▁in ▁traditional ▁terms ▁and ▁in ▁technical ▁terms , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁settlement , ▁called ▁E ps om ▁Down s . ▁In ▁terms ▁of ▁to ps o il , ▁the ▁northern ▁soil ▁is ▁free ▁dra ining , ▁slightly ▁acid ▁but ▁base - rich ▁so ils , ▁producing ▁extremely ▁fert ile ▁past ures ▁and ▁decid uous ▁wood land . ▁ ▁The ▁southern ▁soil ▁is ▁of ▁two ▁types : ▁shall ow , ▁l ime - rich ▁soil ▁over ▁ch alk ▁or ▁lim estone ▁of ▁the ▁esc arp ment ▁slightly ▁acid , ▁lo amy ▁and ▁cl ay ey ▁so ils ▁with ▁imp eded ▁d rain age ▁soil ▁ ▁The ▁town ' s ▁cluster ed ▁bulk ▁is ▁at ▁ 3 5 m ▁to ▁ 7 0 m ▁( above ▁Or dn ance ▁Dat um , ▁mean ▁sea ▁level ) ▁and ▁s lop es ▁increment ally ▁from ▁south ▁and ▁all ▁other ▁directions ▁( to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent ) ▁towards ▁the ▁centre - n orth . ▁ ▁The ▁race course ▁and ▁Lang ley ▁V ale ▁parts ▁of ▁E ps om ▁rise ▁to ▁high ▁points ▁of ▁ 1 4 0 m ▁and ▁form ▁a ▁d rain age ▁divide ▁between ▁trib ut aries ▁of ▁the ▁Th ames ▁flow ing ▁north ▁and ▁towards ▁the ▁M ole ▁G ap ▁south - west . ▁ ▁Near est ▁settlement s ▁ ▁Dem ography ▁and ▁housing ▁ ▁H osp it als ▁As ▁well ▁as ▁E ps om ' s ▁General ▁Hospital , ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁well ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁a ▁group