Land and Building ownership

The land was purchased in 1783, which included Hartley Farm which was later demolished, and Hartley Old Road was closed, so that it would not go to Bradmore Green and St John’s Church, Old Coulsdon.

On April 28 1856 The Grange next to St Johns Church was let out to John Charles Conybeare, of Kew and was known as Coulsdon Court.

Thomas Byron III (1809-1863) built the Coulsdon Court and his son squire Edmund ‘Nobby’ Byron laid the Foundation Stone, aged 6.

In 1856, Thomas opened his park and gardens to visitors who were workmen, their wives, tenants and wives, servants and he had dinner and dancing for all.

When Thomas died in 1863, Edmund took over the estate as ‘Lord of the Manor’ and when he died the house and land was left to Trustees of the Will.

In 1923, the Trustees sold the land at Coulsdon Court and the neighbouring land to Charles H Cearn.

In 1924, the land was sold to the Purley and Coulsdon Estates Ltd.

In 1936, Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council adopted the land under Compulsory Purchase under the Public Works Facilities Act 1930, confirmed by the Ministry of Health in 1936.

In 1937, the Council set aside part of the land as a Public Park and Golf Course.

In 1938, access was allowed across the Golf Course and Park from Hartley Old Road via Coulsdon Court Road and across the road to Coulsdon Road.

Footpath

There is a long footpath across the land following the line across and known as Footpath 764, which goes from Hartley Old Road, around the Manor and via Coulsdon Court Road to Coulsdon Road.

In 1982, the site of the Manor, now a hotel, and the Golf Course was 1st leased to provide the facilities, no longer supported by the Council.

On 20th January 1992, enquiries began to identify and mark the footpaths which arose at the top of Hartley Old Road and Golf Course. It proceeded left and right through the golf course towards the Manor House, across from there to Coulsdon Court Road and forward towards the Coulsdon Road, ending opposite numbers 130/132 Coulsdon Road. This was footpath 764.

On 14th February 1996, formal notification was given confirming footpath 764 as described, crossing the Golf Course, as a Public Right of Way under Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The single track ‘road’ from the entrance to the Coulsdon Manor Hotel and Golf Course to the Coulsdon Road, opposite house numbers 130/132 remains a designated footpath number 764, and was not and has not been made up as a modern road.

Rita Lewis, October 2019