Coombe, Croydon

Coombe
Coombe Wood House
Coombe is located in Greater London
Coombe
Coombe
Location within Greater London
OS grid referenceTQ342647
London borough
Ceremonial countyGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCROYDON
Postcode districtCR0
Dialling code020
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
UK Parliament
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London
51°21′48″N 0°04′11″W / 51.3633°N 0.0696°W / 51.3633; -0.0696

Coombe is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, situated south-east of central Croydon, between Addiscombe, Selsdon and Upper Shirley. Formerly a hamlet, since the growth of suburban development the area has become swallowed into the London conurbation and often does not appear on modern map.[1]

Coombe is located between the green spaces of Addington Hills, Lloyd Park, Ballards and Coombe Wood. It is unusual in this part of South London as it has barely been urbanised and has retained its collection of large houses fairly intact. Its rural character is maintained by the woodland aspect of the road and an old cattle trough at the junction of Coombe Lane and Oaks Road. Tramlink, however, runs through Coombe. Coombe Lane, the continuation of Coombe Road, is the principal road. Conduit Lane is an ancient unpaved route that is now a woodland path.

There was an estate at Coombe as far back as 1221, recorded as being held by Richard of Coombe. The name comes from the Old English 'cumb', meaning a valley.[1] In Elizabethan times, it was known as Broad Coombe.[1] In the 17th century, it was owned by the brothers of William Harvey, who first described the circulation of blood.

  1. ^ a b c Willey, Russ (2006). The London Gazzetteer. Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. p. 116.