A History of A History of the Croydon the Croydon

CanalCanal

by Steve Grindlayby Steve Grindlay

In the In the beginning…beginning…

“The Times”, in perhaps its first reference to the canal, announced that the proprietors had accepted the plans

of John Rennie for a canal linking Croydon with Rotherhithe.

They also agreed to seek the necessary Act of Parliament.

By 1803, in “A General History of Inland Navigation”, doubts are already being expressed about the feasibility of the

project.

“The Times” (10 Oct 1800)

The building the canalThe building the canal

“Monthly Magazine” (1 Sept 1807)

This article mentions the bridge over the canal at Sydenham, and the reservoir on Sydenham Common, “more like a lake than a pond”.

The opening of the canalThe opening of the canal

Cuttings from the “The Times” (27 Oct 1809) describing the opening of the canal on the previous Monday, 23

October 1809.

The 160’ contour is

marked in red, the route of the canal in

blue

The route of The route of the canalthe canal

This map of 1833 shows the last few of the 26 locks that barges had to

pass through to climb the 160 feet to Forest Hill.

From “Bradshaw’s Canals” (1833)

Honor Oak ParkHonor Oak Park

“View towards Deptford from the lock-keeper’s house” (1815)

The track across the swing-bridge at thebottom right is now Honor Oak Park.

This is the last of the 26 locks between New Cross Gate and Forest Hill.

“View of Forest Hill and the lock-keeper’s house” (1815)Houses on Honor Oak Road can be seen in the distance.

Honor Oak ParkHonor Oak Park

Honor Oak ParkHonor Oak Park

One of the buildings shown is almost

certainly the surviving Forest Hill

House.

Back of the Manor House

Honor Oak Park

Barges on the canal were restricted to 60 feet long by 9 feet wide, shorter and narrower than on almost any other canal in the

country. This was another factor that contributed to the canal’s unprofitability

“Canal near Norwood”, George Scharf (1828)Despite its title this is believed to show the locks at Honor Oak Park

Boveney Road

There is still a distinct line of mature trees along the back gardens of houses on the west side of Boveney Road, with perhaps a hint of the canal bank by garages off

Hengrave Road.

OS map 1894 OS map 1914

Devonshire Road and Garthorne Road nature reserves

The canal passed through both nature reserves. At this point the railway runs througha deep cutting, 30 feet below the bed of the canal.

Ewelme Road to Woodcombe Crescent

At this point, the line of the canal crosses Woodcombe Crescent towards Davids Road/

Manor Mount, just beyond the flats.

Garages between Woodcombe Crescent and

Devonshire Road.

Davids Road

The canal widened at the site now bordered by Pearcefield Avenue, Davids

Road and Manor Mount.

This pool may have been connected with the wharf, or somewhere for the bargemen to park while taking

refreshment in the Dartmouth Arms.It was drained in 1867.

Stanford, 1862

Havelock Walk& Davids Road

The pavement along Davids Road is a surviving part of the tow-path. When this part of the canal was

drained in 1864 the buildings were erected over the canal bed. Those in Havelock Walk were built on the

western bank.

From the mid-1860s Havelock Walk (originally Havelock Street) has been

used as light industrial premises; blacksmiths, coachbuilders, stables,

wheelwrights and a slaughterhouse.

The swing bridgeThere were 39 swing bridges

and seven road bridges over the canal. This view is north,

with possibly Sydenham Hill in the background.

The betting shop was built over the bed of the canal, just beyond the

swing bridge.

The enclosure map (1819) shows how property boundaries were constrained by the line of the

canal.

The Dartmouth Arms was first licensed in 1815, and was, until the arrival of the railway in 1839, the only building in the area. Eliza Place,

on Stanstead Road, was built about 1837.

The Dartmouth Arms to The Dartmouth Arms to Clyde ValeClyde Vale

Opening of the L&C Railway, 1839.

OS map, 1868

In the late1830s Henry Mihill was living with his widowed mother in Eliza Place. William and Elizabeth Hall were running the Dartmouth Arms on the other side of the railway line. William died in 1840 and in 1842 Henry and

Elizabeth married. Henry moved across the railway line to become the landlord of the Dartmouth Arms.

