Westow Park

Westow Park was originally a small recreation ground acquired in the 1890s by the local authority for a children's playground at the bottom of a hill. It was renamed Westow Park in 1963. The C19th recreation ground was augmented by the purchase in 1962 and 1969/70 of the gardens of two demolished C19th villas, Windermere and Walmer, together with part of a pre-fab estate at College Green, which later became Council housing after WWII. Windermere House had been built by Sir M D Wyatt as a private house but in 1873 John Norton converted and enlarged it as part of the Royal Normal College and Academy of Music for the Blind. The college was founded by Mr Campbell, who was blind himself and the first premises purchased was The Mount on Westow Street. By 1878 there were three college buildings, including Mr Campbell's house and the Grosvenor Building. The extensive grounds were laid out in terraces that were constructed so that the blind students could walk freely in them, and also had a large meadow. The college also used Walmer House until Croydon Corporation purchased it.

A large pond beside Bedwardine Road, once used for learning to swim and skating by the blind, has been filled in since the 1950s although the ground remains quite wet and springs are wont to appear on the slopes of the park in winter. The park includes the remains of garden terraces created for the blind and an ornamental archway, formerly leading to the front door from Church Road. Within the park are notable horse chestnuts planted in the original gardens, a mature sweet chestnut tree, and four yew trees along one of the terraces. Dr Barnado's development is at the bottom of the slope and Safeway presses in from the north.