The London/Surrey boundary. Coulsdon Common

The London/Surrey/Croydon boundary. The boundary goes down the south eastern edge of Coulsdon Common
TQ 32632 56915

An area of urban Caterham with new housing on the barracks site and open land on Coulsdon Common

Post to the west Happy Valley
Post to the north Kenley Aerodrome

Sites on the Surrey,Tandridge side of the boundary

Barracks for Guards Recruits
Guards Depot opened in 1877 in a surprisingly leafy area. Built to train soldiers from the regiments which made up the Brigade of Guards – and was the largest Victorian army depot. The design of Caterham followed many reports on better conditions for soldiers. Lots of space to try out new ideas. Florence Nightingale was involved and there was also an allowance for recreation. Caterham is the only example of a Type One Barracks. Its job was transferred to Pirbright in 1966 and abolished in 1993
Infantry camp adjacent in the Great war
Skaterham Skate park – in the Guards Chapel by Butterfield. 1881. polychromatic. Whole area now redeveloped.

Ninehams Road
Coal post outside 122 on the present Croydon/Tandridge boundary.

Sites on the London, Croydon side of the boundary

Coulsdon Common
Open landscape linking Farthing Down and Happy Valley. The common is mostly wooded and crossed by mown rides, which are planted with exotic trees. Like the other commons in this area it was bought by the City of London in 1883. Vegetation reflects the underlying chalk soil- there is oak and silver birch in the south and the larger trees are widely spaced which may show that this was once open grazed land. The rest of the common is covered with oak, wild cherry, ash and lime with an understorey of hazel coppice. Ground flora includes of bluebells, wood anemone, wood sorrel and male ferns and pale violets.
Mill Farm was opposite the mill on Coulsdon Common and near Cruft’s Kennels.

Coulsdon Road
Coal post on Coulsdon Common opposite The Grove

Westway
Was originally called Asylum Road

Sources
Coal posts. Web site
Croydon Council. Web site
Osborne. Defending London.
Smythe, Citywildspace
Tandridge Council. Web site

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

South Norwood

Bromley by Bow

River Lea/Bow Creek Canning Town