London Districts: Croydon (Documentary)

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Croydon is in the London Borough of Croydon spread across both London and Surrey. It's a large town directly to the south of central London in the midst of Bromley, Thornton Heath, Mitcham and Carshalton.

Originally a mediaeval market town, Croydon was the go-to place for the valuable Saffron spice and its place name is believed to be derived from this.

Croydon boasts a large shopping complex in the shape of the Centrale and the Whitgift Centre which was the largest shopping centre in London until 2008.

This Greater London town is distinctive for its TfL Tramlink light rail transport system. Croydon's version of the DLR. It began operating in 2000 as the first London tram system since 1952. All 17 miles of it are now included on the London Tube Map.

The council seems to have given tacit approval of an arts quarter over the last few years. Dozens of striking murals are emerging on walls, shutters and fences around the town centre as part of the 2015 Croydon Mural Project which has produced over 100 murals to date.

Croydon College is a further education college established in 1868 offering BTEC Diplomas, NVQs, A levels and entry level courses. For the last few years, it has maintained an Ofsted rating of 'good'. The BRIT School for performing arts and technology also lives in Croydon and has birthed a slew of notable actors and musicians.

Recently, the popular food, retail and club outlet, Boxpark, forged out of shipping containers, opened a venue in East Croydon. It has revitalised the night life and trendy image among younger punters.

The town is expected to see further changes through its Vision 2020 urban planning initiative which aims on promoting Croydon as a hub of living, retailing, culture and business with £3.5 billion committed to development projects.

The Shirley Windmill has had its fair share of life tribulations. Its been abandoned, set on fire, replaced, eaten by birds, struck by lightning, had limbs broken off and was listed for sale in the paper as an April fool's joke by school pupils in 1971.

In 1803, Croydon opened the worlds first public railway. The Surrey Iron Railway ran from Croydon to Wandsworth to facilitate the area into becoming a growing commuter town.

Today, East Croydon station is one of the U.K.’s busiest non-terminal train stations. Additionally, the large town has a West and South Croydon station but is absent of a North Croydon. There is an express train to Gatwick airport; just one replacement of the now defunct Croydon international airport, which was also the U.K.’s first. It introduced a control tower along with air-traffic control to the world after the first world war.

Neighbouring the station is the iconic 50p building, or as it is properly known, number One Croydon. Completed in 1970, it has 27 multi angular storeys stacked up to a height of 269 feet.

Saffron Square tower is currently Croydon's tallest building at 440 feet and recently won a unique architectural prize for the ugliest building in the UK. A new skyscraper is set to be built at nearly 800 feet. This will exceed the height of One Canada Square in Canary Wharf to become the U.K.’s second tallest building behind The Shard and the highest residential block.

The Fairfield halls arts, entertainment and conference centre opened in 1962. It has hosted The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Queen, Pink Floyd and was a setting in the Da Vinci Code film.

Aside from the modern development, Croydon preserves several older structures like the Croydon minster, Addington Palace to the south and Croydon Palace; traditionally the summer residence of the arch bishop of Canterbury for over 500 years.

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