Great North Wood

The Great North Wood was a natural oak woodland that started three miles (4.8 km) south-east of central London and scaled the Norwood Ridge.

Other settlements that reflect the area's woodland past are Woodside, Forest Hill, Honor Oak and Penge, which is from Celtic penceat, meaning "edge of wood" (modern Welsh Pencoed).

The coppices were used to provide timber, charcoal, oak bark, and small wood whilst the commons and pastureland were used for grazing and as a source of turf and firewood.

The charcoal was the primary fuel for bakeries and cookhouses for hundreds of years as King Edward I banned the use of coal from the north-east of England because it produced too much smoke.

In 1870, the antiquary Andrew Ducarel noted that "the town [of Croydon] is surrounded with hills well covered with wood, whereof great store of charcoal is made.

By 1745, John Rocque's map of London and its environs showed the woodland to be only 3 miles (4.8 km) wide, turned over to agricultural common land at Croydon, Penge, Streatham, Knight's Hill, Dulwich and Westwood.

[7] The project aims to raise awareness of this largely forgotten woodland and to encourage residents to explore, enjoy and value the natural wealth on their doorsteps.