Croydon is a large town in South London, 10 miles south of Charing Cross and is part of the wider Borough of Croydon. Croydon is one of the largest commercial districts outside Central London with extensive retail facilities.
Appearing in the 1086 Domesday Book, Croydon than in Surrey, had a church, a mill and around 365 inhabitants. It became a market town in the Middle Ages well-known for leather tanning, brewing, and charcoal production.(Estate agents in Croydon)
Croydon was home to the world’s first public railway, the Surrey Iron Railway which opened in 1803 and ran from Croydon to Wandsworth. Croydon has always been a commuter area for Central London, but industrialisation increased during the 19th century with the arrival of the railway and by the 20th century, Croydon was an important manufacturing area famous for metal works and car production.
Croydon was amalgamated into Greater London in 1965. Gradually redevelopment and retail replaced previous manufacturing industries with office complexes and the Whitgift Shopping Centre until recently the largest shopping centre in Greater London.(Estate agents in Croydon)
Croydon was a major leisure destination in the 19th century and had its own spa, The Royal Beulah Spa and Gardens, designed by Decimus Burton, part of the famous family of architects responsible for properties in Bloomsbury and also most of St Leonards-on-Sea on the South Coast.
Famous former Croydon residents include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the legendary character, Sherlock Holmes, and D H Lawrence. Musical connections abound as Croydon is home to the famous BRIT School for Performing Arts with many notable alumni including Adele and also local boy, Stormzy.
Property Types in Croydon
Croydon offers a vast selection of property types with homes dating from the Victorian era to pre and post-war architecture. The Borough of Croydon has been listed as one of the three most affordable places to buy property in London which is why Croydon is popular with first-time buyers and those in the centre of London looking for more space. The current £5 billion regeneration programme and excellent transport links are two other significant attractions.
Properties in Croydon had an average price of £306,806* over the last year, and most of these sales were flats. Terraced homes sold for an average price of £407,923* and semi-detached properties fetched £489,870*.
The most expensive area of Croydon was Woodcote Green with an average sale price of £918,313* and the least costly was Coulsdon North at £281,000*. Over the last year, sold prices in Croydon were 5% up on the previous year and 4% up on 2018 when the average house price was £418,669*.
The average monthly rental price in Croydon is £1,153**
Demographics in Croydon
The 2011 Census gave the population of Croydon as 192,064 and across the wider borough, 363,378***
The average age in Croydon is 36 and whilst there is a strong multi-racial community in the town, 68% of people living in Croydon were born in England.
Schools and Colleges in Croydon
There are 110 primary schools in Croydon town and the wider borough, 23 of which have an OFSTED rating of ‘Outstanding’. The bulk of the remainder is mostly rated as ‘Good’ providing parents with plenty of choice.
There are 47 secondary schools, seven of which have an ‘Oustanding’ OFSTED rating. Topping the list is Riddlesdown Collegiate which is a school with an excellent sporting and social reputation.
Creative children are catered for by the world-famous BRIT School, home to performing arts and technology. There are 15 independent schools across the Borough of Croydon.(Estate agents in Croydon)
Local Attractions Near Croydon
Croydon has lots on offer for local interest and activities without the need to travel into Central London. The town has an Arts Quarter which has seen a considerable increase in the popularity of street art. There is a museum in Croydon which is housed in the iconic Clocktower which is also home to the David Lean Cinema showing British and international art-house films.
Croydon Minster is a beautiful 11th-century church with a medieval tower over 100 feet in height which is open to visitors. Croydon Airport is also open as a place of historical interest where visitors can view the air traffic control tower and the first modern airport terminal.
For something more active, TRAQ Motor Racing has motor-related activities for all ages and Oxygen Freejumping is one of the UK’s best trampoline parks with over 100 trampolines.
Shopping Facilities and Leisure in Croydon
Croydon is the retail capital of South London with Whitgift shopping centre and Centrale hosting all the big names on the high street. If vintage is what you are after, head to Atomica, the home store quarter of Croydon which houses John Lewis and Ikea plus numerous other smaller independents for stylish home living.
Croydon has several regular markets, the most prominent of which is the daily Surrey Street Market which dates back to an astonishing 1276 and offers fruit and veg plus artisan produce and ethnic street food.
Getting around Croydon and ditching the car is easy thanks to Croydon Cycling Campaign which intends to transform Croydon into a cyclists’ paradise with high-quality cycle routes. There is plenty of green space to relax and unwind with the 114-acre Lloyd Park on the edge of Croydon offering sports facilities including rugby and football pitches, tennis courts and a children’s playground. Croydon Sports Arena has a spacious all-weather athletics track.
Theatre-goers are looked after by the famous Fairfield Halls, an arts and entertainment venue which opened in 1962 with a large concert hall regularly used by the BBC. Fairfield Halls has recently undergone a £30 million makeover.
Pubs and Restaurants in Croydon
Croydon offers a huge choice of cuisines from around the globe via numerous different pubs, cafes, wine bars and restaurants – there is also a thriving street food scene.(Estate agents in Croydon)
Try The Breakfast Club with 70s style breakfast and lunch menus or the vegan friendly, Gnarbecue. For a touch of Italian style, dine at Bagatti’s Italian restaurant, a firm favourite on the Croydon foody scene for the last 30 years. Hop in the car, and you can quickly access numerous excellent country pubs just a short drive from Croydon.
Upcoming Developments in Croydon
Croydon is at the heart of a £5.2 billion regeneration project which will affect all aspects of the town, including shopping and leisure facilities, transport and new housing.(Estate agents in Croydon)
Travel Connections from Croydon
Croydon is particularly well connected with three local train stations. East Croydon station will have you in London Bridge in less than 15 minutes, and it is around 20 minutes to Victoria. There are also fast services to Brighton and the South Coast.
There are services to London Bridge from South Croydon via Streatham, and from West Croydon, there are trains to London Bridge and Victoria and Sutton to access the South East.
West Croydon station is also home to bus and tram stations just next door. Tramslink runs to Wimbledon, New Addington and Beckenham Junction with frequent services and there are 25 different bus routes throughout Croydon.
https://heavenestateagents.co.uk/rent/
Gatwick Airport is less than 15 minutes by train from East Croydon and London Heathrow 50 minutes.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices-in-Croydon-93944.html
http://localstats.co.uk/census-demographics/england/london/croydon
