Until the arrival of the railway in 1862, Thornton Heath was focused on an area 1.5 miles (2.4km) southwest of the Whitehorse manor house (now a school), at the locality on the main London–Sussex road known as Thornton Heath Pond in the parish of Croydon St John the Baptist. Between the manor house and pond was an isolated farmhouse. Eventually, it became the site for the railway station and the main expansion hub.
In the 50-year period from 1861 to 1911, Thornton Heath saw a complete transformation from an isolated rural outpost to an integrated metropolitan suburb. In its infancy, a new railway station in the eastern farmlands enabled the immediate area to evolve around a central point. In the late 19th century, the western part of Thornton Heath, which lay directly on the main London–Sussex road, demonstrated a classic form of suburban ribbon development. In the process, it became the final piece in an urban chain linking two major centres, London and Croydon, completing the greatest metropolitan expansion in the world at that time which cost £112 million in today's money.[when?]
Geologically, some areas have clay-heavy soil, including Norbury and South Norwood. There is the gravelly, fertile soil in parts of the Thornton Heath area, which explains why market gardening and gravel extraction were major industries. [2]
St Paul's Church, Thornton HeathSt Alban's Church, Grange Road, Thornton HeathDecorative features at former Thornton Heath Pond
Architecturally, Thornton Heath is predominantly Victorian in both its residential and commercial sectors. There are a number of imposing, even grand, buildings surviving from this period.
Two examples are St Paul's Church and St Alban's Church. St Alban's is an Anglican church and is listed as Grade II. Built in 1889, it was the first church designed by the late Victorian architect Sir Ninian Comper. It is situated on the busy junction of Grange Road and the High Street. It is described as being of a red-brick perpendicular style with stone dressing.
At the junction of the High Street and Parchmore Road, on a site previously called Walker's Green, stands the Clocktower, which was built in 1900, and financed partly by public subscription.
However, the Victorian baths did not survive,[3] and were replaced by a modern sports and leisure centre in 2004.[4] It cost £8 million with £2.8 million from the British National LotteryGood Causes Fund through Sport England.[4][5]
Several small and large blocks of flats have been built in the area, in a similar style. A large one is Crystal Court, adjacent to the Leisure Centre. There was an intense fire there. Although the building had passed safety checks, residents were concerned about the role of the cladding. This is being replaced.[6]
Architects have posted about their project in the Library with a Council remit to refurbish and extend the Edwardian building, in particular, to improve access.[7] There was also work as part of the regeneration project of the High Street to the Library on Brigstock Road.[8]
In 2019, there was a contest organised by the Thornton Heath Community Action team for a planned redesign of the central area; it was won by architecture students.[9]
Sales numbers and house prices in Thornton Heath - March 2023 [13]
Property type
Number of sales last 12 months
Average price achieved last 12 months
Average price change per square foot last 12 months
Detached
15
£596,912
31.1%
Semi-detached
83
£487,110
-1.4%
Terraced
400
£421,433
6.3%
Flat / Apartment
343
£247,225
3.1%
Sport and leisure
Thornton Heath gained a new leisure centre in May 2004.[4] Its popularity was such that turnstiles had to be fitted to improve security.[4][14] The centre is owned by Croydon Council, but was originally run by Parkwood Leisure,[4] and now run by Fusion Lifestyle in partnership with the council.[15]
Thornton Heath formerly had a Non-League football club, Croydon Athletic, which played at the Keith Tuckey Stadium; the club ceased to exist at the end of the 2010–11 season. In 2012, fans of the club formed AFC Croydon Athletic, which plays at the Mayfield Stadium. In 2015, the club competed in the Southern Counties East League. The reformed 5-time FA Cup winners Wanderers FC currently play at Thornton Heath.
Thornton Heath is also home to the historic rugby club Streatham-Croydon RFC founded in 1871. Their grounds and clubhouse are located in Frant Road off Brigstock Road.
There are three parks in Thornton Heath: Grangewood Park,[16] Thornton Heath Recreation Ground,[17] and Trumble Gardens.[18]
The 2012 Olympic torch was taken along the High Street and Brigstock Road.
Health
Thornton Heath healthcare is part of NHS Croydon Health Services.[19]GP practices are independent and receive NHS funding. The Council covers some health services such as public health. It has sole responsibility for social services.
The local hospital changed its name to Croydon University Hospital. It was assessed in 2021 by the Care Quality Commission as 'requiring improvement' overall. However, some specific services were rated as 'good'.[20]
Community
Thornton Heath Community Action Team[21] was formed in 2014 by a group of residents and businesses. Its aim is to deliver projects and to improve the area, such as organising litter picks, planting new plants, and a community Christmas tree. Members of the community have a garden in part of a local park and are maintain the planting area in the Ambassadors House forecourt. They also lobby and campaign on relevant local issues.
Sustainable Thornton Heath is a group of local people concerned about the environment.[22]
Friends of Grangewood Park organise events and projects to improve the park, and encourage people to use it.[23]
Facebook groups include Thornton Heath Community Action Team and Thornton Heath Local, a more general group. Both are private but easy for local people to join. In 2021, a Thornton Heath app, We are Thornton Heath, was created.[24][25]
There is local news in the 'Thornton Heath Chronicle'.[26]
There were Thornton Heath festivals for several years up to 2019.[27]
The council had a regeneration plan for Thornton Heath. "Since 2016 we have been involving local people in an improvement programme, making the High Street and Brigstock Road more attractive, with funding from the GLA. This included new pavements and road improvements, upgrades to shop fronts, wall art by local artists along the high street, and improvements to the forecourt of Ambassador House."[28] Unfortunately, there were quality problems with some of the work.
In addition to the murals in the improvement programme, there are other artworks, such as a mosaic and mural at the station. An 'Art Trail' map was compiled as a guide.[29]
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in south London, part of Outer London. It covers an area of 87 km2 (33.6 sq mi). It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name; while other urban centres include Coulsdon, Purley, South Norwood, Norbury, New Addington and Thornton Heath. Croydon is mentioned in Domesday Book, and from a small market town has expanded into one of the most populous areas on the fringe of London. The borough is now one of London's leading business, financial and cultural centres, and its influence in entertainment and the arts contribute to its status as a major metropolitan centre. Its population is 390,719, making it the largest London borough and sixteenth largest English district.
Crystal Palace is a leafy and hilly area in South London, named after the Crystal Palace Exhibition building which stood in the area from 1854, until it was destroyed by fire in 1936. About 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Charing Cross, it includes one of the highest points in London, at 367 feet (112 m), offering views over the capital.
Croydon is a large town in South London, England, 9.4 miles (15.1 km) south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London, it is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensive shopping district and night-time economy. The entire town had a population of 192,064 as of 2011, whilst the wider borough had a population of 384,837.
South Norwood is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon, Greater London and formerly in the historic county of Surrey. It is located 7.8 miles (12.5 km) south-east of Charing Cross, north of Woodside and Addiscombe, east of Selhurst and Thornton Heath, south of Crystal Palace/Upper Norwood and Anerley, and west of Elmers End and Penge.
Norbury is an area of south London. It shares the postcode London SW16 with neighbouring Streatham. Norbury is 6.7 miles (10.8 km) south of Charing Cross.
Croydon North is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2012 by Steve Reed of Labour Co-op. The seat was created in 1918 and split in two in 1955 and re-devised in a wholly different form in 1997.
The County Borough of Croydon was a local government district in and around the town of Croydon in north east Surrey, England from 1889 to 1965. Since 1965 the district has been part of the London Borough of Croydon within Greater London.
Croydon North West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Croydon University Hospital, known from 1923 to 2002 as Mayday Hospital and from 2002 to 2010 as Croydon Hospital, is a large NHS hospital in Thornton Heath in south London, England run by Croydon Health Services NHS Trust. It is a District General Hospital with a 24-hour Accident and Emergency department. The hospital is based on a 19-acre (7.7 ha) site in Thornton Heath to the north of central Croydon.
The Norwood Ridge is a 10-square-mile (26 km2) rectangular upland which occupies the geographical centre of south London, centred 5 miles (8 km) south of London Bridge. Beneath its topsoil it is a ridge of London Clay that is capped on all sides with remaining natural gravel deposits mixed with some sandy soil, which in the South Thames basin is a material known as the Claygate Beds.
Heavers Meadow is a meadow located in South Norwood and Selhurst in the London Borough of Croydon. South Norwood Recreation Ground is on the other side of the road. The meadow covers an area of 83⁄4 acres. With meadows there are not usually many facilities. Heavers is no exception; the only facility stated on the council's website is a footpath through a flood meadow.
Selhurst is an area in the London Borough of Croydon, England, 7.8 miles (12.6 km) south-south-east of Charing Cross. Historically it lay in Surrey. The area is bounded to the west and south by Thornton Heath and Croydon and to the east and south by South Norwood and Woodside. Selhurst Park, the home stadium of Crystal Palace Football Club, is sited at the northern end of the neighbourhood.
Pollards Hill is a small residential district straddling south London boroughs of Croydon and Merton between Mitcham, Norbury and Thornton Heath. The boundary of the two boroughs is a street named Recreation Way. No roads directly cross the Croydon and Merton divide, and streets were planned according to borough, leading to differing architectural or building schemes. It lends its name to a ward of the London Borough of Merton.
Grangewood Park is an extensive woodland area situated in South Norwood, London. It is managed by the London Borough of Croydon. It is bounded by Grange Road, Wharncliffe Road, and Ross Road. It covers an area of 27.7 acres. The park is located on the main A212 road between Thornton Heath and Upper Norwood/Crystal Palace. The nearest stations are Thornton Heath, Selhurst and Norwood Junction.
Bensham Manor is a ward in the London Borough of Croydon, covering part of the Thornton Heath area of London in the United Kingdom. The ward extends from Thornton Heath railway station westwards and is largely residential with a retail or industrial core. The population of the Ward at the 2011 Census was 16,201.
Thornton Heath is an area of South London, England, and makes up a part of the London Borough of Croydon.
On 29 November 2012, a by-election was held for the UK House of Commons constituency of Croydon North in the London Borough of Croydon. The by-election was caused by the death of its Member of Parliament Malcolm Wicks. It took place on the same day as by-elections in Middlesbrough and Rotherham. The by-election was won by Steve Reed of the Labour Party.
In the 2022 Croydon London Borough Council election, on 5 May 2022, all 70 members of Croydon London Borough Council, and the Mayor of Croydon, were up for election. The elections took place alongside the local elections in the other London boroughs and elections to local authorities across the United Kingdom. Jason Perry of the Conservative Party narrowly won the mayoral election.
The Croydon Fire Brigade was the fire and rescue service for the County Borough of Croydon. Established in 1867, it was absorbed into the London Fire Brigade in 1965.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
