Waddon
| Waddon | |
|---|---|
 Vicarage Road |
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 Waddon
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| Waddon shown within Greater London | |
| Population | 1,679 (2011 Census. Ward) |
| OS grid reference | TQ315645 |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CROYDON |
| Postcode district | CR0 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
Waddon is a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Croydon, to the west and south west of central Croydon. The area borders the London Borough of Sutton.
Waddon was one of the manors around Croydon owned by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Waddon’s nomenclature was first recorded in the twelfth century. The name derives from Old English words meaning ‘the hill where woad grows, or is grown’. Traces of Bronze Age and Iron Age habitation have been found locally.
Waddon has an older area with 19th-century properties, some even older, close to central Croydon. Further south is a large estate of Council-owned and former Council-owned homes and a small number of tower blocks. In the inter-war years Waddon had the most Croydon Corporation owned homes in Croydon with 1,125 council houses and 80 council flats.
The geographical area of Waddon extends a good deal further north than the political ward boundary of Waddon ward. Waddon ward also includes residences along Pampisford Road that are in South Croydon.
Waddon is in the Wandle river valley. Waddon Ponds is a public open space, the ponds in which are one of the sources of the river. The Wandle has been deculverted in Wandle Park and in the New South Quarter development. Wandle Park was opened in 1890. The park has benefited from section 106 monies used for the refurbishment of the park from the developers of the New South Quarter. The river Bourne used to flow above ground through the South Mead, now Southbridge Road and along Old Town to join the river Wandle.
The Waddon Court estate covered most of the area from the Middle Ages, when mills operated along the River Wandle. The river was later used to irrigate watercress beds and to feed the extensive lakes of Waddon Court.
The first incarnation of the Hare and Hounds public house opened in 1773, on what was then Waddon Marsh Lane.
In the latter years of the 18th century Waddon Court’s owner, John Dewye Parker, raised a volunteer corps of yeomen here, at his own expense, and "military evolutions were performed with the utmost precision, upon the lawn surrounding his mansion."
Waddon's tithe barn was part of Waddon Court with the building opposite the Waddon Leisure Centre dating back to 1799. The building was later used as a barn within Coldharbour Farm. The building was listed in 1990 and up until 2007 was used by the now closed Grants solicitors, the practice of the former Justice minister and MP for Maidstone & The Weald, Helen Grant. As at November 2016 the building remained empty and available for lease.
Waddon has a long history of industrial trades. The Croydon gasworks were built on Waddon Marsh in 1867. An electricity generating station opened in 1896. The opening of the Purley Way in 1925 prompted the building of a number of factories including for Redwing Aircraft Ltd, Trojan Ltd (car manufacturers), Tizer Ltd, Standard Steel Co, Croydon Foundry Ltd, Metal Propellers Ltd and Southern Foundries Ltd.
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Wikipedia