Hi, >> People are not >> inclined to open plague pits.
> Which is why there is so much open space still in Blackheath. a popular misconception, it seems. The name Blackheath predates the Black Death and is apparently derived from the word 'bleak', which it certainly can be. Even if there were plague pits on the heath it has been dug up many times in the past. Many of the pits, mounds and burrows are from mining activity over the years. It was a source of gravel for ships' ballast which was taken down the hill to Ballast Quay on the river and transported from there. The Hellfire Club used to meet in caves under Blackheath. It's so riddled with caves and mineworkings that the A2 collapsed into one of them a couple of years ago, and had to be closed for months. Residents weren't too happy with the possibility of the ground swallowing their beautiful homes at any moment. But there was no fear of Black Death among the middle classes. There are several reasons for the open space having survived. First, it was a royal hunting ground for centuries. These tend to remain untouched, like Cranbourne Chase. It is still largely crown property. It's also strategically important. Armies used to marshall there before setting off along the Dover Road; or, in the case of various peasants' revolts and attempted invasions (including Julius Caesar), stopped there on the way from the coast before coming down to London. There's nothing quite like standing on Point Hill looking down over London and wishing you had an army... -- Cheers, Bob
