Whispers of a solitary house echo through time. This is Anerley a suburb in south-east London. Anerley’s story begins not with grand plans but with a single house. William Sanderson a Scottish silk and wine merchant built it in 1827. He named it Anerley meaning solitary or only. This name stuck giving birth to the whole area.
Before Sanderson’s house this land was Penge Common. Anerley was born from this empty space. The Penge Inclosure Act of 1827 changed all that. This act divided the common creating a new road. This road connected Clay Lane to Church Road. It became Anerley Road the spine of the new town.
Anerley’s growth was tied to transport. The Croydon Canal opened in 1809. It ran through Anerley. It wasn’t a success though lasting only 27 years. It was then replaced by the London and Croydon Railway. The railway used parts of the canal’s route. Two parts remain visible today. One is in Betts Park the other in Dacres Wood. Anerley station opened in 1839. Sanderson gave land for its construction. The station was near his house making it easily accessible.
Anerley had its share of drama. In 1844 a train collision injured 24 people. There were no fatalities. A report blamed the driver and lack of tail lights. The railway also saw innovation. Isambard Kingdom Brunel built an atmospheric railway. It was short-lived unable to incorporate points efficiently. Flyovers were needed one runs through Anerley.
The 19th century saw leisure blossom in Anerley. Anerley Gardens opened in 1841. It was a popular entertainment venue. It had dances a boating lake a Swiss cottage and even a maze. The Croydon Canal attracted anglers. The gardens closed in 1868 losing out to the Crystal Palace. The Anerley Arms a hotel expanded after the gardens’ closure. It still stands next to the station. It is even mentioned in a Sherlock Holmes story. A gas explosion in 1978 damaged it. It was restored to its Victorian appearance.
World War II left scars on Anerley. Five V1 rockets hit the area. Six more fell in Crystal Palace Park. A total of 23 rockets hit the SE20 district. One rocket incident on June 18 1944 killed two people. Three houses were destroyed and 20 severely damaged. Another attack on July 11 1944 killed 11 people destroying shops and houses.
After the war Anerley changed. Victorian houses became flats. Housing estates filled former bomb sites and cleared slums. Penge Urban District Council was abolished in 1965. Anerley became part of the London Borough of Bromley. Anerley Town Hall became a community centre. Today Anerley continues to evolve. In 2024 a new obelisk was erected in Betts Park. It celebrates the upcoming bicentenary in 2027. The name Anerley still resonates linked to the area around Anerley station and Anerley Hill. Anerley is a testament to a place built on a single solitary house a canal a railway and the resilience of its people.