Description
In 1907 Purley Beeches, an area of mature Beech woodland, was purchased partly by public subscription and partly by a rate levied on the rate payers of the Parish, saving the woodland from development. Prior to this a number of Sanderstead residents had paid a subscription to cover the rent and maintenance of the Beeches. In 1953, Coulsdon and Purley UDC was granted a coat of arms, which had two trees, an oak for the Purley Oaks and a beech for Purley Beeches.
Practical Information
| Site location | Purley Oaks Road/Purley Downs Road/Beech Avenue, Sanderstead |
|---|---|
| Postcode | CR2 0RZ |
| What3Words | ///vocal.splice.monks |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am Mon-Fri/9am weekends - dusk |
| Facilities | Tennis courts, toilets |
| Public Transport | Rail: Sanderstead, Purley Oaks |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
On 23 January 1907 Purley Parish Council held an important meeting in Sanderstead village school to discuss the purchase of Purley Beeches, as the option to purchase the site was due to expire in February of that year. Prior to this a number of Sanderstead residents had paid a subscription to cover the rent and maintenance of the Beeches, an area of mature beech woodland. The owner, a Mr E Arkwright, was asking the sum of £5400, which was around half the land's value for building purposes. Only £1474 had been raised and it was proposed that a rate of 2d in the £ should be levied on ratepayers. Although the Parish Council carried the resolution by 50 to 30 votes, a poll of the whole parish was demanded. This was held on 2 February 1907 and the majority of ratepayers voted in favour of the purchase. In 1953, Coulsdon and Purley UDC was granted a coat of arms, which had two trees, an oak for the Purley Oaks and a beech for Purley Beeches. Many of the trees were badly damaged or uprooted in the storm of 1987. The Beeches is adjacent to Wettern Tree Garden (q.v.).
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ328621 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 7.18 |
| Site Ownership | LB Croydon |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces |
| Dates | 1907 |
| 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 - Borough Importance II |
| 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
Wettern Tree Garden was laid out from 1919 on by Eric Frank Wettern, whose family had moved to Sanderstead in the 1900s. He and his brother Herbert built houses and later purchased land to create gardens. Eric's garden at Roselands was a series of themed gardens, with specimen and rare trees grown from seed collected during business trips, and Herbert created a rose garden. A lifelong member of the RHS, Eric was a member and later President of the Sanderstead Horticultural Society, which in 1953 held its Summer Show in his garden at Roselands. When he conveyed his garden to Croydon Corporation for the benefit of the public in 1965 the name was changed to Wettern Tree Garden. The gardens now also include the Rose Trellis Garden created in 1967 and a Millennium Gazebo in 2000.
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.
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.