Editing Selsdon (section)

==History==
[[File:Section of the Art Deco houses in Selsdon.JPG|thumb|left|250px|One of several areas of [[Art Deco]] houses in Addington Road]]
Selsdon was historically a rural area; most of it was part of Selsdon Park Estate, once well known as hunting and shooting grounds.<ref name="Willey">{{cite book |last1=Willey |first1=Russ |title=The London Gazzetteer |date=2006 |publisher=Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd |pages=434–35}}</ref> It is mentioned in the [[Domesday Book|Domesday]] book (associated with [[Sanderstead]]). '''[[George Smith (1765–1836)|George Smith]]'''  (30 April 1765 – 26 December 1836) MP, banker and a director of the East India Company, bought the freehold in 1810. He transformed the Selsdon farm into a manor house, 'Selsdon Park'. Smith was a great-great-grandfather (through George's granddaughter [[Frances Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne|Frances Bowes-Lyon]], Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne) of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (wife to ''King George VI''), and therefore also ancestor of ''Queen Elizabeth II and [[Charles III|King]] Charles III''. His memorial is in All Saints Church, Sanderstead. Following his family's residence in Selsdon, from 1890 there were two further owners until 1925, when the last 'Squire' died and the manor was sold for development. The house was to become a hotel and golf course (golf course closed and 'rewilded' in 2023) and from 1926 onwards the surrounding farmland began to be developed into what was then known as ''''Selsdon Garden Village''''.

After concerns were raised about the rapid development of the village, a committee was formed to ensure that an area of {{convert|200|acre|km2}} would be set aside and saved for a [[nature reserve]] and [[bird sanctuary]]. This took over 10 years of public fundraising and became was one of the earliest parts of London's [[green belt]]. This opened to the public in 1936 and was given to the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] after [[Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council]] and the [[Corporation of Croydon]] agreed to manage it jointly. [[Selsdon Wood]] now consists of five large meadows surrounded by extensive woodland and ancient hedges, and it retains the character of a historical woodland. Much wildlife may be found in the wooded areas of Selsdon; such as deer, and more recently parakeets.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} In a similar way, Selsdon's second largest public woodland, [[Littleheath Woods|Littleheath]] Woods was also saved by public subscription. Through Selsdon nature Reserve and Littleheath Woods runs the [[Vanguard Way|Vanguard]] Way and the London Loop which are well marked walking trails.

The old Estate mansion had been converted into the [[Selsdon Park Hotel]] in 1925.<ref name="Willey"/> The accompanying golf course was designed by [[John Henry Taylor]]. There was also a 25m lido. In 1970 it was the venue of a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Shadow Cabinet]] meeting to settle the party's manifesto for the impending [[1970 United Kingdom general election|general election]].<ref name="Willey"/> Labour Party leader [[Harold Wilson]] coined the phrase ''[[Selsdon Man]]'' to describe the free market approach which was agreed,<ref>[http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1811867 Selsdon Man@Everything2.com]</ref> and the [[Selsdon Group]] was later formed within the Conservative Party to campaign for its retention.<ref>[http://www.selsdongroup.co.uk/aboutus.htm About Us] (the Selsdon Group)</ref><ref name="Willey"/>

The Selsdon Resident Association is one of the longest running associations in the UK, formed in 1926. It organises and fundraises for an annual highstreet 'cross street' Christmas light display. 'The Selsdon Gazette' also organised by the association is a monthly free publication of local news and stories, publishing since 1946.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

A resident of Selsdon was [[Kirsty MacColl]] who grew up in Selsdon and attended local schools. Premiership footballer [[Wilfried Zaha]] was a pupil at Selsdon High school (Quest Academy), the same school where former England football team manager [[Roy Hodgson]] taught PE and English in 1975. Supermodel [[Kate Moss]] lived on the borders of Selsdon during her childhood (from 1974 to circa 1988). There have also been several famous alumni of [[Croydon High School]] which is based in Selsdon.