Thames Tributary Effra - Norbury Grove

Thames Tributary Effra
Springs rise here which flow to join the Effra

Post to the north Knight's Hill
Post to the east Upper Norwood
Post to the south Norbury Park

Arnulls Road
2 18th-19th cottage. Brick and dates from the days of the Great North Wood.
4 18th-19th cottage. Stuccoed, with a porch.
Flats a two-storey row of workmen's dwellings from 1889.

Beulah Hill
Springfield. Site of old house on the corner of what is now Biggin Hill demolished 1910. Cedar from the ground still there behind the modern houses. Dickens visited the house and is to have written David Copperfield under the tree. There was a chalybeate spring in the garden – and there were others in the area. These are the springs that feed the EffraSt. Joseph’s College. Roman Catholic Mathematics and computing College run by the Christian Catholic order of the De La Salle brothers. Originally called Grecian Villa it was built in 1839, in 1883, added to in the 20th. The style is Edwardian Classical to neo-Georgian. It was originally a private mansion, designed on a princely scale in 1883 by George Highton for Mr. E. J. Fry at a cost of £5,389,
262 Conquering Hero. This is the only pub of this name. In 1865 a lease on the site was bought for £6, which was passed to the church for the local poor. Sold to Noakes Brewery in 1894, then to Courage and later to Scottish and Newcastle.
315 Norfolk Court Hotel. Corner of Biggin Hill. Demolished.
Crown Pond at the top of Norbury Hill. It was once a watering place for horses and cattle, with a railing across the middle to prevent the animals straying into the deeper water. It also called the Big Pond and used for winter skating.

Biggin Way
Biggin Wood ancient woodland on a South West facing slope on clay. Part of the chain of sessile oak woods this was a coppice belonging to Biggin Farm. It was opened to the public in the 1950s having been acquired by LB Croydon. A bank of elm suckers surrounds the entrance but past the central concrete path is old oak coppice leading to an ancient boundary ditch with oak pollards. In the North East are snowberry and laurel. On the central slope are flowering plants indicative of ancient woodland - stitchwort, celandine and lords and ladies among bramble. In the south is an oak plantation with a small brook running along the eastern edge.

Gibsons Hill
Known in 1523 as "Cubgate Hill" and in 1800 this was the only road between Beulah Hill and Green Lane.
Norwood Grove was part of Great Streatham Common, recorded at Domesday as Lime Common. Between Norbury and Tulse Hill. In 1635 part was enclosed by the Duke of Portland for sport.
Norwood Grove house. Called Copgate in 1746 Later known as Norbury Grove and owned by T. Mills Esq. In 1847 leased to Arthur Anderson, who from poor origins went on to form the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company in 1840. From 1878it was occupied by Frederick Nettlefold whose father was the founder of Nettlefolds Ltd brass founder's and iron monger. The house was sold to Croydon Corporation in 1913. The Mansion known locally as "White House" is early 19th it is now smaller than it was following bombing,
Fountain with figures, showing the months of the year, holding a large flat dish into which the water spills. Nearby is the bird bath commemorating Mr, Covington
Orangery a pleasant shelter surmounted by two glass domes.
Line of old oaks down the left hand side of the field marks the boundary with Croydon.
Lodge. Mid c 19 by the drive.
Recreation Ground. Nice park with mature trees which lead to mulberry etc. oak, cedar, Gorse, Scots pine, squirrels.
Copgate Path. Path to the Rookery, hazel bramble gorse squirrels.

Hollies Close

The Chase
45 home of Will Hay 1927-1934. Plaque unveiled by Roy Hudd.

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