THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE

Forest on clay was so thick as to constitute an almost impenetrable deciduous jungle. The porous drift of sand and gravel was dry on top, but acted as a reservoir of water above the bedrock clay; it supported lighter woodland, or heath where it was stoniest.

The undrained alluvium of the floodplains was too wet for all but willow and alder. Thus the natural landscape was an unattractive one of boggy valleys bordered by dense forest on the slopes, which thinned out to fairly clear plateaux.

There were high bogs here and there, but firm going and open patches on the thickest drift areas, which were also the highest. The marshes of the Cole and lower Spark were 300 yards wide.

Above these 'The Hill' was largely drift-covered and thus lightly-wooded, probably no more than ringed with oaks except on the north-facing slope and perhaps in an area north of Grove Farm, which may have been more densely timbered.

These features must be deduced largely from the O. S. Geology Map, since the natural vegetation has long since disappeared and much of the ground itself is hidden beneath brick, tarmac, and earthen bank. Certain old name provide confirmation.

Thus 'Greet' (Old English 'greot' grit or gravel) may be the oldest name hereabout; it was the presence of gravel drift deposits which made both settlement and river crossings possible in this area.

The precise location of 'Greet' presents problems which are dealt with below, but the descriptive name was applicable to The Hill and to the Common further south.

'The Grove' from which Fulford Hall took its name after rebuilding, was perhaps a remnant of wood on clay, though the farm itself was sited on a drift patch. But the name could as well be that of a tenant farmer or of a later plantation !

'Stoney Lane' was well-named, for it was only the presence of firm gravel which permitted the use of a track so close beside a brook.

'Greet Field, Gravelly Hill, and Gravel Pit' were the names of closes west of Percy Road, while 'Hazel Dell and Birch Leys' in what is now the Park tell of trees which prefer light dry soil.

Forested claylands east of Cole were commemorated centuries after their clearance by the 'Riddings' of Greet Farm and of 'Reddings Lane', which indicate land cleared of trees, while the 'Moors' of Greet Farm and 'Shaftmoor' moor meaning bog) record wet meadows of Cole and Tyseley Brooks.

It should be noted that the O. S. Map is in error in showing a drift-free patch in the southern half of the Park, extending east of the Cole, since close-names listed above clearly indicate drift cover; the error has been corrected on the map herein. Similarly, none of the fords is shown to have gravel footings, yet drift can be seen in the river bed, and at Stratford Road Bridge it collects to form an island as formerly it did at Warwick Road.