Facts about Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath History
Until the arrival of the railway in 1862, Thornton Heath was focused on an area 1.5 miles south-west of the Whitehorse manor house, at the locality on the main London-Sussex road known as Thornton Heath Pond. Between the manor house and pond, there was an isolated farmhouse. Eventually, it would become the site for the railway station and the main expansion hub.
Within the 50-year period 1861–1911, Thornton Heath saw a complete transformation from an isolated rural outpost to an integrated metropolitan suburb. In its infancy, a new railway station sited in the eastern farmlands enabled that immediate area to evolve around a central point. In the late 19th century, the western part of Thornton Heath, which lay directly on the main London-Sussex road, demonstrated a classic form of suburban ribbon development.
General Info
Thornton Heath is an area of southern Greater London, England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Surrey, it has formed part of the London Borough of Croydon since 1965. It is 7.2 miles south of Charing Cross and is to the north of Croydon proper.
There is a London Bus garage at the junction known as Thornton Heath Pond where the A23 Brighton Road splits from the A236 Croydon road. The nearest railway stations are Thornton Heath, Norbury, Norwood Junction and Selhurst. Croydon’s Tram system nearby has links to Wimbledon.
