Purley, London facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Purley
Street scene in town centre with local Pizza Express branch, formerly the Westminster Bank in the foreground
Purley
OS grid reference	TQ313615
London borough	Croydon
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	PURLEY
Postcode district	CR8
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Croydon South
London Assembly	Croydon and Sutton
List of places UK England London 51°20′14″N 0°06′51″W / 51.3373°N 0.1141°W / 51.3373; -0.1141

Purley is a lively area in London, England. It's part of the London Borough of Croydon. You can find it about 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south of Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London.

Purley has a long history, going back over 800 years! It used to be a district in Surrey. Then, in 1965, it became part of the London Borough of Croydon. In 2018, the Purley area was split into two smaller areas: Purley and Woodcote, and Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown.

This area is known for its suburban feel, meaning it has lots of homes and green spaces. It even appeared in the TV show Terry and June. In 2011, about 14,000 people lived in Purley.

Purley's Past: A Look at History

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Purley

The name "Purley" comes from a very old estate. Around the year 1200, this estate was given to a person named William de Pirelea. The name "Pirlea" likely meant a wood or a clearing where pear trees grew. It comes from old Anglo-Saxon words for "pear" and "clearing."

Purley and Aviation: A Sky-High History

Kenley Aerodrome, an airfield east of Purley, is still owned by the Ministry of Defence. This airfield was super important during World War II. It was one of the main fighter stations, along with Croydon Airport and Biggin Hill. These airfields helped protect London and supported soldiers during events like the Battle of Britain.

How Purley Grew: From Farmland to Homes

The former Purley Council Offices on Brighton Road, Purley. Now a residential development.

Purley grew very quickly in the 1920s and 1930s. Many spacious homes were built, surrounded by green areas. The northeast part of Purley even reaches into the chalk hills of the North Downs.

One special road here is Promenade de Verdun. It's about 550 meters long. On one side, there are Lombardy poplars trees. The soil for these trees was mixed with French earth, specially brought from France! A plaque explains that the French government donated the soil from Armentières. This was a memorial to the soldiers who died in World War One. At the other end of the road, there's a stone monument. It honors the French soldiers who bravely died in the Great War.

During World War II, a local defense group called the Home Guard protected factories in the Purley Way area. On August 15, 1940, these factories were badly hit by air raids. Many buildings were destroyed, and over sixty civilians lost their lives.

You can learn more about Purley's history and how it grew around the railway station in books by the Bourne Society.

The Webb Estate: A Special Community

An entrance to the estate

The Webb Estate is a unique gated community in Purley. It has about 220 homes. It started as farmland in the 1880s. A person named William Webb bought the land and turned it into beautiful Edwardian homes with lovely gardens.

This estate feels like a "garden village" and offers a lot of privacy. It also has two private schools, a restaurant, and a deli. In 2002, a survey found that the Webb Estate had attracted some of the highest-earning residents in the UK. Many wealthy people who work in the City of London found it an attractive place to live.

Some famous people have lived on the Webb Estate. These include singer Francis Rossi, footballer Wilfried Zaha, TV presenter Laura Hamilton, and former Downing Street Press Secretary Bernard Ingham.

Purley's Location: Where is it?

Map of Purley Postal District

The Purley postal area covers the main high street. It also stretches west into Woodcote and north into the Peaks Hill area. To the east, it includes Riddlesdown, and to the south, it borders Kenley and Coulsdon. The current area for voting, called Purley and Woodcote, is mostly the same as the postal district.

Woodcote Village Green

Woodcote is a part of Purley. It was built in the early 1900s around Woodcote Village Green. You can even find the Woodcote Model Village here. The Webb Estate, mentioned earlier, is also located on Woodcote Road.

A river called the Bourne runs through Purley. It flows underground in some places. Sometimes, the river can cause flooding in the Purley valley. A local history group is even named after this river!

Learning in Purley: Schools and Colleges

Peaks Hill

Purley has many schools, including four Catholic schools. Two of these are in the Peaks Hill area of Purley. These are The John Fisher School, which is a state school for boys, and Laleham Lea School, a private school for both boys and girls.

Purley is also home to one of the UK's oldest language schools, Purley Language College. It was started way back in 1928!

Here are some of the schools you can find in Purley today:

Shopping and Businesses in Purley

Shops in Purley

Purley used to have many different kinds of shops. There were greengrocers, butchers, toy shops, and even a cinema! An old Sainsbury's store closed in the 1980s. A new Sainsbury's opened later but then closed in 2001. A large Tesco supermarket opened in 1991. Over time, the types of shops in Purley have changed. Now, you'll find more charity shops, restaurants, and other businesses.

Local businesses in Purley work together through something called the Purley Business Improvement District (BID). This group helps improve the area for businesses and shoppers.

There are also plans to improve the area around Purley Baptist Church. The church and other local groups are working together to make central Purley even better.

Who Lives in Purley? Demographics

In a count taken in 2011, Purley had a population of 14,607 people. Most residents were White or White British (68.2%). There were also significant numbers of Asian or Asian British (15.5%) and Black or Black British (8.2%) residents. Other groups included Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (5.8%) and other ethnic groups (1.7%). The largest single group was White British (60.7%).

Famous People from Purley

Many interesting people have connections to Purley:

• Michael Arthur, who became a leader at important universities, was born here.
• Jay Aston, a singer from the band Bucks Fizz, was born in Purley.
• Ronald Binge, a composer who wrote the famous Elizabethan Serenade, lived here.
• Derren Brown, a well-known magician, grew up in Purley.
• Kit Connor, an actor, was raised in Purley.
• Peter Cushing OBE, a famous actor, went to school in Purley.
• Brian Fahey, who composed the theme tune for BBC Radio's Pick of the Pops, lived here.
• Andy Frampton, a former professional footballer, grew up in Purley.
• Shelagh Fraser, an actress, was born in Purley.
• Laura Hamilton, a TV presenter, lives in Purley.
• Nigel Harman, an actor, was born in Purley.
• Sir Bernard Ingham, who used to be a press secretary for Margaret Thatcher, lived in Purley.
• Sir David P. Lane, a scientist famous for finding P53 (a protein important in cancer research), went to John Fisher school in Purley.
• Martin Lee, a singer from the band Brotherhood of Man, was born in Purley.
• Archibald Low, a pioneer in radio guidance systems, was born in Purley.
• Ray Mears, a TV survival expert, went to school in Purley.
• Ron Noades, a former chairman of several football clubs, lived in Purley.
• Innes Hope Pearse, a doctor who helped start a special health experiment, grew up in Purley.
• Francis Rossi, the lead singer of Status Quo, lives in the Webb Estate in Purley.
• John Horne Tooke, a politician and language expert, lived in Purley and started writing a book here.
• Wilfried Zaha, a footballer for Crystal Palace FC, lives in the Webb Estate.

Getting Around: Transport in Purley

Purley railway station

Purley Cross is a large roundabout that connects many important roads. These roads lead to places like East Grinstead, Eastbourne, Epsom, Kingston, Redhill, and Brighton. The A23 road heading north from Purley is called the Purley Way. This road leads to Croydon's business areas and to the former Croydon Airport.

Purley is on the main London-to-Brighton railway line. You can catch trains at Purley and Purley Oaks stations. Reedham station is also nearby on the Tattenham Corner Line.

Nearby Train Stations

• Purley railway station
• Purley Oaks railway station
• Riddlesdown railway station
• Reedham railway station
• Sanderstead railway station

Places Close to Purley

• Banstead
• Coulsdon
• Croydon
• Kenley
• Riddlesdown
• Sanderstead
• Selsdon
• South Croydon
• Warlingham
• Woldingham