View source for Hydon's Ball

{{Short description|Hill near Hydestile, Surrey, England}}
{{One source|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Hydon's Ball
| photo = File:Hydon's Ball - geograph.org.uk - 1813524.jpg
| photo_caption = National Trust signage at Hydon's Ball
| elevation_m = 179
| elevation_ref = 
| prominence = 
| listing = 
| location = [[Greensand Ridge]], England
| range = 
| coordinates = {{coord|51.14644|N|0.60465|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SU977395)|display=it|format=dms}}<!-- Note: WGS84 lat/long, converted from OSGB36 grid ref -->
| grid_ref_UK = SU977395
| topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Landranger'' 186
}}

'''Hydon's Ball''' is a {{convert|179|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} hill covering most of Hydon Heath in [[Hydestile]], [[Surrey]], England.

==Description==
[[File:Hydon's Ball.jpg|thumb|The [[memorial bench]] dedicated to [[Octavia Hill]], on the summit of Hydon's Ball]]
The hill on Hydon Heath, Hydestile, reaches {{convert|179|m|ft}} and is almost a quarter of the way between [[Gibbet Hill, Hindhead]]{{#tag:ref|Above the [[Devil's Punch Bowl]]|group= n}} and [[Leith Hill]] in the [[Greensand Ridge]].

Sometimes known as '''Hydon Ball''' or '''Cup Hill''', the area is under the management of the [[National Trust]]. At its highest point is a large stone seat dedicated in 1915 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.{{#tag:ref|Typically, ''ball'' signalling stations were used to synchronize the time visually at given points during the day across long distances.|group= n}}
Its shape is similar to other hills named as 'ball'; there are more than six on Dartmoor e.g. Cuckoo Ball, grid reference SX 717902.

There is a short poem associated with Hydon's Ball, which may explain its other alternative name:

{{Poem quote|text=
On Hydon's top there is a cup
And in that cup there is a drop
Pick up the cup, and drink the drop
And 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]],<ref name=n>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-localtoyou/w-south_east/w-south_east-places/w-south_east-places-west_weald/w-south_east-places-west_weald-hydons.htm |title=Hydon's Ball and Heath information |publisher=National Trust |access-date=2013-11-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629030838/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-localtoyou/w-south_east/w-south_east-places/w-south_east-places-west_weald/w-south_east-places-west_weald-hydons.htm |archive-date=2011-06-29}}</ref> who lived approximately {{convert|3/4|mile}} to the north at [[Munstead Wood]], Busbridge.<ref name=n/>

Hydon's Ball is a meeting spot for local [[Morris dance|Morris Dancers]] who gather on the hilltop to welcome the first day of spring.<ref name=n/>

[[File:Memorial near Hydons Ball - geograph.org.uk - 1036869.jpg|thumb|upright|The Robertson War Memorial]]
The Grade II [[Listed building|listed]] Robertson War Memorial lies slightly below the summit of Hydon's Ball. The eight-foot obelisk Commemorating the first world and features a plaque designed by [[Laurence Arthur Turner]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1438499?section=official-list-entry| title=The Robertson War Memorial Bequest Obelisk, Hydon's Ball| website= [[Historic England]]| access-date=5 July 2023}}</ref>

Hydon's Ball is one of the top ten highest points in Surrey. An underground drinking water reservoir is beneath the summit.<ref name=n/>

==Transport==
Hydon's Ball is centred {{convert|2 + 1/2|mi}} south of [[Godalming]], which sits by the [[A3 road (Great Britain)|A3]], in central southern England. The nearest village is to the south, [[Hambledon, Surrey|Hambledon]], which has a large public house (''The Merry Harriers'') and a village shop.

Around {{convert|1 + 1/4|mi}} away, [[Milford railway station]] is nearest to the hill on the direct line between [[London Waterloo railway station|London Waterloo]] and [[Portsmouth Harbour railway station|Portsmouth Harbour]].

Lying on the [[Greensand Way]], the hill can be reached on it from the direction of Godalming/Dorking/Sevenoaks Wealds/Hamstreet and from that of the nearby western end of the ridge, [[Hindhead]].

== External links ==
* [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hydons-ball-and-heath Hydon's Ball and Heath information at the National Trust]

==Notes and references==
;Notes 
{{Reflist|group=n}}  
;References
{{Reflist}} 
{{Waverley}}

[[Category:Hills of Surrey]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Surrey]]