Thames tributary Ravensbourne - Pool River - Arena

Thames tributary Ravensbourne
A stream comes from Ashburton Park, flowing north east to join the Pool River, and eventually the Ravensbourne
The Chaffinch Brook flows north to join the Pool River, and eventually the Ravensbourne

This is a suburban area to the east of Croydon. Called Arena after a sports stadium on a large piece of local authority land, used for waste purposes, and now a 'Country Park'. The area also includes woodland on the site of the Croydon Race Track.  'Arena' is the name of a station on the Croydon tram system, in this section on the line of another defunct railway.

Post to the north Birkbeck
Post to the west Woodside
Post to the south Shirley

Bywood Avenue
Marks the eastern boundary of the Croydon race track.

Chaffinch Brook
Marks the south eastern boundary of the Croydon Racetrack

Estcourt Road
Arena Tram stop . 1998. Between Harrington Road and also Elmer’s End and Woodside on Croydon Tramlink. This stop is on the edge of South Norwood Country Park – and called Arena because of nearby sports facilities. It is built on the line of yet another defunct railway – that between Elmer’s End and Woodside, which once went on to both Addiscombe and Selsdon. It is not on the site of a previous station.

Long Lane
Site of Croydon Racetrack closed 1890. It is said that King James I established public horse racing at Croydon early in his reign. The course was bounded on the north by Lower Addiscombe Road and Long Lane. The race course closed following pressure from the Mayor of Croydon and the meetings were moved to Gatwick. The race track was brought by Beckenham Golf Course and was used as a golf course for a number of years; the Club House was situated behind the fire station site. The area was acquired by the Council for housing and playing fields in 1942.
175 Golf Driving range. World of Golf

Long Lane Wood
Bird Sanctuary

Ryelands Field
Pool river. Stream flows from Ashburton Park to Rylands Fields park where it emerges from a culvert at the north-east corner of Rylands playing fields where it joins another stream and they flow along the edge of the cemetery

Stroud Green Way

Sources
Bygone Kent
Field. London Place Names
London Borough of Croydon. Web site
Goldsmiths. South East London Industrial Archaeology
Smythe. Citywildspace

Stewart. History of Croydon

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