Inventory Site Record

Norbury Hall was built in 1802 within the Manor of Norbury. The grounds comprised 30 acres of ornamental gardens with a large lake fed by the River Graveny. From the main entrance on London Road, a drive led through woodland to the house. In the C19th it was owned by James William Hobbs, Mayor of Croydon in 1887; it remained in his family until 1957. Hobbs had a private cricket field laid out in the grounds, now a private leisure club. Croydon Corporation acquired the estate in 1956. The Hall and 9 acres of gardens were fenced off for an old people's home, now privately run, and the grounds were taken over by the Council's Parks Department. The lake was dry by 1954, its site marked by a depression, but many mature trees remain in the public park.

Site location:

Craignish Avenue/Gibson's Hill/Ederline Avenue, Norbury

Postcode:

SW16 4RW

What 3 Words:

feed.weedy.brick

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Croydon

Open to public?

Partially

Opening times:

Public park: 8am Mon-Fri/9am weekends - dusk. House not open.

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: Norbury. Bus: 50, 109, 255

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Research updated:

01/12/2008

Last minor changes:

29/03/2026

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.croydon.gov.uk

Norbury Hall is a grand Georgian villa built in 1802 within the Manor of Norbury, although the original manor house of the estate had been to the north-east, at the junction of what is now Norbury Avenue and Kensington Avenue. The grounds of Norbury Hall comprised 30 acres of ornamental gardens with a large lake fed by the River Graveny, later piped. Beyond the lake was pasture with a footpath running across it leading from Norbury Farm to the north-east of the house. The Lodge and the main gates to Norbury Estate were on London Road, later the site of the Post Office, from where the drive led up to the house through woodland, later cleared when Craignish Avenue was built. The stable yard to the Hall was described in 1855 as having 'standing room for several carriages, stabling for seven horses, loose boxes, harness and men servants rooms, hay and corn rooms, granary and a hen house'.

James William Hobbs purchased Norbury Hall in the C19th and it remained in his family until 1957. Hobbs became Mayor of Croydon in 1887, and, a keen fan of cricket, he had a private cricket field laid out in the grounds. W G Grace is known to have played here in 1888. Hobbs later sold the cricket pitch to Barclays Bank, now owned by a private leisure club, Norbury Park Cricket Ground. He kept his lake stocked with fish and his weekend guests enjoyed fishing and shooting.

Croydon Corporation acquired the estate in 1956 to provide accommodation for the elderly through its Welfare Department. Additions were then made to Norbury Hall as part of change of use to an old people's home; trellis woodwork on the veranda is remarked upon in Pevsner.

The Hall and 9 acres of the gardens were then fenced off from the grounds, which were taken over by the Council's Parks Department. The lake was once crossed by a wooden footbridge but by c.1954 it was dry although its site is marked by a depression in the ground. A large number of mature trees survive including Lebanon Cedars and yews standing among modern bedding schemes. An early C20th Gazebo with a first floor balustraded veranda over a chinoiserie patterned concrete base was built in the grounds to provide views of the garden, but it was destroyed by arson in 2002. The walled garden was sold off for office development in the early 1980s but a section of the original wall remains and a fig tree still hangs over the wall. The former meadows are now playing fields. A small section of the original block that still exists was used as a mess room/store.

Norbury Hall was sold by Croydon Council in 1987 and continues to be run as a private residential care home.

Sources consulted:

M A Winterman, 'Croydon's parks: an illustrated history' (LB Croydon, 1988) pp59/61; B Cherry and N Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England London 2: South (1983) p226; Sale catalogue 1955; LB Croydon, 'Local List of Historic Parks & Gardens', December 2008

Grid ref:

TQ309692 (530974,169295)

Size in hectares:

3.24

Site ownership:

LB Croydon (park). Norbury Hall Residential Care Home

Site management:

Parks and Open Spaces (park). Norbury Hall Residential Care Home

Date(s):

early C19th; 1950s

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII: Norbury Hall

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

Yes

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes - Local importance

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

Local Open Land. Partly in Area at Risk of Flooding.