Description
Croham Hurst is an extensive woodland area with historical and natural interest. The bare summit at c.477 ft above sea level meant it was a safe place for early settlement, but it was later used for farming. The manor of Cronham (Croham) became the property of Archbishop Whitgift in the C18th but in the late C19th when Croham Hurst was a popular place to visit, few people realised it was private. In 1898 the Whitgift Governors planned to sell the lower slopes for development, and offered the higher part to Croydon Corporation. A spirited campaign against any development resulted in the whole of Croham Hurst being purchased by the Corporation in February 1901, and it continues to be a popular local beauty spot.
Practical Information
| Site location | Upper Selsdon Road/Croham Manor Road, South Croydon |
|---|---|
| Postcode | CR2 0DZ |
| What3Words | ///rocket.brush.vest |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Events | Special interest walks |
| Public Transport | Rail: South Croydon, East Croydon then bus. Rail/London Overground: West Croydon. Bus: 64, 409, 412, T33 |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Croham Hurst is an extensive woodland area with both historical and natural interest. The bare top of the Hurst is some 477 feet above sea level, thus rendering it a safe place for early human settlement from the Stone Age. Evidence that there was a late Mesolithic settlement c.5-3000BC was uncovered in 1968 when the sites of two huts were discovered as well as flint tools of the New Stone Age. A Bronze Age round barrow has also been found at the top of Croham Hurst. The lack of evidence of later occupation suggests that once farming took over from hunting, the settlers moved to more fertile land below.
The manor of Cronham (Croham) was in the Parish of Sanderstead, and became the property of Archbishop Whitgift in the C18th who purchased it from Sir Olliphe Leigh of Addington. At that time the area was covered in woodland, as shown in Rocque's Map of Surrey of 1765. Croham Hurst became a popular place to visit in the late C19th although few visitors realised they were on private property. When in 1898 the Whitgift Governors planned to sell the lower slopes for development, they offered the higher part to Croydon Corporation. Local people were vociferously against the idea of the Hurst being developed and, following a spirited campaign, on 8 February 1901 the Whitgift Foundation sold the whole of Croham Hurst to the Corporation, since when it has continued to be one of the most popular local beauty spots. In the 1930s it was a popular place to watch planes arriving at Croydon Airport (q.v.). A Friends group was formed recently and continues to help manage the woodland to encourage the diversity of flora and fauna.
The manor of Cronham (Croham) was in the Parish of Sanderstead, and became the property of Archbishop Whitgift in the C18th who purchased it from Sir Olliphe Leigh of Addington. At that time the area was covered in woodland, as shown in Rocque's Map of Surrey of 1765. Croham Hurst became a popular place to visit in the late C19th although few visitors realised they were on private property. When in 1898 the Whitgift Governors planned to sell the lower slopes for development, they offered the higher part to Croydon Corporation. Local people were vociferously against the idea of the Hurst being developed and, following a spirited campaign, on 8 February 1901 the Whitgift Foundation sold the whole of Croham Hurst to the Corporation, since when it has continued to be one of the most popular local beauty spots. In the 1930s it was a popular place to watch planes arriving at Croydon Airport (q.v.). A Friends group was formed recently and continues to help manage the woodland to encourage the diversity of flora and fauna.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ337632 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 34.3 |
| Site Ownership | LB Croydon |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces; Friends Group |
| Dates | Public open space from 1901 |
| Listed Structures | SAM: Croham Hurst Round Barrow (Bronze Age burial ground) |
| 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 | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Metropolitan Importance + SSSI |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Ancient Monument |
| Other LA Designation | Regionally Important Geological Site. Part of AP2 |
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
Royal Russell School, then known as Ballards School, was built in 1924 on the former Ballards Estate. The school's origins date back to 1853 when a charity was established by a group of City clerks to clothe, support and educate orphaned children from deceased colleagues in warehousing and manufacturing trades. Initially in New Cross, the school moved to larger premises in Caterham Junction in 1862, and then to the current site after WWI. The land was donated by Lord Hollingsworth, of the retailer Bourne and Hollingsworth, who had purchased 44.5 hectares of the Ballards Estate in the early 1920s. The school is named after its first president, former Prime Minister Lord John Russell.
South Croydon developed in the C19th largely as a result of the railway and in 1888 Croydon Corporation sought to provide recreation facilities to serve the growing population. Originally referred to as 'Brighton Road Recreation Ground', the site that is now South Croydon Recreation Ground was purchased in 1889 and opened to the public in 1895. There was once a bandstand, and cricket and football were played here. Little of the C19th fabric remains today, although there are beech, plane and lime trees along the north boundary, and a tree-lined walk along the railway embankment.
The site was part of the large Coombe estate, including woods and commonland, privately owned until the mid C20th. Croydon Corporation then purchased Coombe Wood and Coombe Wood House, and 14 acres of woodland and ornamentatl garden were opened to the public in 1948. The gardens were laid out as a series of 'garden rooms', with a rock garden by an existing pond, and a terrace garden that was once a Fernery. Over the years the gardens have evolved, to include a rose garden, mixed borders and a winter garden of heathers, conifers and shrubs. Coombe Wood House, built in 1898, had a number of public uses, including a convalescent home for Croydon Hospital, a Children's Home, and is now a restaurant. The stableyard, built in a gravel pit and hidden from view of the house, is now the park café.
