenham, an elevation of 365 feet.
The top of the Crystal Palace grounds, the highest point of Penge, being
361 feet above the mean sea level.
The District is somewhat protected from the violence of the wind on
account of the high ridges bordering it; but suffers most from northeasterly
winds, from which quarter it is not so protected.
The mean annual rain fall is about 25 inches (Greenwich Observatory).
The prevalent winds during the year 1855, as compiled from the Meteorological
Tables of the Crystal Palace Company, were as follows:
Between north and east 99 days.
Between south and east 37 days.
Between north and west 71 days.
Between south and west 73 days.
The District is based upon eocene tertiary deposit, varying in its thickness
and differing materially in its character in different parts, as well as
in its composition in the same part, and intersected by outcrops as at New
Cross Railway cutting, where the lower tertiary strata rise from beneath
the London clay, and as near Lewisham and Blackheath, where the secondary
formation (the chalk) appears in one or two places, London clay having
entirely disappeared; the chalk being covered by a varying crust of
sand and pebble beds, with a base of indurated Woolwich clay filled with
shells.
The principal part of the drainage of this District finds its way ultimately
into the Ravensbourne, mixed with the overflow of cesspools where
these receptacles exist, and the direct drainage from many houses; and
after being conducted into the natural watercourses, ditches, &c., finds its
way rapidly into the small tributaries of this river, and must seriously contaminate
it.
These conditions exist more especially in Sydenham and Penge, where
almost every ditch or brook is more or less contaminated.
In Lewisham, a sewer has been constructed, into which many of the
drains of the houses open; and in this portion of the District the evil is in
a partial degree avoided.
The quality and supply of water so varies, that it must be considered
under the separate divisions of the District.
The number of acres contained in the parish is 5220.
The number of occupied houses is 2914.
Unoccupied houses, 207.
Sheds, outbuildings, and stables in the whole parish, 74.
Number of assessments on land in the whole parish, 869.
Making the total number of assessments, 4064.*
Rateable value of property £113,886; and which at 11d in the pound
amounts to £5219 15s. 6d.
The numbers of the population of Lewisham village was,
In the census of 1841 5388.
In the census of 1851, it amounted to 6097.
*The above is extracted from rate books, and relates to rates made 24th July, 1855.