Inventory Site Record

The land for Sanderstead Recreation Ground was acquired in 1895 when the newly-formed Parish Council was looking for an area of flat ground near the village centre for a cricket pitch. A popular sport in the area for centuries, setting up a local club was first mooted in 1881 but attempts to establish Sanderstead Cricket Club formally date from 1895 and the Brand Memorial Hall was built adjacent to the pitch as a club room. After WWI the recreation ground was used for other sports, and there is now a bowling green, football pitches and playground.

Site location:

Limpsfield Road, Sanderstead

Postcode:

CR2 9BZ

What 3 Words:

tops.sector.lock

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Croydon

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Junior football pitches, senior cricket wickets, bowling green, netball court, multi-games court, sports pavilion, toilets, children’s playground and cycle area. Car park

Events:

Annual Bonfire

Public transport:

Rail: Riddlesdown then bus. Bus: 403, 412

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Google Map    
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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

The rural village of Sanderstead began to develop from 1884 after the railway was established here. Sanderstead Recreation Ground is on land that was once fields belonging to White House Farm and later to Borough Farm. The northern part was glebe land belonging to the Rectory. A first parcel of land was acquired in 1895 by the new Sanderstead Parish Council, which had been elected in 1894 and was looking for a flat area near the village centre for a cricket pitch. The site was leased from the Trustees of the Arkwright Estate on a 21-year lease, and the parish council then paid for levelling the ground and sowing grass seed, together with purchase of a roller and mower, the total costing £35 1s 8d.

Adjacent to the pitch the Brand Memorial Hall was built at the behest of James Brand, a tenant of Sanderstead Court, and a formal cricket club appears to have been first mooted in 1895. However, there are records of cricket being played at Sanderstead from the C18th and the origins of the local cricket club probably date from c.1881 when the Cowdrey family, cricket lovers and from whom the famous cricketer Colin Cowdrey was descended, were living at White House Farm. An important member of the club from 1901 was Tom Sherlock who not only played for Sanderstead Cricket Club but was captain, benefactor and also formed the Trust that ensured its survival.

After WWI the recreation ground was also being used for other sports and the cricket pitches were suffering. Sherlock purchased The White House, saw mill and meadow, keeping the latter as a cricket field that is still used today. The recreation ground now has football pitches, a bowling green and playground and The park today is a level grassed area, part of which remains set aside for sports. An annual bonfire takes place in November, with events organised by Croydon Round Table to raise funds for local charities.

Sources consulted:

Winterman, M A, Croydon's parks: an illustrated history (LB Croydon, 1988) p85; Joy Gadsby (ed) 'Village Histories, 3: Sanderstead (including Selsdon)', The Bourne Society, 1998

Grid ref:

TQ339610 (533930,161050)

Size in hectares:

7.89

Site ownership:

LB Croydon

Site management:

Parks and Open Spaces

Date(s):

1895

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

None

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:

No

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Archaeological Priority Zone (north part)

Other LA designation:

Local Open Land. Part of AP2