The Dartmouth Arms was built about 1815, specifically to take advantage of passing trade from the canal. It was rebuilt in 1865, together

with the terrace of shops beyond.

Early last century the single storey shops were built on the garden of the Dartmouth Arms.

Dartmouth ArmsDartmouth Arms

Drainage plan 1865

Remains of the Remains of the canalcanal

About 8 years ago, for a brief period while the wall at the bottom of the Dartmouth

Arms was rebuilt, part of the canal wall was exposed.

Clyde Vale

The top photograph shows the alley

between the Edwardian terrace on

the left and part of the new Printworks

development on the right. Even modern developments are

forced to follow the line of the canal.

The bottom photograph shows the side of Foresters’ Hall

in Clyde Vale.

Raglan Street (now Clyde Vale)

Dartmouth Place

The Sydenham reservoir

From “A view of Sydenham Common” (1812)

1819 Enclosure map

Dacres Wood

Dacres Wood

The canal in 1811

The tithe map, 1843After the building of the railway line this small section of the canal was isolated on the edge of

farmland.

In 1883 it became part of the back garden of a house called “Irongates” where it was clearly

regarded as an ornamental feature. Irongates was demolished in about 1962 and the site became

derelict.

In 1985 Lewisham took over responsibility for the site, and decided it should become a nature reserve.

It was opened as such in 1989.

Irongates

Dacres Wood

The black and white pictures were probably taken in the early 1980’s, the coloured one

late 1980s.

Dacres Wood

Looking south, with the tow path on the left. One source suggests that this engraving might show the section of canal in Dacres Wood.

The Croydon Canal near Sydenham, 1815

Sydenham BridgeSydenham Bridge

Doo’s Wharf is not shown although records show he was operating by 1817.

Doo’s Wharf

Sydenham Bridge in 1836, looking south.

This sketch shows Henry Doo’s wharf apparently thriving,

although within months the closure of the canal would

put him out of business.

By 1843, 321 and 323 Kirkdale had

been built by Doo’s son, also Henry, who operated as a coal merchant at 323 from 1843-1860.

Sydenham Bridge

This painting, bought by an ex-Sydenham resident earlier this year, is by Henry Gastineau, who lived in Camberwell. It was painted in 1836, shortly before the canal closed.

This coloured drawing was probably a

preliminary sketch for the finished painting.

Doo’s Wharf is on the right.

The Cottage, on the left, was built about the same time as the canal. It was demolished in 1870 to

make way for Sydenham Station.

Sydenham Sydenham BridgeBridge

Three versions of the same original.The building on the left is The

Bridge, (built before 1754, demolished 1870s).

Two of the pictures show Doo’s Wharf beyond the bridge.

Accidents and suicidesAccidents and suicides

The Times 26 Sept 1815

The Times, 6 Jun 1831

The Times, 9 Jun 1829

Sport & leisureSport & leisure

From Sydenham, written in 1878 by Mayow Wynell Adams (1808-1898).

Angler’s Guide, 1815

The canal in literatureThe canal in literature

Thomas Love Peacock in his Memoirs of Shelley, 1860

Jorrocks’ Jaunts & Jollities: The Swell and the Surrey

The canal in The canal in literatureliterature

A poem was written to celebrate the opening of the canal, and another poem mourned its passing.This poem was written in 1840, a year after the opening of the L&C railway.

Dispelling mythsDispelling myths

It is often suggested that this building, in Stanstead Road, is connected with the canal,

perhaps as a stable for barge horses.This cannot be so as it was built after 1843, and the canal was some 200 yards away,

crossing Woodcombe Crescent.

The end of the canalThe end of the canalAfter 27 years of failing to make money for its investors, the Croydon Canal

closed on 22 August 1836. Its assets were acquired by the London & Croydon Railway Company who opened their line in June 1839

Although the Croydon Canal was a failure, its impact on our area was profound. From 1809both Sydenham and Forest Hill were divided into two distinct areas, each area connected by a

bridge.

The canal also enabled the L&C Railway to give us the second oldest passenger railway in London.