Croydon

**Croydon**
	Croydon
Population	384,837 (Addiscombe, Broad Green, Fairfield, Waddon, Croham, Selhurst, Ashburton, Woodside, Sanderstead, Shirley and Selsdon and Ballards wards)
OS grid reference	TQ335655
- Charing Cross	9.4 mi (15.1 km) N
London borough	Croydon
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CROYDON
Postcode district	CR0
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Croydon Central
	Croydon North
	Croydon South
London Assembly	Croydon and Sutton
	List of places UK England London

Croydon is a large town in Greater London, southern England in the United Kingdom. It is south of London and is part of the London Borough of Croydon.

History

The town grew up from Anglo-Saxon times around a palace belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1276 the archbishop allowed a weekly market to take place nearby and this date is taken as the founding of the town. The town grew in the eighteenth century as a stage coach stop on the way to the popular seaside town of Brighton from London. In the nineteenth century railways put the town only 15 minutes from London by fast train and it grew 23 times in terms of the number of people living there between 1801 and 1901.

Things to do

A tram in Croydon

Croydon is well known for having many places to go shopping, which includes two shopping centres called Centrale and the Whitgift Centre. A third one called Park Place is planned. Croydon has been rated the 20th best shopping area in the UK. It is also well known for holding a lot of offices for companies to let. The council wants to keep Croydon a big town by building more offices and entertainment facilities so a new place called the Croydon Gateway is planned. Purley Way, just west of Croydon, is a large retail park area which has many shops like Comet (which went in admin in 2012), Sainsbury's, McDonald's, IKEA, Argos, M&S, Boots along with a cinema and bowling alley.

Transport

Croydon is very easy to get to. There is a large bus station on the edge of Croydon, and three railway stations called East Croydon, West Croydon, and South Croydon.

Croydon is also served by Tramlink, a tram system, the only tram system in all of Greater London. It is the place where all four routes meet. They go to places like Elmers End and Beckenham in Bromley to the east, Wimbledon and Mitcham in Merton to the west, and Addington and Addiscombe to the south.

Croydon Media

The earliest detailed map of Croydon, drawn by the 18-year-old Jean-Baptiste Say in 1785. The early settlement of Old Town, including the parish church (marked B) lies to the west; while the triangular medieval marketplace, probably associated with Archbishop Kilwardby's market charter of 1276, is clearly visible further east, although by this date it has been infilled with buildings.
Surrey Street Market, the successor to the market first granted a charter in 1276
Croydon Palace in 1785
The Grade I listed Croydon Minster parish church
The Grade I listed "Whitgift Hospital" almshouses in the centre of Croydon
The Grade II listed West Croydon Baptist Church
The Grade I listed Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, West Croydon
The Grade II listed Surrey Street Pumping Station, Croydon
The Allders building in 1983
Shopping parade in North End, Croydon