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History
Sanderstead village rests 560 feet above sea level at its highest point on the North Surrey Downs some three miles South East of Croydon and 12 miles from the City of London, on a clear day many of the City of London landmarks
such as the National Westminster Tower and the Millennium
Wheel can be seen from the top of Sanderstead Hill.
Standing on chalk soil the name Sanderstead is thought to have been given to the area by the Anglo Saxon's meaning 'Sandy Place', although no longer a village in a traditional sense it holds onto its rural roots, despite the continued march of urban expansion.
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All Saints Parish Church
All Saints Parish Church provides a centre feature and is rich in history with evidence dating back to the 9th Century where records exist of the Manor of Sanderstead being presented to the Minister of Winchester. Sanderstead also boasts of its own entry into the Doomsday Book which dated back to 1086 and the reign of William the Conqueror .
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The Atwood Family
The Manor of Sanderstead remained in the churches' possession until the reign of King Henry VIII where the reformation ended this liaison and the Manor fell into the hands of the Atwood family where it remained for the next 300 years.
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Rural Community
Sanderstead was very much a rural community with the Manor being dominated by nine farms, seventy percent of the farmland was arable farming and this way of life continued well into the early 1900's.
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Transport
Transport in the early years along the Limpsfield Road was along simple tracks , development of road and rail services began in earnest toward the end of the 19th century and dwellings began to spring up along a one mile corridor between the All Saints Parish Church and Sanderstead Station which opened in1884. The station was served by the London, Brighton and South Eastern Railway companies. Tram services operated along the Brighton Road linking the East Croydon main line services to the Sanderstead area.
The earliest bus routes operated along the Brighton Road in 1905 but it was not until the early 1920's that buses with enough power to negotiate Sanderstead Hill came into operation. The first 403 bus service operated the
Sanderstead to Croydon route on the 1st December 1924.
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Utilities
Gas and water services were introduced during the early 1900's, with gas being supplied by the Croydon Commercial Gas and Coke Company. Water was supplied by the Kenley Water Works and electric lighting was introduced around 1907.
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Nature
Sanderstead continues to benefit from being surrounded by protected "green belt" countryside, local woodland, ponds, existing farmland and private gardens continue to provide precious habitat for local wildlife.
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Recreation
Sanderstead prides itself in maintaining fifty percent of its acreage as open space and parkland such as Sanderstead Recreational Ground known locally as "The
Rec". This parkland provides important local community areas such as a children's play park and hosts sporting activities such as cricket and football. Golfing links remain an unfailing attraction, with Purley Downs, Croham Hurst and Selsdon Park courses offering the opportunity for superb golf.
Sanderstead "Rec" also provides the venue for the annual Firework display and "The
Gruffy" which is an expanse of open ground adjacent Sanderstead Pond provides the venue for the Annual Gruffy Fayre held each summer.
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Shops and Businesses
During most of the 19th Century Sanderstead had one shop, a dairyman, a blacksmith and a wheelwright. Amazingly this continued in the village until the early 1930's, shop development built up around the area of Sanderstead Railway Station from the early 1900's, Station Parade established itself following the opening of a branch of the London Joint Stock Bank which later became the Midland Bank.
"Cranleigh Parade" situated on the East side of Limpsfield Road forms the heart of the village today and was built between 1932 and 1938, two of the original businesses are still trading under their original names, Gwen Barry, ladies hairdressers since 1934 and E.Seymour the butcher since 1937.
The parade has changed little since 1939 apart from the addition of the Shell petrol station and the Do It All DIY store. |
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The White House
Reported to be the oldest building in Sanderstead dating back to the early 16th century, it was probably the original home of one of Sanderstead's wealthy farmers. |
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