Croydon, Cambridgeshire
| Croydon | |
|---|---|
 Croydon
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| Croydon shown within Cambridgeshire | |
| Population | 235 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TL314497 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ROYSTON |
| Postcode district | SG8 |
| Dialling code | 01223 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Croydon is a village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England. It is 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Cambridge and immediately west of the A1198 road (the Roman Ermine Street). The population in 2001 was 221 people, increasing to 235 at the 2011 Census. The site of the deserted medieval village of Clopton is in Croydon parish, which was formerly known as Croydon-cum-Clopton.
The village's name was spelled Crauudene in the 1086 Domesday book - it is derived from the Old English crawe and denu, meaning 'valley of the crows'. The parish is now known as Croydon, but it used to be called 'Croydon-with-Clopton' or 'Croydon-cum-Clopton' -
In 1086, about 28 peasants lived at Croydon. The separate vills of Croydon and Clopton were joined in 1561 and Croydon's population may have increased to around 140 people early in the 17th century, but fell to 90 during the reign of Charles II. Open fields surrounding Croydon village were inclosed for pasture around 1640, but from the late 18th century arable farming recommenced.
Current-day Croydon grew up along a street which runs east-west along the ridge to the north of the parish. Some timber-framed houses dating from the late 17th or early 18th centuries still stand, though most of the cottages date from the early 19th century. The main route through the parish followed a terrace along the steep hillside towards Tadlow. The track, called 'Royston road', was improved and incorporated into the Cambridge-Biggleswade turnpike, later became the A603 and it has now been downgraded to the B1042. Croydon Old Lane, in the north, went towards Hatley, while the current road up Croydon Hill to Hatley was first built in 1830.
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