The Common,

Which contains about 140 houses, and a population of about 900 inhabitants, was previously to the inclosure in 1797, a barren waste overgrown with furze and heath, but is now an improving part of the parish. By the Act of Parliament passed] for the enclosure, the allotments given to the respective claimants were made freehold; many of which have been since subdivided into small portions for the purpose of building; and the land left at that time unenclosed, has, by a second Act obtained for the sale of the waste lands &c. &c. to build the Court house, &c. been disposed of, and also enclosed in small parcels convenient for the same purpose; and several chearful and commodious houses have been built upon them; so that the place has now more the appearance of a village, than of the remains of

a waste.

Broad Green,

Situated about half a mile north of the town, on the London road, is a considerable Hamlet containing about 85 houses, among which are the villas of Thomas Bainbridge, Keen Staples, J. Lamotte, William Minier, John

Brooks, and Robert Lloyd, Esquires; as also the manorial house of Mr. Caldcleugh, to whom belongs the Rectory Manor of Croydon, and the middle chancel in the Church.

We are informed that a Mr. Brander, had the Court Rolls of John Godewick, the Rector, in 1380, and 1388. In 1550, the manor with the rectorial tithes, was granted to Thomas Walsingham, of Chislehurst; it descended to three sisters, one of whom was married to Anthony, Viscount Montague, who in the year 1742, obtained an Act of Parliament, for the sale of the undivided estates of the family. In 1788 some parts of the great tithes were disposed of to different landholders, and those remaining were conveyed to George, Viscount Montague, who in 1793 transferred them and the manor, with the middle chancel, to Robert Harris Esq. who died in 1807. This property was then sold to Alexander Caldcleugh, Esq. of Broad Green, who died in 1809, and is now in the possession of his son Alexander Caldcleugh, Esq.

Thornton Heath,

Is situated about a mile and a quarter North of the town, on the London road. This Hamlet, on account of the allotments of land

at the time of the enclosure being converted into freehold property, has become a considerable village, containing about 68 houses, in which number are included the neat villas of Thomas Cole, a Magistrate for the county of Surrey, and Charles Wilkins, Esquires.

Near the South end of the town is

Bird's Lodge,

the agreeable and retired residence of John Rogers, Esq. a Magistrate for the county. It was built about twenty years since by Thomas Walker, Esq. and is delightfully situated with gardens and plantations in a beautiful valley leading from the town of Croydon to Croham House.

The grove near the back lane is the retired residence of Samuel Chollet, Esq. It is situated in a valley on the skirts of the Park Hill on the East; and surrounded by well grown timber trees; it opens to the West by two neat lodges into Coombe Lane.

At the South extremity of the town, and near the toll-gate, is the residence of William Cole, Esq. who having obtained from Lady Blunt a lease of this noble mansion, has made

such tasteful additions to the buildings and pleasure grounds, as not only adorn the estate, but also considerably improve the Southern approach to the town of Croydon.

In the Back Lane adjoining to the town, are the handsome residences of George Field, Thomas Smith, and John Dingwall, Esquires. And a little further, in the part called the New Lane is the house of Christopher Taddy, Esq.

Enclosure of the Wastes.

In the parish of Croydon, before the enclosure, there were near 1500 acres of common, heath, and waste land, which, in their then condition produced little or no public utility or advantage to the town,

This land was in the time of Cromwell surveyed, and found to contain as follows:

For the enclosure of which in the year 1797,

an Act of Parliament * was obtained, by which it was provided that if the commissioners should find that the inhabitants of Croydon had any right of common on Norwood, or in the woods there, they should set out as an equivalent for such right, 215 acres in some of the commons of Croydon, which should be vested in the vicar, churchwardens, and overseers for the time being, and six other principal inliabitants, to be annually chosen at the vestry, on Easter Tuesday, who should be a Corporate Body. The commissioners set out 237 acres and two rood's of land for the inhabitants of Croydon, instead of 215 acres; whereupon a doubt arose, whether the 237 acres and two roods were properly vested in these trustees, and whether they could legally exercise the powers given with respect to the 215 acres. To remove this doubt, another Act was ob tained in 1803, which fully established the powers of the trustees to lease, make regulations, stints of commonage, impound cattle; inflict any moderate penalties, bring and defend suits, &c. &c.

But the commissioners, included in these 237 acres, two roods, certain sand pits on

See page 50.