Few people know more about Sutton than former policeman Chas Bailey.
He used to be the Deputy Borough Commander, but now he does historic walks around the town centre.
Here are his top ten things you might not know know about Sutton
1. Sutton gets a mention in the history records as far back as 675 AD when Frithwald, the Governor of Surrey, gave the land to the Abbot of Chertsey.
2. Roundshaw estate is built on the runways of the old Croydon Aerodrome, which was a fighter base during the battle of Britain - hence many of the roads on the estate are named after plans including Spitfire Road.
3. Worcester Park takes its name from the 4th Earl of Worcester who looked after Henry VIII's great hunting park that stretched from what we now call Cheam, Nonsuch and Cuddington all the way to Worcester Park.
4. The Oaks horse race, which now takes place as part of the Epsom Derby Festival, began in 1625 as a hell-for-leather cross country race. The four mile course originally started in the Carshalton Oaks area and finished on Epsom Downs.
5. A pair of rare peregrine falcons have been nesting on top of Quadrant House - home to the Sutton Guardian - for several years.
6. The sound of marching Roman Legionnaires would have reverberated along Stonecot Hill and London Road - they form part of Roman a highway known as Stane Street that stretched 56 miles from Chichester to London Bridge.
7. There is a 400-year-old Lebanon cedar tree still growing by Quadrant House. There were others planted in the area that gave nearby Cedar Road its name.
8. Henry VIII built a walled hare warren to provide animals for hunting. Parts of the wall still remain in south Cheam, including in Warren Avenue. Holes can still be seen at the base of the wall. These were used when hares were wanted. Servants would open the hatches and chase hares through the holes into nets on the other side.
9. The groundsman's hut at Sutton Cricket Club used to be the main building at Sutton station until the station was modernised and the building was dismantled and relocated.
10. The Rolling Stones played a gig in a Sutton town centre pub in the 60s - to find out which one take one of Chas Bailey's walking tours, starting from the crossroads by Caffe Nero in Sutton town centre every Thursday at 3pm from May 1 to August 28.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel