Parks and playgrounds directory

Location

Coulsdon, Rickman Hill, Ridgemount Avenue.

Area

16 1/2 acres 6.68 hectares.

Facilities

• Dotty's Tea Garden café
• Children’s playground
• Tennis court. To book a tennis court, please visit Croydon Parks Tennis and select a location
• Kick about area
• Sports ground

History

Rickman Hill Recreation Ground is an old field that is shown on the 1868 plan with the small woodland, Mother Kittys Shaw, in the north east corner.  The ground was purchased in 1927 by the Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council.  

The land had been held for many years by a very old family, the Carews.  They had held land at Hartley since the 14th century and under Henry VIII, Sir Richard Carew bequeathed lands at Ruckkenhams ‐ Rickman Hill ‐ to his widow Lady Malin by way of the dower.  His son Sir Nicholas Carew of Beddington became a favourite of the King and was his Master of the Horse.  

At the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537 Henry granted him the Manor of Coulsdon.  Although Sir Nicholas lost favour with the King and was executed, his family retained Coulsdon until 1670.