Norbury is a town and suburb in south London. It shares the postcode London SW16 with neighbouring Streatham. The area is mainly in the borough of Croydon, with some parts extending into the neighbouring borough of Lambeth. Norbury is south of Charing Cross.

Etymology

The name Norbury derives from North Burh, (North Borough). Some local histories note that this was due to Norbury's position on the northern boundary of the former Manor of Croydon. Others state that it takes its name from a split in the borough of Bensham, one of the former seven "boroughs" (i.e. tithings) of Croydon. "Northbenchesham" became the Northborough, then Norbury; "Southbenchesham" later became Thornton Heath.

History

For most of its history Norbury was rural countryside through which the London to Brighton Way Roman road passed. At Hepworth Road, the intact road, 32 feet wide, was excavated in 1961. Remnants of a metalled ford across the stream were found further south at Hermitage Bridge on the River Graveney which forms part of the boundary between Norbury and Streatham, before flowing on to the River Wandle, then the River Thames.

Norbury Manor

By the early thirteenth century, Norbury was a sub-manor within the chief manor of Croydon. The first recorded mention of Norbury Manor was in 1229 when Peter de Bendings conveyed the Manor to John de Kemsing and his wife Idonea and is referred to as the "lands stretching out either side of the London Road". In 1269 the Manor comprised 91 acres of arable land in Pollards Hill, 30 acres in Grandon, 55 acres of pasture, 36 acres of heathland, 2 acres of woodland and 17 acres of meadow land. It is also very well connected to other areas, such as Crystal Palace, Croydon, Streatham and Central London. Norbury Station is in fare zone 3. Some locals consider the area to be in decline, with increased fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour, and a campaign has been started to reverse these changes.

Demography

In the 2011 census, Norbury was White or White British (37.4%), Asian or Asian British (28%), Black or Black British (24.8%), Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (6.5%), and Other ethnic group (2.2%). The largest single ethnicity is White British (24.1%).

Of those living in Norbury, the most common place of birth is England (55%), followed by India (5%), Pakistan (4%), Jamaica (4%) and Kenya (2%). The main first language spoken is English (76.5%), followed by Polish (4%), Urdu (3.3%) and Gujarati (2.8%).

Norbury includes two of the twenty-eight wards which make up Croydon London Borough Council. These two wards, both created in 2018, are Norbury and Pollards Hill and Norbury Park.

Norbury and Pollards Hill

Norbury Park

Nearest places

  • Streatham
  • Streatham Common
  • West Norwood
  • Crystal Palace / Upper Norwood
  • Mitcham
  • Pollards Hill
  • Thornton Heath
  • Croydon
  • Purley

Notable people and residents

  • Kingsley Amis (1922–1995), novelist
  • Correlli Barnett (1927–2022), military historian
  • Derek Bentley (1933–1953), a burglar who was controversially hanged for the death of a police officer in 1952 (subject of the 1991 film Let Him Have It)
  • John Bishop (1931–2000), founder Thames Publishing
  • Edwy Searles Brooks (1889–1965), novelist
  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912), composer
  • John Creasey (1908–1973), detective-story writer
  • Dave (David Orobosa Michael Omoregie) (born 1998), rapper
  • Janet Francis (born 1947), actress
  • Deryck Guyler (1914–1999), actor
  • Wee Willie Harris (1933–2023), singer
  • Will Hay (1888–1949), comedian and actor
  • Libera, boys' choir
  • Michael Moorcock (born 1939), writer and musician
  • Osh (born 1995), singer
  • Robert Prizeman (1952–2021), composer
  • Ralph Reader (1903–1982), actor
  • Stormzy (born 1993), rapper
  • Roxanne Tataei (born 1988), singer

Nearest railway stations

  • Norbury railway station
  • Mitcham Eastfields railway station
  • Streatham Common railway station
  • Streatham railway station
  • Mitcham Junction railway station
  • Thornton Heath railway station

In fiction

Norbury is portrayed in a Sherlock Holmes short story, "The Adventure of the Yellow Face", as one of the few places in which the detective turned out to be wrong regarding his theories (as referenced in the episode "The Six Thatchers" of the BBC television series Sherlock).

Norbury is mentioned in Penelope Fitzgerald's The Beginning of Spring (1988). The character of Nellie Reid, who is central to the plot, but who does not appear until the book's final sentence, is from Norbury; and it is repeatedly mentioned throughout the book in contrast to a very different type of life in Moscow.

Norbury station features in the song "Lesley", from rapper Dave's debut album Psychodrama (2019).

References