Description
All Saints Churchyard is the burial ground of the medieval parish church of Sanderstead, mentioned in the Domesday Book. The lych-gate is original but was moved to its current site in the 1920s/30s, and has since been restored. In the churchyard is the grave of Sir Francis Bond Head (d.1875), once Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada and author of 'Rides across the Pampas'. A separate graveyard is situated across the road from the church.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Sanderstead Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Onslow Gardens/Addington Road, Sanderstead |
| Postcode | CR2 8RN |
| What3Words | ///quite.refuse.highs |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Public Transport | Rail: Sanderstead then bus. |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
A reference to a church at Sanderstead appears in Duke Elfred's will of 871. In c.964, Athelfleda, mother of Edmund King and Martyr and wife of King Edgar, gave Sanderstead and its church to the Abbott and Convent of Hyde in Winchester, and 'Sonderstede' parish and its church are mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086, held by the Abbey of St Peter at Westminster. The name may arise from 'sandy place'. The church is situated on the top of the hill, nearly 600 ft above sea level, and the current building is flint and stone, partly Perpendicular style. The earliest parts to remain today are the eastern arch on the north side of the nave and the piscina, dating from c.1230, but the church was largely built in around 1250, with a tower added c.1310, the lower stage of which was built inside the church walls and the western arch built up to carry the weight with buttresses added outside. A low broach tower covered in shingles surmounted the tower, and the roof tiles were formerly wooden slats. The register dates from 1565 and there are remnants of C14th building but when the church was restored in 1832 it 'was robbed of antiquarian interest . . . Having fallen into a very bad state of repair' (Walford). Pevsner describes its 'very curious tower' . 'Dogwipper' benches used by shepherds to keep an eye on their flocks during services remain at the back of the church.
The main entrance is original but the porch has been replaced. Large windows were added at the east and west ends of the name, and a new window was added to the north aisle in the C16th, although none of the windows seen today are original. The church has numerous fine monuments and paintings including depictions of St Edmund King and Martyr and St Edmund Archbishop of Canterbury, and Royal Arms of Charles I. The church was damaged by incendiary bombs in 1941, damaging the roof and nave.
The lych-gate is original but was moved to its current site in the 1920s/30s, and has since been restored. In the churchyard is the grave of Sir Francis Bond Head (d.1875), once Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada and author of 'Rides across the Pampas'. A separate graveyard is situated across the road from the church.
The main entrance is original but the porch has been replaced. Large windows were added at the east and west ends of the name, and a new window was added to the north aisle in the C16th, although none of the windows seen today are original. The church has numerous fine monuments and paintings including depictions of St Edmund King and Martyr and St Edmund Archbishop of Canterbury, and Royal Arms of Charles I. The church was damaged by incendiary bombs in 1941, damaging the roof and nave.
The lych-gate is original but was moved to its current site in the 1920s/30s, and has since been restored. In the churchyard is the grave of Sir Francis Bond Head (d.1875), once Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada and author of 'Rides across the Pampas'. A separate graveyard is situated across the road from the church.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ341614 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Diocese of Southwark |
| Site Management | Church |
| Dates | 1230 onwards |
| Listed Structures | LBI: All Saints Church |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Zone |
| Other LA Designation | Local Open Land (graveyard across road) |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Sanderstead Pond is a small remnant of the old village green and is almost certainly fed by rain water rather than a spring, the water level fluctuating throughout the year. Sanderstead village was once surrounded by extensive woodland and downs. There is evidence that the area had seen the presence of man as long ago as the Mesolithic Period, nearly 12000 years ago. Early mention of 'Sonderstede' occurs in 871AD and in the Domesday Survey the manor was held by the Abbey of St Peter at Westminster. In 1799 the local Squire enclosed the village green into his parkland and its layout has little changed since the mid C19th.
The origin of Sanderstead may derive from 'sandy place', which reflects the nature of the soil beneath Sanderstead Plantation. The woodland is predominantly beech but there are other species such as oak, horse chestnut, sweet chestnut and sycamore; it is noted for its bluebells in May. A depression in the middle of the wood marks the site of a brick reservoir demolished in 1969 as unsafe. Purchased in 1958 the reservoir had previously been rented from the owners of the Sanderstead and Warlingham Estate.
The land for Sanderstead Recreation Ground was acquired in 1895 when the newly-formed Parish Council was looking for an area of flat ground near the village centre for a cricket pitch. A popular sport in the area for centuries, setting up a local club was first mooted in 1881 but attempts to establish Sanderstead Cricket Club formally date from 1895 and the Brand Memorial Hall was built adjacent to the pitch as a club room. After WWI the recreation ground was used for other sports, and there is now a bowling green, football pitches and playground.