Croydon

Croydon is a suburban town and commercial centre to the south of London. It was once a Surrey Urban District Council, but in 1889 , through its growing economic importance, it was made into a County Borough exempt from county administration. In 1965 it became the London Borough of Croydon. It is now governed by a cabinet-style council created in 2001.

Its area is 34sq m (87km²). Population: (1998) 338,200.

The name

The name of Croydon derives originally from the Anglo-Saxon croeas deanas, meaning "the valley of the crocuses", indicating that, like Saffron Walden in Essex, it was a centre for the collection of saffron. The crocuses are long gone, however. Croydon had a growth spurt in the 1960s and remains a good place to observe concrete buildings of that era.

Addington Palace

Addington Palace is a Palladian-style mansion between Addington Village and Shirley, surrounded by park landscapes and golf courses, within the boundaries of Croydon. After an Act of Parliament enabled the mansion to be purchased for the Archbishops of Canterbury in 1807, it became the official residence of six Archbishops until it was sold again in 1898.

In 1953, it was leased to the Royal School of Church Music until 1996 when it was leased to a private company who are currently developing the site for public use.

Croydon's Early Transport Links

The horse drawn Surrey iron railway was probably Britain's first public railway. It was opened in 1803, had a double track, some 8½ miles long and ran from Wandsworth to Croydon terminating at what is now Reeves Corner. The railway boom of the 1840s built superior and faster steam lines and it closed in 1846. The route is still followed in part by Croydon’s new Tramlink system.

The Croydon canal ran for 9½ miles from what is now West Croydon railway station north along the course of the present railway line to New Cross, where it joined, the Surrey canal and went on into the Thames. It was opened in 1809 and had 28 locks. It had a strong competitor in the Surrey iron railway and was never a financial success. It sold out to the steam railways in 1836 and the present Croydon to New Cross line follows much of its course. The lake at South Norwood is the former reservoir for the canal.

Croydon Airport

Croydon Airport on Purley Way used to be the main airport for London before it was superseded by London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport. Starting out during World War I as an airfield for protection against Zeppelins, and developing into one of the great airports of the world during the 1920s and 1930s, it welcomed the world's pioneer aviators in its heyday. As aviation technology progressed, however, and aircraft became larger and more numerous, it was recognized in 1952 that the airport would be too small to cope with the ever-increasing volume of air traffic. It was decided it would have to close, and the last scheduled flight departed on September-30 1959.

The air terminal, now known as Airport House, has been restored and may be visited at certain times.

Suburbs

The following suburbs are in the London Borough of Croydon: