Description
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.
Practical Information
| Site location | Limpsfield Road/Addington Road, Sanderstead |
|---|---|
| Postcode | CR2 8RE |
| What3Words | ///loaded.fetch.letter |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Purley, Riddlesdown then bus. Bus: 403, 412 |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Sanderstead village with its parish church of All Saints (q.v.) is on the edge of chalk hills, 600 ft above sea level and was once surrounded by extensive woodland and downs. Early mention of 'Sonderstede' is found in a will of Duke Alfred of 871AD, and in the Domesday Survey the manor was held by the Abbey of St Peter at Westminster, named 'Sanstede', the name probably meaning 'sandy place'. In 1799 the local Squire enclosed the village green into his parkland. In 1958-60 Sanderstead Archaeological Group found traces of a C17th lodge near the pond, pottery fragments and Saxon relics, as well as evidence that the area had seen the presence of man as long ago as the Mesolithic Period, nearly 12000 years ago. Sanderstead Pond today is a small remnant of the old village green set in a grassed area, behind which is an area of grass known locally as The Gruffy. The pond is almost certainly fed by rain water rather than a spring, and the water level is subject to fluctuations throughout the year. The pond is now cleaned on a regular basis when the water level is low. One side of the Green has been altered for the roundabout junction of Limpsfield Road and Addington Road, otherwise it is little changed in layout from 1840s.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ340613 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1.42 |
| Site Ownership | LB Croydon |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces |
| 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 I |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Open Land. 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
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.
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.
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.