{"id":"69394e6a7202e9abd62bd0bf","title":"Farnborough Holwood","path":"walks/routes/recommended/farnborough-holwood","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 108\n## Farnborough & Holwood\n\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_108.jpg)\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### Holwood House\n\nThe estate and house were owned by William Pitt from \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t1785 to 1802.  However, the present building \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdesigned by Decimus Burton was built around 1825-27 by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmerchant John Ward to replace the one occupied by Pitt.  \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIn 1953 the house was acquired by Seismographic Service \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t(England) Ltd as its headquarters but in the first few \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tyears of this century it was converted into apartments.\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P108a.jpg)\n\nArtist's impression of original \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHolwood House\n\n### Keston Ponds...\n\n... created in the 1830s to supply water to Holwood \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHouse.  The water was pumped up to the house by a \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\thydraulic ram which uses the energy released by lowering \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ta large to quantity of water through a short height to \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\traise a much smaller quantity through a larger height.  \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIn 1926 the ponds were given by the then owner of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHolwood, Lord Stanley Earl of Derby, to the parish to \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tform part of the commons.\n\n### Caesar�s Camp\n\nAlthough Julius Caesar is reputed to have visited \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKeston in 55BC, the huge Iron Age earthwork that bears \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\this name had been built a century or so earlier.  \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNearby Caesar's well was supposed to have been \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdiscovered by Caesar's troops when, in need of water, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthey followed two ravens to a spring hidden in bushes, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\thence the river whose source is the spring is known as \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Ravensbourne\n\n### &nbsp;\n\n### Public Transport\n\nBus 388 between Crystal Palace and Orpington Station \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tvia Bromley offers a frequent service to and from \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFarnborough High Street.  Bus R4 also passes both \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOrpington Station and Farnborough High Street 3 or 4 \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttimes an hour.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_108.htm on 2025-12-11 08:56","contentHtml":"<h1>Kent Ramblers: Walk 108</h1>\n<h2>Farnborough &amp; Holwood</h2>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_108.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<h2>Points of Interest</h2>\n<h3>Holwood House</h3>\n<p>The estate and house were owned by William Pitt from \n\t\t\t\t\t\t1785 to 1802.  However, the present building \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdesigned by Decimus Burton was built around 1825-27 by \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmerchant John Ward to replace the one occupied by Pitt.<br>\t\t\t\t\t\tIn 1953 the house was acquired by Seismographic Service \n\t\t\t\t\t\t(England) Ltd as its headquarters but in the first few \n\t\t\t\t\t\tyears of this century it was converted into apartments.</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P108a.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p>Artist&#39;s impression of original \n\t\t\t\t\t\tHolwood House</p>\n<h3>Keston Ponds...</h3>\n<p>... created in the 1830s to supply water to Holwood \n\t\t\t\t\t\tHouse.  The water was pumped up to the house by a \n\t\t\t\t\t\thydraulic ram which uses the energy released by lowering \n\t\t\t\t\t\ta large to quantity of water through a short height to \n\t\t\t\t\t\traise a much smaller quantity through a larger height.<br>\t\t\t\t\t\tIn 1926 the ponds were given by the then owner of \n\t\t\t\t\t\tHolwood, Lord Stanley Earl of Derby, to the parish to \n\t\t\t\t\t\tform part of the commons.</p>\n<h3>Caesar�s Camp</h3>\n<p>Although Julius Caesar is reputed to have visited \n\t\t\t\t\t\tKeston in 55BC, the huge Iron Age earthwork that bears \n\t\t\t\t\t\this name had been built a century or so earlier.<br>\t\t\t\t\t\tNearby Caesar&#39;s well was supposed to have been \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdiscovered by Caesar&#39;s troops when, in need of water, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthey followed two ravens to a spring hidden in bushes, \n\t\t\t\t\t\thence the river whose source is the spring is known as \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Ravensbourne</p>\n<h3>&nbsp;</h3>\n<h3>Public Transport</h3>\n<p>Bus 388 between Crystal Palace and Orpington Station \n\t\t\t\t\t\tvia Bromley offers a frequent service to and from \n\t\t\t\t\t\tFarnborough High Street.  Bus R4 also passes both \n\t\t\t\t\t\tOrpington Station and Farnborough High Street 3 or 4 \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttimes an hour.</p>\n<p>Automatically migrated from <a href=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_108.htm\">https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_108.htm</a> on 2025-12-11 08:56</p>\n"}