Croham Hurst

This site, in South Croydon, was owned by the Whitgift Foundation until the end of the 19th century. The original intention in 1898 was to sell off the lower land for housing with the summit being offered to Croydon Corporation. Following an outcry, the whole area was sold to the corporation in 1901 so that ‘Croham Hurst … be preserved to the use of the people forever …’ and be used as open space. It is now designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Location - TQ3463 Lies alongside Upper Selsdon Road, with entrances there and from Croham Manor Road and Croham Valley Road (by Croham Hurst Golf Club).

Public transport Bus: 412 along Upper Selsdon Road and 64, 409 and T33 along Croham Valley Road

Habitat Woodland, some on a steep slope, with adjacent golf course. A small area on the plateau is heathland.

Species There is a mixture of regular woodland species with the occasional bonus of Firecrest and Pied Flycatcher. This is also the location of Croydon’s only records of Arctic Skua, Sabine’s Gull (both after the 1987 hurricane), Melodious Warbler and Alpine Swift

Added 16/11/2013 using information I posted on the RSPB Croydon Local Group website. John Birkett