Secrets About Croydon That Nobody Will Tell You

27 Nov Secrets About Croydon That Nobody Will Tell You

Croydon lies in the heart of South London and attracts hundreds and thousands of people every year both as tourists and migrants. And whether you are one of them it’s just impossible for you to know each and every fact about this borough of London. 

There are so many secrets and interesting facts about this city that even an encyclopedia becomes small to accumulate all. Here we are offering the top 51 secrets about Croydon that you will love to explore. 

So without making any further delays let’s start the journey of this vibrant and cheerful region of London. 

 

Top Secrets About Croydon 

1. Croydon has been the birthplace as well as the home of many celebrities famous all over the globe. To name a few we can count Ronnie Corbett, Kate Moss, Ian Wright, Roy Hodgson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and late Amy Winehouse. 
2. These are the biggest name to hail and become a factor contributing to attracting tourism as people come here to take a glimpse of their superstar. 
3. Also, there have been many film shots in the city including Batman – The Dark Knight Rises, Iron Man 3, The DaVinci Code, 28 Days Later. And popular comedy show Peep Show and an episode of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror were also filmed here. 
4. It was the first area to use postcodes outside of central London which are known well known and used all around the world as significant address code. 
5. Croydon has the largest number of people under the age group of 15 out of every London borough that is 84,000 youngsters. And that gives a young spirit to this city and makes it energetic and exciting. 
6. This place is just 15 minutes away from central London making it easy for people to commute by catching the train from East Croydon station from central London and people can easily and simply transport between the two locations. 
7. Also, East Croydon is the busiest station in London outside of Zone 1 and it will not surprise you if you find this station busy with hustle and bustle of office-going people, college and school-going children, and many tourists. 
8. It is the birthplace of the popular genre of music that is dubstep. This genre of music is a unique style of music that is a combination of Jamaican dub, bass, drum, and garage. People not only from London but worldwide love this music genre. 
10. Croydon has a booming restaurant quarter which has earned the title of “food capital of South London” by the people who taste the food that is served here. There you will find all kinds of food options, from fine dining all the way through to fast food. 
11. Also, there are summer food festivals which are held in Croydon attracting people from near and far. Its bars and cafés are one of the main attractions among the youngsters who like to spend their time here. 
12. Boxpark Croydon is the branch of Boxpark Shoreditch and offers an incredible range of street food where you can find vegan pizzas, bao buns, waffles, and a lot more. Here major events can also be organized even with a sitting arrangement for more than 2000 people.  
13. Another restaurant with amazing taste is Albert’s Table which has earned a place in the Michelin and Harden’s Food Guides and can arguably take the mantel of being the top restaurant of Croydon. It is based in the South Croydon restaurant quarter. 
14. Although it has to face tough competition then also able to sustain its place because of its high–end British cuisine. They attempt to sculpt their menu around the vast array of ingredients from Sussex, Kent, and Surrey and serve innovative versions of British dishes. 
15. Thanh’s Bistro is the best place for having authentic Vietnamese food and dishes. There are many eateries in Croydon and London that boast of fantastic Vietnamese dishes but this place truly proves that. 
16. This wonderful dining place serves the burger, American rockabilly music, and well-executed Yankee diner to its visitors. Situated on Wickham Road this place captures the American spirit from the very moment you enter through the swing door. 
17. Here you will get all American dishes, from Chicago, New York, and Texas and even at affordable prices. So whether you have a big budget for your trip or small this place fits well in all price ranges. 
18. Little Bay in Croydon is a tucked-away little tine gem of a restaurant serving modern European cuisine at decent prices. Its décor transport the diners to another place that is an excentric cabin in the woods or the inside of a galley ship. 
19. With its vibrant colors and quirky pieces, it steals away the heart of the diners. Due to its popularity, it always remains booked so if you are planning to go there and it’s good to book your seats in advance. 
20. Smoothbean is the best place for coffee lovers in the town. It doesn’t trade in coffee beans but also offers smoothies, juices, and English staple tea. So if you want to relax after a tiring long day then it’s perfect for you. 
21. Generally, people tend to see Croydon as primarily an urban area but there is much more to do it than this. Coombe Wood was named as London’s best park and Croydon was ranked by the Royal Horticultural Society’s “greenest large city”.
22. With that here, you will find many more parks where you can relax and chill.  
23. The London Croydon Airport was the first international airport and it is now a grade II listed place and offers featuring the world’s oldest air traffic control tower. 
24. From the year 1920 for everyone who wants to fly overseas from the United Kingdom has to start his voyage from the Croydon Airport. It was also the birthplace of air traffic control and boasted the world’s first air traffic control tower. 
