Ashburton Playing Fields

Ashburton Playing Fields is a playing field located in Woodside, London. It is managed by the London Borough of Croydon. Monks Orchard, the playing fields run from Bywood Avenue in the north to Chaucer Green in the west and Woodville Avenue in the east, the houses in Stroud Green Way back onto the western boundary. Tramlink service for the park are Arena and Woodside - Route 1 and Route 2. It covers an area of 49. 5acre. FacilitiesFacilities include: football pitches, changing rooms, and children's playground. The ground is open all the time although the sports pitches and use of changing rooms has to be booked via Sports bookings. HistoryThe Playing Fields and adjacent areas have a long sporting history. Until well into the late Victorian age a race-course thrived on the ground behind the Woodside Fire Station, with the site covering the Stroud Green housing estate, Ashburton School and Ashburton Playing Fields. It is said that King James I established public horse racing at Croydon early in his reign. The course was shaped like a "short-tailed" figure 9 (with the top pointing towards the north-east), bounded on the north by Lower Addiscombe Road and Long Lane, and on the east by what is now Bywood Avenue. The Chaffinch Brook marked its south-east edge, with a terminal straight coming back towards Shirley Road along the line of Elmhurst Road, past the grandstand and finishing in front of what is now Ashburton School. The grandstand was just east the end of the Shirley Park Road, near the present tennis courts. (Source: 1888 4" map by GM Dacon of The Strand, London)

Ashburton Playing Fields is a playing field located in Woodside, London. It is managed by the London Borough of Croydon. Monks Orchard, the playing fields run from Bywood Avenue in the north to Chaucer Green in the west and Woodville Avenue in the east, the houses in Stroud Green Way back onto the western boundary. Tramlink service for the park are Arena and Woodside - Route 1 and Route 2. It covers an area of 49. 5acre. FacilitiesFacilities include: football pitches, changing rooms, and children's playground. The ground is open all the time although the sports pitches and use of changing rooms has to be booked via Sports bookings. HistoryThe Playing Fields and adjacent areas have a long sporting history. Until well into the late Victorian age a race-course thrived on the ground behind the Woodside Fire Station, with the site covering the Stroud Green housing estate, Ashburton School and Ashburton Playing Fields. It is said that King James I established public horse racing at Croydon early in his reign. The course was shaped like a "short-tailed" figure 9 (with the top pointing towards the north-east), bounded on the north by Lower Addiscombe Road and Long Lane, and on the east by what is now Bywood Avenue. The Chaffinch Brook marked its south-east edge, with a terminal straight coming back towards Shirley Road along the line of Elmhurst Road, past the grandstand and finishing in front of what is now Ashburton School. The grandstand was just east the end of the Shirley Park Road, near the present tennis courts. (Source: 1888 4" map by GM Dacon of The Strand, London)