Hydon's Ball

Hydon's Ball is a 179m hill covering most of Hydon Heath, Hydestile, Surrey, EnglandDescriptionThe hill on Hydon Heath, Hydestile reaches 179m and is almost a quarter of the way between Gibbet Hill, Hindhead and Leith Hill in the Greensand Ridge.Sometimes known as Hydon Ball, or Cup Hill, it is now in the care of the National Trust. At its highest point is a large stone seat which was placed there in 1915 as a memorial to Octavia Hill, one of the Trust's founders.It is believed that the term "ball" refers to a signalling station which once stood at the top of the hill.There is a short poem associated with Hydon's Ball, which may explain its other alternative name:On Hydon's top there is a cupAnd in that cup there is a dropPick up the cup, and drink the dropAnd place the cup on Hydon's top. Its slopes are planted with a range of tree species, including native oak, rowan, birch and pine. Two non-native shrubs, Amelanchier and Gaultheria, are said by oral history to have been planted there by landscape gardener Gertrude Jekyll who lived approximately 1.2km to the north at Munstead Wood, Busbridge.