An 1868 Gazetteer description of the following places in Croydon

 

CROYDON

"CROYDON, a parish and market town in the first division of the hundred of Wallington, in the county of Surrey. It is situated in the eastern part of the county, under Banstead Downs, 10 miles to the S. of London. The parish is large and populous, containing 30,229 inhabitants, and comprises a large part of Norwood, as also the hamlets of Bensham, Shirley, Addiscombe, Croham, Haling, Coombe, Selsdon, Norbury, Woodside, and Wadden. It is bounded on the N. by Lambeth and Streatham; on the E. by Beckenham, Addington, and Wickham; on the S. by Sanderstead and Coulsdon; and on the W. by Mitcham and Beddington." (There is more of this description).

"NORWOOD, a large suburban district, partly in the parish of Croydon, hundred of Wallington, and partly in the parish of Lambeth, hundred of Brixton, county Surrey, 1 mile S. of Dulwich, and 4 miles S. of Lambeth.

It has a commodious station, called the Norwood Junction, at South Norwood, on the Croydon and Epsom line, and two stations-one at Gipsy Hill and the other at Lower Norwood on the Crystal Palace and West-End railway.

It derives its name from a wood, or forest of oak trees, which formerly covered a considerable tract of country, and was at one time infested by gipsies, who have given name to Gipsy Hill.

It comprises many detached houses and villa residences, large hotels occupying the more eligible sites, and is divided into Lower Norwood, Upper Norwood, and South Norwood. There are two potteries of red earthenware at Lower and South Norwood respectively, but no other manufactures are carried on. The Beulah Spa, a mineral spring discovered in 1827, and the South Metropolitan Cemetery, are places of great attraction to London visitors during the summer months.

There are three churches in Norwood-viz: St. Luke's, All Saints', and St. Mark's. The livings of all are perpetual curacies; that of St. Luke, Lower Norwood, value £700, is in the parish of Lambeth and in the diocese of Winchester, while those of All Saints', Upper Norwood, and St. Mark, South Norwood, are in the parish of Croydon and diocese of Canterbury. The church of St. Luke is a Grecian structure with a tower and Corinthian portico, erected at a cost of £17,500. The church of All Saints, built in 1829, is a Gothic structure situated at Beulah Hill. St. Mark's has only recently been erected for the district of South Norwood.

There are places of worship for Wesleyans, Independents, and Baptists, and a Roman Catholic institution, called "The Convent of Our Lady of the Orphans," also National, British and Foreign, and industrial schools. At Westow Hill is a pauper school for the children of the City and East and West London Unions, and in Upper Park-road, a similar school for the parish of Lambeth."

"PURLEY HOUSE, an old seat in the parish of Croydon, county Surrey, 2 miles S. of Croydon. It occupies the site of an earlier mansion once occupied by President Bradshaw, and subsequently by Horne Tooke, while writing his "Diversions of Purley.""

"SHIRLEY, a hamlet and ecclesiastical district in the parish of Croydon, first division of Wallington hundred, county Surrey, 2 miles E. of Croydon, its post town. The village, which forms the suburb of Croydon, contains several good houses, and many villas, including Shirley House, the seat of the Earl of Eldon, and Shirley Park.

The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Canterbury, value £70, in the patronage of the archbishop. The church is modern, and dedicated to St. John."

"STROUD GREEN, a hamlet in the parish of Croydon, county Surrey, 2 miles N.E. of Croydon."

"WADDON, a hamlet in the parish of Croydon, first division of Wallington hundred, county Surrey, 1 mile W. of Croydon. It is a station on the Epsom railway. The river Wandle flows by the hamlet."

"WOODSIDE, a hamlet in the parish of Croydon, county Surrey, 1 mile N.E. of Croydon."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003] These pages are intended for personal use only, so please respect the conditions of use.