25. And was even the site of multiple world–breaking flights. Some of these flights are recorded by Amy Johnson who became a name with extraordinary daring flights with Jim Mollison, Sir Alan Cobham, and Charles Kingsford. 
26. After serving England for 44 years it was finally closed on September 30, 1959, and become the grade II building. So if you have a keen interest in the history of the area and in aviation then you must not miss this place. 
27. Croydon is not only a city or a borough in London but it is the 8th largest city in the entire United Kingdom. It has a population of over 381,000 which is the second largest of all the boroughs after Barnet which has the highest population in London. 
28. You know that Croydon has tried 4 times to gain the status of the city and its part of the borough sits on ancient farmland. It first applied to become a city in the year 1954, then in the years 2000, 2002, and then again in 2012. 
29. However, it has transport links and a long history dating back to 1000 A.D. but then also doesn’t able to achieve the rank of the city because getting a city rank is an honor which is granted by the monarch and with the advice of the government. 
30. Till now every time Croydon has applied for getting the rank of the city is denied, the reasons for that are not clear but it is hoped that in future it will sure get the rank of city. 
31. Many archbishops of Canterbury are buried here. St Mary’s the Blesses Virgin Church is the oldest public building still in use in Croydon and has been a part of the region’s history for nearly 1,000. 
32. It is situated on Addington Village Road and was founded in 1080 approximately and in the early 1800s this building became known as Addington Palace and went on to be the official second home for 6 archbishops of Canterbury. 
33. All the 6 archbishops of Canterbury who resided in the place are buried at the church or specifically in the churchyard, except the archbishop Benson who is buried in Canterbury Cathedral. 
34. Also, the Croydon minister has a strong relationship with the archbishops of Canterbury with 6 more buried here. So because of this fact it has earned its title where many archbishops are buried at one place. 
35. King Henry VIII used to live here. Yes, you hear it right the Tudor king of England who is well known for perhaps predominantly for his numerous wives and savage beheading of a couple of them. 
36. He also courted Catherine of Aragon when she was living in Croydon following the death of Prince Arthur who was her first husband. But despite that, he didn’t like the town and reported to have called this town a “rheumatic … where I could never be without sickness”. 
37. His residency was often held at the large manor house which is known as the Old Palace and his daughter Queen Mary spent an entire month recovering from an illness in the same house in the year 1556. 
38. Also Queen Elizabeth I is reported to have had a permanent bedroom available at this manor house which makes this place quite important and popular in historical context. 
39. The voice of Croydon’s tram network was no other than of Nicholas Owen as revealed as BBC newsreader. His voice is heard on the network, which operates and runs in almost every part of Croydon across several stations. 
40. The first ever Sainsbury’s self-service shop was opened here. This store in West Croydon was opened in the year 1882 and was one of its kind. 
41. This new format of the store was inspired by shoppers who were at that time used to order their food from the counters where it was then packaged by the staff members. The reason for this self–service idea was sometimes said to emerge from a frustrated shopper. 
42. So as the story goes the frustrated shopper who was annoyed at having to select here own shopping threw a basket at Alan Sainsbury who was the grandson of the founder of the store John James Sainsbury. And the idea behind the self–service store appeared. 
43. But it proved useful for the owners as well because this new format allowed retailers to open bigger stores that eventually led to the rapid expansion of Sainsbury and its rivals. 
44. The Central Parade of Croydon in New Addington is the part that stands on the ancient farmland. Although it is considered the newest region in the Croydon borough, New Addington was ancient farmland.
45.  Until the 1930s when the first National Housing Trust acquired 569 acres of Fisher’s Farm to lay out a garden village. This was one of the manors that are later known as Addington Temple which covered roughly the area of modern New Addington. 
46. Go with trampolining where kids and adults can have fun at oxygen-free jumping. Here you can jump your way from one trampoline to another trampoline, twist down the tumble tracks, vault the podiums and rebound off the walls that are also trampolines. 
47. If you are a lover of racing then there is no better place to go than go-karting or quad biking. The Traq Motor Racing is the only karting track in this borough of London and you can find this place at Jessops Way. 
48. Cronx Brewery is the finest stop for the best beer which is also loved by Prince Charles. So this fact proves itself the popularity of Cronx Brewery when it invited Prince Charles in 2012 to taste its beer and he liked it. 
49. RISEgallery is your perfect destination for exhibitions and proves that art doesn’t need to be really dull or old. 
50. The Street Art at Croydon is one of the things that attracts art lovers from all over the world who find the mural art cool, modern and sassy. 
51. In South Norwood Lake you can even go fishing or sailing. 

 

So what are you waiting for, book man and van in Croydon for your moving and packing and shift here for getting more job opportunities and the best living places in Croydon. 

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