Did you know that...
Sanderstead name comes from the personal name Sanders which means son of defender of men. This South London area was established as a settlement since prehistoric times. A Romano-British homestead, round huts, and some North African pottery were found here. The first mention of Sanderstead comes from 871 when ealdorman Alfred mentions the village in his will. In the 11th century, the area was known as Sandestede and it belonged to St Peter’s Abbey. About 30 people lived here. This CR2 area includes the second-highest point in London.
Sanderstead Court country house dates from the 17th century and it belonged to the Atwood family. The history of the house begins in 1346 when Justice Peter Atte Wood and wife Laurencia bought land in the area. The house was repurposed into the Selsdon Court hotel in the 20th century. Only ruins remain now as the building was destroyed by fire in 1944. The ruins have Grade II listed status. All Saints’ Church is a grade I listed building that dates from the 13th century. The church is from 1230 and the tower from 1330. The church features a monument honoring John Dryden, the first Poet Laureate.
Theater director Laurier Lister and English journalist Malcolm Muggeridge were born in this part of South London. Model Kate Moss spent her childhood here. The local railway station was established in 1884. The area had 300 residents at that time. In 1913, the station caught fire. The station was rebuilt in 1987 after the old building was destroyed by fire in 1986. Cricket is a favorite sport. There are recordings of 18th-century games of cricket played here. Sanderstead Cricket Club lies on the site of the Old Saw Mill. A particularity of Sanderstead is that it doesn’t have a local pub while the nearby village has six.
