Thames Tributary Ravensbourne - Pool River - Addiscombe

Thames Tributary Ravensbourne
A small stream rises in Ashburton Park and flows to join other tributaries of the Pool River which flows west and north to join the Ravensbourne.

A suburban area to the east of Central Croydon with parks, pubs and shops. The defunct railway line to Selsdon passed through the area but has now been replaced here by the Croydon Tram.

Post to the north Woodside
Post to the west Addiscombe
Post to the east Shirley

Addiscombe Road
Rail Tunnels. Having passed under Addiscombe Road, the rail line from Woodside Station entered three tunnels, before reaching Coombe Lane. The three tunnels could not be built as one because of differences in the geology which meant that the central section had to be constructed as cut-and-cover.
The old railway line was on an embankment here and then crossed Bingham and Addiscombe Roads on bridges. These bridges have been removed to allow buses to pass under – so when rebuilding the line for Tramlink the road had to be lowered and level crossings put in.
Addiscombe Tram Stop. Between Blackhorse Lane and Sandilands on Croydon Tramlink. The tram stop is built near the site of the old Bingham Road station. In 1997 track was re-laid at street level and the station built on the north side of Bingham road, whereas the previous station had been on the south.

Ashburton Park
Park with trees which belonged to a mansion called Stroud Green House which later became an orphanage. It was demolished in 1927 once bought by Croydon Corporation. An ornamental park with a children's play area, tennis, netball and basketball courts, a bowling green and pavilion, and a pétanque terrain.
Ashburton House. Was home of Lady Ashburton. With famous salon. Gone.
Remains of Woodside Convent Orphanage – this part was used as a library. One wing of a Tudor cloister in red brick, with Gothic niches, crow stepped gables, and a bellcote. The former chapel is behind.
Woodside Convent Orphanage founded by the Rev. A. Tooth and built in 1882. The Community of the Paraclete and St.Michael’s Orphanage for the Sons of Gentlemen. It was transferred here from Hatcham. Also the site of St.Raphael’s Hostel for Female alcoholics. They have now moved to Sevenoaks.
Lodge. Stuccoed mid 19th lodge which belonged to Stroud Green House. Former gardener’s cottage

Pool River. A stream from the park flows to Rylands Park and eventually joins the river.

Bingham Corner
Named for the proximity to Ashburton House. Lord Ashburton himself was a Baring, but a daughter married a William Bingham
Parade of half timbered shops built 1932
5a Claret Free House. Family-owned free house with one small bar. Real cider has to be fetched from the cellar.

Bingham Road
Development of shops built 1932
Our Lady of Annunciation RC, 1964. By Denny & Brian. Separate chapel with its own entrance. Sanctuary remodelled 1975. Sculpture of Crucifix,
Bingham Road Halt. 1st September 1906. In 1895 the line had been opened by the Woodside and South Croydon Joint Railway and in 1906 the halt was built. It was next to Croydon Corporation’s Addiscombe tram terminus west of the junction with Northampton Road and provided a bit of an interchange. The site was adjacent to what is now Addiscombe Tram Station, but north of Bingham Road. It was a basic halt with two bare wooden platforms long with a boarded crossing, built of old sleepers and there was no shelter for waiting passengers. In 1915 it was closed. In 1927 the line was re-laid for through trains and in 1934 a new £10,000 station was constructed with brick-built entrances on both sides of the line with covered stairways to concrete platforms. The buildings were wooden, with glass awnings. In 1960, Bingham Road, disguised as 'Fortune Green South’, was used in the film 'The Rebel' starring Tony Hancock. In the opening scene the up side is crowded with waiting commuters; only Hancock is on the down side. Two green Southern trains draw up together and Hancock jumps on and opens the doors of both and so gets into the up train before the crowds. In 1983 the station was closed. A booking office remained on the up side for a while and it was demolished with the two nearby bridges. Small bit of brick wall remain which were part of the stairs up to the platform. In 1994 the line was rebuilt for the Croydon Tram.
Rail line/tramline carried on along the embankment until south of Bingham Road, where it went into cutting
Addiscombe Recreation Ground – a field with football pitches and children's play area, tennis courts, basketball/netball courts. It is also called 'Addiscombe Park' or 'Bingham Park'.

Blackhorse Road
Blackhorse Lane Tramlink stop. 1998. Between Woodside and Addiscombe on Croydon Tramlink
Bridge. To the north was the junction with the Addiscombe branch, opened 1st April 1864, which went off to the left. As far as the Blackhorse Lane Bridge the branch trackbed is under a landscaped area with many trees.

Chaucer Road
One of a collection of poet names

Coleridge Road
One of a collection of poet names

Colworth Road
12 D.H.Lawrence and Frieda lived here when Lawrence taught at the Davidson Road school and it is where he wrote Sons and Lovers
16 also Lawrence and Frieda

Compton Road
Named for the proximity to Ashburton House. Lord Ashburton himself was a Baring, but a daughter married a Lord Compton

Craven Road
Named for the proximity to Ashburton House. Lord Ashburton himself was a Baring, but a daughter married a Baron Craven.

Dalmally Passage
A footpath under the old branch line. Up above, the grassy embankment is visible, and, through the subway on the other side, can be seen a distinctive, bricked up building.

Elmers Road
Church of God of Prophecy

Keats Road
One of a collection of poet names

Lower Addiscombe Road
Woodside Grange on site 1911 in its own grounds.
Shirley/ Manora houses. Possible that single storey front extensions were added for use as shops.
Addiscombe telephone exchange. Three storey building at junction with Teevan Road
Pillar box 1952 Type C box with two posting slots
Row of houses which might have been converted to shops.
The Black Horse Garage
Broadway shops
Royal Parade shops
Bingham Corner west end of the parade is Tudor style
129 Alma Tavern
335 Black Horse. Pub here since 17th at least. Victorian pub given the olde treatment.

Northampton Road
Named for the proximity to Ashburton House. Lord Ashburton himself was a Baring, but a daughter married the heir to the Duke of Northampton
Sandybank site of Ashburton Lodge.
Hazelwood – inside is a wall where cadets inscribed their names

Railline
Woodside Tunnel. The most northerly bore stretched for 266 yards
Woodside Junction. Just past the point at which Stroud Road crosses the line. Built in 1885 by the Woodside and South Croydon Railway, built by Joseph Firbank as the link to Selsdon Road. On an embankment to Bingham Road.

Sefton Road
Named for the proximity to Ashburton House. Lord Ashburton himself was a Baring, but a descendent daughter married an Earl of Sefton.

Shirley Road
Was Stroud Green Road. It marks the western boundary of the Croydon Racetrack. The Grand Stand was probably near the end of the present Shirley Park Road.

Swinburne Road
One of a collection of poet names

Teevan Road
A local family who lived in the area and owned land and were involved in the race course.

Woodside Court Road
Woodside Court. 19th farmhouse which was on the site of the Co-op Car Park.

Sources
Connor & Halford. Forgotten Stations of Greater London
Disused Stations. Web site
Field. London Place Names
London Borough of Croydon. Web site
London Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Annunciation. Web site
Norwood History. Web site
Penguin. Surrey
Pevsner and Cherry. South London 
Pevsner and Cherry.
Stewart. History of Croydon
Wagstaffe and Pullin. Beckenham anthology,