Mammoths And Mayday: Delve Into Croydon's Heritage

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 93 months ago
Mammoths And Mayday: Delve Into Croydon's Heritage
Photo by leica0000 in the Londonist Flickr pool

Mammoths, mosques and the mayday distress call are all being celebrated at the Croydon Heritage Festival later this month.

Plenty of aspects of the area's history are covered throughout the festival, which incorporates exhibitions, tours, workshops and open buildings.

The festival kicks off with Croydon Heritage Day on 18 June. Museum of London Archaeology's 'Time Truck' will be in town, letting local people ogle artefacts that have been found on local digs. There's also a hefty programme of music and dance performances, stalls and food vendors to get things under way.

Later in the festival, go behind the scenes at Croydon Town Hall, St Mary Magdalene Church, or the tram maintenance facility. You can also take a free tour of Londonist favourite Croydon Airport — home to the world's oldest air traffic control tower, and the place where the "mayday" cry for help was debuted.

Croydon Mosque also has an open day, as does Croydon's oldest building, while those into their football can get stuck into the history of nearby club, Crystal Palace.

The Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society hosts a one day exhibition where they'll be displaying a mammoth tusk and teeth, harking back to the period when the giant mammals roamed the area.

Croydon Heritage Festival takes place 18-26 June. See festival website for full programme and booking details.

See also: 11 amazing facts about Croydon Airport.

Last Updated 08 June 2016