Croydon, UK
Croydon is known to some as the "Dallas of the South" due to the density of shiny glass and steel high rise office blocks, including the Home Office government department. Croydon is one of the top 20 retail destinations in the United Kingdom, it has two large and a smaller shopping centers. All the major chain stores can be found in Croydon, along with most department stores (including the only Allders left in the UK).
Most areas of present South London, Croydon included, were once towns and villages in the counties of Surrey and Kent outside London, which were assimilated by London as it expanded rapidly in the 19th & 20th centuries. Surrey and Kent are still used as part of the official postal addresses for some areas of south London.
Among its famous residents were author Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, model Kate Moss, journalist Émile Zola, dubstep pioneer Benga, and punk rocker Captain Sensible of The Damned.
Croydon is not served by the Underground network. However the old East London Line has been integrated into the new London Overground network, linking West Croydon Station to Dalston Junction via New Cross, Docklands, and Whitechapel. This service, which started in June 2010, uses new rolling stock with longitudinal seating layouts similar to those used on Underground trains allowing for more standing room. It is operated by Transport for London as part of the London Overground scheme.
East Croydon station is the second busiest station in London and the main station for Croydon. Fast trains run into the centre of London terminating at Victoria or London Bridge stations in about 15-20 minutes.
There are direct service connections to London Gatwick and London Luton airports. Journey times from East Croydon to London Gatwick airport range from 15 to 36 minutes, with an average of 13 services per hour during the day. The journey time from East Croydon to London Luton airport is approximately 66 minutes, with an average of 4 services per hour during the day. The train service for London Luton airport also stops at London St Pancras (average journey time approximately 40 minutes), providing interconnections for Eurostar services to Lille, Paris and Brussels, as well as national services to the north of England & Scotland. There are no direct train services to London Heathrow airport. Typical fastest journey time would be approximately 90 minutes and involve at least two changes.
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Croydon: See and Do
Croydon town centre is near the centre of the borough of Croydon, to the north of the North Downs and the Pilgrims' Way path. To the north of Croydon are typical London districts, whereas a short distance southeast (such as Coombe and Selsdon) is green, hilly and rural land. To the west are industrial areas, part of which are in the London Borough of Sutton. The southern suburbs are mainly affluent and also hilly.
Because it was heavily bombed in WW2 Croydon features a patchwork of old and new architecture. Wellesley Road runs north/south through Croydon and is home to the luxury Saffron Square apartment development, including an iconic 45 storey tower. The pedestrianised shopping precinct west of here is an attractive retail area. Croydon Town hall and the Clock Tower art centre are housed in an imposing Victorian building just to the south of the retail centre.
Croydon has many tall buildings such as the former Nestlé Tower (St George's House). The London Borough of Croydon's strategic planning committee in February 2013 gave the go-ahead to property fund manager Legal and General Property's plans to convert the empty 24-storey St George's House office building, occupied by Nestlé until September 2012, into 288 flats.
The Town Hall is a very impressive building with a huge clock tower. The Clock Tower Museum features exhibitions on the gifted black composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) who lived most of his life in Croydon. His works include The Song of Hiawatha, a great favourite (before World War II) at the Royal Albert Hall conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. The Museum of Croydon highlights Croydon in the past and present, and includes the Riesco Gallery.
Crystal Palace Football Club is the local professional football league club. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, capacity 26,309 (all seated), where it has been based since 1924. Another popular south London side, with more of a family-feel is Charlton Athletic who play at The Valley, also 26,000 all seated capacity.
Location: Crystal Palace Football Club, Selhurst Park Stadium, Whitehorse Lane, Croydon.
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English domestic cricket structure. They play four home games away from the Oval (Kennington, Lambeth/South London) each season. Two of these games are played at the Whitgift School, the other two games are played in Guildford. See their website for fixture list.
Location: Surrey County Cricket Club, Whitgift School, Haling Park, South Croydon.
Croydon Airport
With the March 1920 closure of the temporary aerodrome at Hounslow Heath, Croydon Airport became operational as London Terminal Aerodrome on 29th March 1920. It began life using the former 1915 World War One airfield, with commercial operations commencing when the RAF vacated the aerodrome. Britain’s first airport expansion Act of Parliament in 1925 led to the 1926 redevelopment of the airport with the completion of the new buildings in 1928.
