Lansdale is a borough in Montgomery County, 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia.  It was named for Phillip Lansdale Fox, chief surveyor of the North Penn Railroad.  It is home to a Kugel ball, which is a 2,200-pound dark grey granite sphere supported by a very thin film of water pumped from beneath its base.  Early in the twentieth century, its industries included agricultural implement works, a canning factory, foundries, brickyards, a silk mill, and various manufacturers.  As of the 2000 Census over 16,000 people live here.  English manors and large estates are available, as well as single-family homes and townhouses.