Purley, London
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Purley.
| Purley | |
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| Location | |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference: | TQ313615 |
| Latitude: | 51.337344° |
| Longitude: | -0.114146° |
| Administration | |
| London borough: | Croydon |
| County level: | Greater London |
| Region: | London |
| Constituent country: | England |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Greater London |
| Historic county: | Surrey |
| Services | |
| Police force: | Metropolitan Police |
| Fire brigade: | London Fire Brigade |
| Ambulance service: | London Ambulance |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | PURLEY |
| Postal district: | CR8 |
| Dialling code: | 020 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | Croydon South |
| London Assembly: | Croydon and Sutton |
| European Parliament: | London |
| London | List of places in London | |
Purley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a suburban development situated 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south of Charing Cross. The name derives from "pirlea", which means 'Peartree lea'. Purley has a population of about 72,000.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Local government
Under the Local Government Act 1894, Purley became part of the Croydon Rural District of Surrey. In 1915 Purley and the neighbouring town of Coulsdon formed the Coulsdon and Purley Urban District which in 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, was abolished and its area transferred to Greater London and used to form part of the London Borough of Croydon.
The urban district council was based in a colonial-style building opened in 1930. The building became the property of the London Borough of Croydon and has recently been sold to developers and converted into housing.
[edit] Aviation
Kenley Aerodrome, to the east of the town, nowadays home to a gliding club, was one of the most important fighter stations - together with Croydon Airport and Biggin Hill - during World War II.
[edit] Suburban growth
Purley grew rapidly in the 1920s and 1930s, providing spacious homes in a green environment. Northeast Purley stretches into the chalk hill spurs of the North Downs. The Webb Estate made headlines in a 2002 survey, which found that it had over the years attracted the highest-earning residents in the UK.
One road, Promenade de Verdun, created by William Webb, has a distinction all of its own. It is 600 yards (550 m) long and has on both sides Lombardy poplars planted in soil mixed with English and French earth specifically shipped over to the UK, and a plaque at one end with the inscription "Aux soldats de France morts glorieusement pendant la Grande Guerre", as a memorial to the alliance of World War One and the soldiers who died. At the other end of the road stands an obelisk carved from a single piece of stone. Notably, the town was home to Von Ribbentrop when he was ambassador before WWII, and he is understood to have ensured that the town was never bombed.
A comprehensive history of Purley and its growth around Caterham Junction (now Purley Station) with the coming of the railways some 150 years ago is found in the Bourne Society's 'Purley Village History' and in its Local History Records publications.
The CR8 postal district was named in 2003 as having the highest average earning residents in the UK. [1]
[edit] Retail and commerce
Purley used to have many different kinds of retail shops such as greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers, card shops, sport shops, etc. The old Sainsbury's was closed in the early 1980s (and the site remains derelict, though it was purchased in 2005 by the congregation of Purley Baptist Church for redevelopment). Since the opening of Sainsbury's in the early 1980s (now closed late 90s) and, more significantly, a Tesco superstore in the early 1990s, the majority of the retailers have closed down, replaced by predominantly charity shops, estate agents and restaurants. In 2006, further change is on the cards as Tesco propose to replace the store with a 6-story building containing affordable flats above a new store.
The town centre has become run-down thanks to a lack of local businesses and the fact that the traffic intended for the long abandoned M23 extension has been routed through the town, which is now dominated by Tesco and the road system. But Purley is now set to begin a regeneration project spearheaded by the congregation of the Purley Baptist Church who, under the banner of 58:12 (a company and charity set up by the Church) are planning to redevelop the Purley Island Site. Other partners in the development of a strategy for the regeneration of central Purley include the Purley & Woodcote Residents' Association and Purley Rotary who actively participate in the Neighbourhood Partneship forums hosted by Croydon Council.
[edit] Politics
Purley has consistently returned Conservative Party MPs to the local seat of Croydon South and has also returned Conservative members to the local council. Since the north of Croydon tends to return Labour councillors, the two halves of the borough are often at loggerheads. In the 2006 local elections the Conservatives were returned to power in Croydon removing Liberal Democrats from the local political scene. Prominent members of the new Council are residents of Purley & of Woodcote (now part of Coulsdon West Ward)
[edit] Fame
On television the town became known in the sitcom, Terry and June where Terry and June Medford (Terry Scott and June Whitfield), had moved after the characters' previous series, Happy Ever After. The sitcom was set on the cusp of Purley and Wallington (on Church Road in a house within sight of St Mark's Church) and the opening credits featured them dancing around the (now unrecognisable) Whitgift Centre - a shopping precinct in central Croydon.
One of the houses used in 'Footballer's Wives' is in Purley.
Purley is famous due to a reference in the "Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more!" sketch by Monty Python.
[edit] Famous residents
- Francis Rossi, rock musician, lives in Purley
- June Brown, actress, lives in Purley
- Derren Brown, illusionist, was born in Purley and attended Whitgift School in nearby Croydon
- Nigel Harman, actor, was born and grew up in Purley
- Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher's former press secretary, lives in Purley
[edit] Transport
Purley Cross roundabout connects routes leading east to East Grinstead and Eastbourne (the A22), west to Epsom and Kingston, south to Redhill and Brighton (the A23), and north to Croydon and London. The A23 north from Purley forms the Purley Way, which leads to Croydon's trading and industrial hinterland and also to the former Croydon Airport, the predecessor of the present London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport.
The town is on the main London-to-Brighton railway line and is served by Purley and Purley Oaks stations on that line, and Reedham station on the Tattenham Corner Line. There are plans to extend Tramlink to Purley.
[edit] Nearest places
[edit] Nearest railway stations
- Purley railway station
- Purley Oaks railway station
- Riddlesdown railway station
- Reedham railway station
- Sanderstead railway station
[edit] External links
- Local Gov. Site Promenade de Verdun
- Purley's "58:12" Regeneration Project
- PWRA, Purley & Woodcote Residents' Association
- The Bourne Society, representing heritage interests in the debate over Purley regeneration
