Ever wondered where a medieval manor once stood before becoming a sewage farm and then a park? Welcome to South Norwood Country Park. This 116-acre green space in South Norwood has a fascinating history. It is a mix of countryside and parkland. It opened in 1989 for everyone to enjoy.
Let’s step back in time. South Norwood Country Park was not always a park. It was once part of the Great North Wood. The park’s land has undergone many transformations. It went from an ancient moated house to a sewage farm. It then became farmland, a war-time civil defense area, and even a refuse dump.
The area was the location of a medieval moated manor called La Motes. It was a significant site in the 13th and 14th centuries. Robert de Retford, one of the King’s judges, owned it. Floods may have led to the house’s disappearance. Most of the moated earthworks were filled when the site was a sewage farm. The site has two concentric moats. The manor house once stood in the middle. Today, the site is overgrown.
In 1862, Croydon Corporation acquired the land for a sewage farm. The heavy London Clay subsoil made it unsuccessful. Concrete channels were built to direct sewage, but the lagoons flooded. The farm was largely abandoned in the 1920s. A new sewage treatment works was built. It closed in 1962. Older local residents still call the area “the Sewage Farm”.
The years leading up to World War II brought more changes to South Norwood Country Park. The armed forces used the area for training. During the war, it became an Air Raid Precaution center. The civil defense unit was based here until the 1950s. A ruined house was built for rescue service training. During the Blitz, rubble from destroyed buildings in Croydon was dumped here. This rubble formed the large hill behind the sports arena. From the top, you can see the London Docklands and Crystal Palace.
Today, South Norwood Country Park is a Local Nature Reserve. It is a haven for wildlife with wetlands and ponds. The Dragonfly Pond encourages dragonflies and damselflies. You can find frogs, toads, and newts there. Over 100 bird species are sighted each year.
The playground was rebuilt in 2008. It features equipment for children aged 4 to 14. Croydon Sports Arena is on the southeastern edge of the park. There is also a car park and visitor center.
South Norwood Country Park is the southern end of the Waterlink Way cycling route from Greenwich. Whether you are interested in history, nature, or sports, South Norwood Country Park offers something for everyone.