It was a place of momentous historic events, record breaking flights, innovations and the creation of Britain’s international airline, Imperial Airways. Imperial Airways went on to become today’s British Airways. The first innovations in Air Traffic Control were developed here – the international distress call “Mayday” was created by London Croydon Airport Radio Officer F.S. “Stanley” Mockford in 1923.
After 44 years of serving Britain, the airport finally closed on the 30th September 1959. The disused airport remains intact and has become a popular tourist attraction. Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is a volunteer led micro-museum which opened its doors in 2000. The Visitor Centre is located in Britain’s first integrated airport Terminal and Control Tower at Airport House, Purley Way, Croydon.
Addington Palace
Addington Palace is an 18th-century mansion in Addington, located at Gravel Hill, Croydon. It was built close to the site of an earlier manor house belonging to the Leigh family. It is surrounded by a park and golf courses, and its gardens are still largely in their original design. Much of the grounds have been leased by golf clubs and the exclusive Bishops Walk housing development was built on Bishops Walk (a private road).
Addington Palace is particularly known for having been, between 1807 and 1897, the summer residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury for 500 years. Since the 1930s most of the grounds have been occupied by Addington Palace Golf Club. Between 1953 and 1996 the mansion was occupied by the Royal School of Church Music. It is today used as a wedding and events venue.
Coulsdon
Coulsdon, a town in south London, was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey that included the settlements of Purley and Kenley. The location forms part of the North Downs. The hills contain chalk and flint.Fossil records exist from the Pleistocene period (about 4,000,000 years ago.
The central area of Coulsdon has substantial industrial, automotive and distribution services, convenience, standard socialising and niche retail as well as local professions of a typical town in the country, by its main road and main railway stations: Coulsdon South and Coulsdon Town. The alternate centre, Old Coulsdon, has a recreation ground/cricket pitch-focused village green, a much smaller parade of shops than Coulsdon's high street between Coulsdon South and Town stations and a medieval church.
Purley
Purley is a suburban area of South London, and the quintessential suburban environment has been referenced in fictional and popular culture, most notably as the setting for the long running Terry and June sitcom. The name derives from an estate, mentioned in about 1200 when it was deeded to one William de Pirelea, son of Osbert de Pirelea by the abbot of St. Peter’s monastery near Winchester. Kenley Aerodrome, to the east of the town, is currently official property of the Ministry of Defence. It was one of the key fighter stations – together with Croydon Airport and Biggin Hill – during the World War II support of Dunkirk, Battle of Britain and for the defence of London.
Woodcote is contained within Purley. Developed in the early 20th century, it is centred on Woodcote Village Green and is the location of Woodcote Model Village.[16] Purley's Webb Estate lies on Woodcote road, close to Upper Woodcote Village. The Bourne river runs through Purley. The river is culverted but can flood in Purley valley. A local history society take their name from this river.
Norbury
For most of its history Norbury was rural countryside through which the London to Brighton Way Roman road passed. By the early thirteenth century, Norbury was a sub-manor within the chief manor of Croydon. By 1900, Norbury was an affluent semi-rural suburb boasting two golf courses and cricket, football, tennis and bowls clubs. The first shopping parades on the London Road were constructed in 1900 and side roads behind the parades began to be laid out. During the second half of the twentieth century, many of the large Victorian villas were demolished and office blocks were built on their sites. Later many of the office blocks were themselves converted into residential apartments.
Thornton Heath
The town of Thornton Heath lies 2.4 km north of the town of Croydon, and 11.6 km south of Charing Cross. Architecturally, Thornton Heath is predominantly Victorian in both its residential and commercial sectors. There are a number of imposing, even grand, buildings surviving from this period. The railway station at Thornton Heath is one of the stations used by visitors to Selhurst Park stadium, home of Premier League football club, Crystal Palace. Thornton Heath is also home to the historic rugby club Streatham-Croydon RFC founded in 1871. Their grounds and clubhouse are located in Frant Road off Brigstock Road. Thornton Heath has a high degree of ethnic diversity. In the 2011 census, the largest single ethnicity is White British (20.2%) followed by British African-Caribbean people (17.6%)