It’s time to show some love for a jewel in the north of the borough – Thornton Heath.
In a recent poll, we asked which district centres you’d like to see investment in, and Thornton Heath took an impressive 29% of the vote.
There’s a lot of love out there for Thornton Heath, so we thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at what makes it special, from its people to is culture, its history, and its heroes.
Let’s start at the beginning…
Well, not the very beginning, because we’d be looking at a pocket of Greater London with a past rooted in Roman and Saxon history, but the town is first recorded as “Thornton Heathe” in 1511. It’s not until the period leading up to the 20th century that the suburban expansion of Thornton Heath begins, and the introduction of the railway station delivers a boost to the local population.
A resident who lived at this time was Hablot Knight Browne, better known as Phiz, who was illustrator to Charles Dickens. In fact, there are a number of famous faces who called CR7 home, including Frankmusik, Mickey Finn from T.Rex, Paul Simonon – the bassist for The Clash, Crystal Palace FC forward Wilfred Zaha, and Flora Sandes, the only British woman recorded as having served during the First World War.
Today, Thornton Heath is bordered by Croydon, Selhurst, South Norwood, and Norbury. It has excellent connections to neighbouring towns and the City of London as well as rail lines to Brighton on the south coast, making it ideal for commuters and day-trippers.
Like any town in Greater London, you’ll find your necessary retail outlets and supermarkets, as well as popular independents. Thornton Heath now has entire app devoted to all the best shopping, dining and drinking destinations, as well as a plethora of local events, like community garden projects, children’s drama classes, and scout groups.
Go to the app store on your phone and download We Are Thornton Heath to access a multitude of local businesses and community events.
Housing in Thornton Heath remains among some of the most affordable in London with a mixture of Victorian houses, brutalist icons, and new builds, including Bramble’s new 58-home development going up opposite the train station.
Locals and visitors can also explore the area’s parks and green spaces, including Thornton Heath Recreation Ground and Trumble Gardens, as well as other popular parks just a stone’s throw away, like Crystal Palace Park and South Norwood Lake and Grounds.
There are also a handful of good schools in Thornton Heath, like Ecclesbourne Primary, Whitehorse Manor Junior, Thornton Heath Nursery, and Paxton Academy. Thornton Heath also runs parallel to the famous BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology, which boasts talented alumni including Amy Winehouse, Adele, FKA twigs, Katy B, and Jessie J, to name a few.
There’s a strong sense of culture and community in Thornton Heath with local groups dedicated to the cause, like Thornton Heath Community Action Team (THCAT) and CR7 Culture, who work showcase Thornton Heath’s diverse and creative community.
There’s also investment in Thornton Heath with Croydon Council earmarking funding to make the town more attractive, deliver additional housing, and support the community.
Thornton Heath is much more than a stop between the capital and the coast, it’s its own destination with a rich history and culture, and a very bright future.