Description
Biggin Wood is an area of woodland believed to have once been part of the Great North Wood. It appears to have been within a 120acre estate known as Biggin's Farm. A parish map of 1864 shows 'Biggens Wood' and 'Biggen's Farm' at the end of Biggin's Farm Road. By 1928 the farmhhouse was a ruin and the area around it had lain derelict for some years. The site was acquired by Croydon Corporation in 1939, with tennis courts and changing rooms provided in 1949.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Biggin's Farm |
|---|---|
| Site location | Covington Way between Norbury Hill and Biggin Road, Norbury |
| Postcode | SW16 3RX |
| What3Words | ///froth.paints.zips |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am Mon-Fri/9am weekends - dusk |
| Facilities | Tennis courts, changing rooms. Toilets |
| Public Transport | Rail: Norbury. Bus: 250, 468 |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Biggin Wood is an area of mainly deciduous woodland which is believed to have been part of the Great North Wood. It appears to have been within a 120acre estate known as Biggin's Farm. A parish map of 1864 shows 'Biggens Wood' and 'Biggen's Farm' at the end of Biggin's Farm Road. James Epps, who had made his money from the cocoa trade, built the house, which is shown with a garden on the first edition OS of 1870. By 1928 the house was a ruin and the area around it had lain derelict for some years. The site was acquired by Croydon Corporation in 1939, with tennis courts and changing rooms provided in 1949.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ316702 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 5.46 |
| Site Ownership | LB Croydon |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1939 |
| 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 | Yes - Borough Importance I |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Open Land |
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
Beulah Hill Pond had long existed as a watering place for cattle and horses, such as those pulling trams up Knights Hill. A railing across the middle prevented animals straying into the deeper water. Locally known as the Big Pond or Crown Pond, the name Beulah dates from the C19th and may derive from Bewlys Farm and Bewly Wood. The pond came under the auspices of Croydon Parks Department in 1954 and in the early 1960s it was a favourite place for skating in the winter.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Norwood Grove was once within Great Streatham Common, partly enclosed in 1635 by the Duke of Portland. In the mid C18th a house called Copgate was on the site of the current early C19th mansion. The estate passed through various owners and in 1913 the mansion was sold to Croydon Corporation. In 1924 the estate, then called Streatham Grove, was saved from development by the actions of Norwood Grove Acquisition Committee, originally formed in 1910 to safeguard local open space from development. It raised funds and persuaded the owners to sell 32 acres of estate parkland for public open space. Norwood Grove, with the house, its ornamental gardens and grounds, was opened on 16 November 1926 by The Prince of Wales.
Norwood Grove was once within Great Streatham Common, partly enclosed in 1635 by the Duke of Portland. In the mid C18th a house called Copgate was on the site of the current early C19th mansion. The estate passed through various owners and in 1913 the mansion was sold to Croydon Corporation. In 1924 the estate, then called Streatham Grove, was saved from development by the actions of Norwood Grove Acquisition Committee, originally formed in 1910 to safeguard local open space from development. It raised funds and persuaded the owners to sell 32 acres of estate parkland for public open space. Norwood Grove, with the house, its ornamental gardens and grounds, was opened on 16 November 1926 by The Prince of Wales.
The site for Norbury Park was purchased by Croydon Corporation in 1935 on land formerly North Surrey Golf Course, which dated back to 1920. Prior to this the land had been fields, once owned by Pembroke College. In the park is a relatively rare circular cattle trough, which was relocated here after the closure of the Croydon Cattle Market and was the gift of H Pratter Esq. MD in 1882. The market had operated from 1844, originally in the yard of the Greyhound Hotel, and then from 1848-1935 on a substantial site in Selsdon Road.