Anerley Lodge, the first house here, was built by a Scottish businessman in the 1820s. They say ‘anerly’ is Scots dialect for lonely. Lonely no more as a railway was laid along the line of the short-lived Croydon canal.
Photo: Christopher Hilton Creative Commons 2.0
Almost the only canal remnants are here to see as it headed up 28 locks from the Thames.
The surrounding skeleton streets took time to flesh out with houses – in one, the poet Walter de la Mare lived modestly commuting to his day job as oil company clerk. Slow growth left space for the Crystal Palace District cemetery. Opened in the 1870s with two chapels (one now deceased), it too has taken time to fill. In this attractive setting, legendary cricketer W.G.Grace is buried, as is Thomas Crapper of…toilet bowl fame.
The far end of the cemetery leads to a path into South Norwood Country Park.
Rewilding isn’t so new. Hack up an old sewage works, fill and cover an old brick works, leave for 40 years – and this wonderful wilderness emerges. There’s a proliferation of plants and nearly 60 bird species including plenty on the lake. Emerge the other side to the home of Croydon’s football teams and Harriers to find its arena tram stop.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
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