Google Map of Addiscombe

It is all very well having a site about Addiscombe but we need to have some definition of the extent of Addiscombe. So where are the boundaries? Well my answer is that I don't actually know for sure. A reasonable basis might be the Anglican parishes of St Mary Magdalene with St Martin ("St Mary's") and St Mildred's. I am sure there are other parish or administrative boundaries that could be tracked down but whether they really help or actually matter that much is another question.

The map below (browser and configuration permitting) shows roughly the area I am going to concern myself with on this site. The map does show Addiscombe and a little bit besides so that gives me scope to wander off a bit. I may even look at areas that are off the map a little. I shall be using the same basic map on other pages to maintain consistency.

On occasions I may wander well off the map. For example when talking about parks and open spaces the ones you might want to make a special trip to go to are likely to be well outside the area, but they are arguably still part of Addiscombe life.

I think it is reasonable to consider the western and north-western boundary of Addiscombe itself to be formed by the railway line from East Croydon towards Norwood Junction, which in road terms roughly corresponds to Cherry Orchard Road, Cross Road and Davidson Road. The Cherry Orchard Road area itself had its own early phase of development, triggered by the arrival of the railways, and it was really the development of the Brickwood House area in the early 1900s that linked it all the historical heart of Addiscombe (Canning, Clyde, Elgin, Havelock and Outram Roads, along with the area around the former Addiscombe station), but I feel we can consider it as Addiscombe expanding west. Development of the Davidson Road area was underway by the early 1900s but it still appeared quite disconnected from the centre of Addiscombe and indeed had a separate parish (St Martin's) created to serve it. It still feels quite disconnected but I think it has to be considered as part of Addiscombe, and indeed what else could it be called?

The northern end of Davidson Road is sometimes listed as being in South Norwood and I certainly think if you go much to the north-east of Beckford Road (between Davidson Road and Morland Road) you'd probably have to consider yourself in Woodside. That is certainly the limit of the parish of St Mary's. It is the development of the Adams Way and Christie Drive estates on the former brickfields that perhaps confuses the issue.

In an earlier version of this page I speculated that Beckford Road being a parish boundary was because it might follow the path of Norbury Brook. However now I have taken the trouble to look closer at maps I would say it is Northway Road that follows the path of the brook.

I think I'd probably say that the area east of Blackhorse Lane has to be considered as Woodside too with a query as to where you are when you are in Ashburton Park which is often referred to as being in Addiscombe but equally is outside St Mildred's parish. However when you enter the borough of Croydon from Bromley along the Croydon Road into Long Lane you will encounter a 'Welcome to Croydon' sign that has 'Addiscombe' proudly displayed on it. This means some authority probably considers the Longheath Gardens, Tollgate and Stroud Green estates as being part of Addiscombe but I have no particular plans to cover those areas on this site.

The Tollgate estate is built around Longhurst Road and Stockbury Road between Long Lane and the tram line. The Stroud Green estate is the one on the opposite side of Long Lane built around Stroud Green Way. Both can be seen, in part, on the top right of the map above and they are both part of the Anglican parish of St Luke's, Woodside. The Longheath Gardens estate is again between Long Lane and the tram line and is further up the road by the borough boundary and so just off the default map. It is part of the Anglican parish of St George's, Shirley. St George's is actually in what I call Monks Orchard (because it gets labelled as such on maps) but what the locals call it may be another matter.

Ashburton Road was basically the boundary between the old East India Company's military seminary and the Ashburton Estate. The latter was again being developed in the early 1900s along with the areas around the old tram terminus (roughly where Addiscombe tram stop is now) and what became the main shopping centre of the town along The Broadway to Blackhorse Lane and beyond it into Royal Parade (The Broadway and Royal Parade seem to be names consigned to the history books now, though locals might perhaps correct me). I think it is reasonable to consider the area an eastward expansion of Addiscombe and that means an eastern boundary can usefully be formed by Shirley Road, though it might be fair to also include a few of the roads on the east side that were developed in the 20th Century as they are otherwise isolated from anywhere else (and they are part of St Mildred's parish).

Ashburton does appear quite a bit in the name of businesses and public buildings in this area, as well as in the name of the park and recreation ground, and it is used for the name of an electoral ward. I have occasionally seen the area referred to in the local press as Ashburton. I haven't heard it called it that in common usage but again locals might wish to correct me.

The southern boundary can be considered as the Addiscombe Road along to East Croydon station but again it might be reasonable to include the isolated 20th Century developments south of Addiscombe Road to the east of the tram line (former railway line) and north of Lloyd Park, which again are part of St Mildred's. They might consider themselves as being elsewhere, perhaps Shirley Park, but we'll acknowledge their existence here.