Libraries all over Croydon Borough will be hosting 'BBC Hands On History' events: Friday 10th September from 16:00h to 17:30h, Ashburton Library will be hosting 'Meet the Normans'. Activities include a Norman Quiz.

September 22nd from 16:00h to 17:00h, Thornton Heath Library will be hosting 'Make a Norman Shield'.

October 9th from 14:00h to 17:00h, Purley Library will be hosting 'Hands on the Normans' a Drop In, Hands On History event for families during Family Learning Week.

October 13th from 16:00h to 17:00h, Knight Time Stories and Crafts October 15th from 16:00h to 17:00h, Making Shield October 16th from 14:30h to 16:00h, Building Castles (free tickets) October 30th from 10:30am to 11:30am and 14:30 to 15:30h Could you be a Norman Knight (Shirley Library, Croydon See BBC website; Hands on History for details Medieval buildings and architecture in Croydon As well as Croydon being mentioned in the Doomsday Book, there are still plenty of medieval buildings and architecture in Croydon. The most famous is Old Palace School, which was officially a residence for the Archbishops of Canterbury.

In fact, although the earliest record of a building is in 1273, it is thought that there could have been a house on the site at least a century earlier and the archbishops may have resdided there as well. It was mainly used as a summer residence and occasionally entertained royal guests.

In fact,according to the Doomsday Book of 1086, Croydon had a population of about 365, a church and a mill.Around 1450 a Great Hall was added to 'Croydon Palace'.

CROYDON PARISH CHURCH There are records of a building that was the original Church in Saxon times and a priest in 960AD. The first official record of a church building is in the Doomsday Book of 1086.The Church was mainly a Perpendicular style structure, which was damaged by fire in 1867. Only the tower, south porch and outer walls remained.

SELSDON PARK HOTEL Its history can be traced back to 861AD, the time of King Alfred and the Anglo Saxons. It was also a base for the Knights Templar and is said to be haunted, as is Old Palace School.