Croydon: Local History, Culture and Wandle Park

Croydon offers several specific things to explore during a stay: a park with a river and skatepark, historic buildings, culture at the Croydon Clocktower and aviation history. When planning your trip, consider which of these interests you most. Each place has a different focus and can help you plan your stay around your interests.

Wandle Park: Riverside and Skatepark

The four-hectare Wandle Park is in the town centre. The River Wandle flows through the park, offering views along its banks. There is also a purpose-built skatepark for BMX bikes, skateboards, skaters and micro-scooters. This means the same green space focuses on both the riverside landscape and wheeled sports. If you plan to visit the park, you can take these different features into account. Wandle Park is served by a tram stop on Route 3; check the connection if it matters for your visit.

Palace History and Architecture

The Great Hall at Old Palace Croydon is a medieval hall and part of the former archbishops’ palace. Relics of Archbishop Stafford’s throne are preserved in the hall. Old Palace School adds its own architectural history to this historic setting: the building was formerly a residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury and is notable for its 15th- and 16th-century architecture.

The Chapel is also part of the archbishops’ palace complex. It is a private archbishop’s chapel, built in phases from the late 14th to the 17th century. Its private status and long construction period are important aspects of its history. Together, the Great Hall, Old Palace School and Chapel illustrate the site’s different connections to its archiepiscopal past and to the architecture of several centuries.

Museum, Cinema and Finding Your Way Around the City

The Croydon Clocktower is an arts and museum complex housing the Croydon Archives Collections and the David Lean Cinema. The Museum of Croydon is also located in the Croydon Clocktower. Visitors interested in museums, archival collections and cinema will find several distinct cultural attractions in one named location.

For finding your way around, Croydon Council provides illustrated walks through neighbourhoods and to historic sites. These include online maps and downloadable fold-out maps. You can use these materials to familiarise yourself in advance with the walks and the historic sites they cover.

Aviation History and a Windmill

The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is a museum in the control tower of Airport House in Croydon. It explores significant moments in British aviation history. Visitors can explore the original 1920s terminal building and stand in the world’s first air traffic control tower. Tours last 60 minutes, take place on the first Sunday of each month and must be booked in advance. Check the date before your trip; if you take a tour, you can set aside an hour for it.

The Shirley Windmill offers a different perspective on the history of technology. Visitors can see the original machinery and two sets of millstones there. Tours are usually offered on the first Sunday of the month between June and October. Check the dates before your visit. A designated cycle route that forms part of the Water Link Way also runs through nearby South Norwood Country Park. This adds a specific cycling route and a seasonal tour to the historic buildings and museums.

Choose a Hotel Based on Your Travel Interests

If you mainly plan to visit green spaces and enjoy wheeled sports, Wandle Park is an obvious feature to consider when planning your trip. For architecture and the history of the former archbishops’ palace, the Great Hall, Old Palace School and Chapel offer different points of interest. The museum, cinema and aviation history add other cultural interests to the mix. You can first decide what you want your stay to focus on, then look for suitable hotels in Croydon.

Discover more destinations: Kenley, Coulsdon, Thornton Heath

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