History and background

Time line 957 - 2006

957 - Anglo Saxon Charter records site as wood pasture

 

1085 - The Great North Wood recorded in The Domesday Book

 

1746 - Barnard's Farm, later Penge Place, first shown on map

 

1827 - Penge common enclosed

 

1854 - Relocated Crystal Palace opened by Queen Victoria

 

1855 - Horticultural Fete - Upper series of fountains working for the first time

 

1856 - Royal inauguration of the entire system of Grand Waterworks

 

1857 - Park 'completed' with the formation of the cricket ground

 

1857 - The Handel Festival begins (held roughly every three years until 1926)

 

1865 - Brock's fireworks display began

 

1865 - Crystal Palace High Level Station opened

 

1866 - December, North Transept and part of the North Wing destroyed by fire

 

1870 - Maze is opened for the first time

1871 - Houses built on park fronting Thicket Road and Crystal Palace Park Road

1883 - More land was sold to build Ledrington Road, next to the South Tower

1884 - Houses and shops built on Park near Crystal Palace Low Level Station

1893-4 - The North Tower Gardens were laid out, including the Upper Reservoir

1894 - Great Fountain basins filled in

1895 - Cup Final played at Crystal Palace

1902 - An amusement park with water rides was created

1904 - The rose garden is destroyed to make space for popular attraction, called Maxim's Flying Machine

1911 - Festival of Empire Exhibition, to celebrate the coronation year of King George V

1914 - Crystal Palace and grounds acquired for the nation

1914 to 1918 - Crystal Palace used as Naval Training Depot: HMS Victory VI

1920 - King George V and Queen Mary reopen Crystal Palace as home of the Imperial War Exhibition

1920s - Motor Racing Circuit created

1923 - Fire in South Wing

1933 - Baird opens TV studios in South Tower area

1936 - 30th November, Palace destroyed in fire

1939 to 1945 - WWII Service use - heavy anti-aircraft site 1943

1952 to 1965 - London County Council ownership. Lower 70 acres opened to public

1952 - Dinosaurs restored

1952 - Zoo created on former Crystal Palace polo stables

1953 - Motor racing resumed

1955 - Early designs for National Sports Centre drawn up by Sir Leslie Martin - Architect to London County Council

1960 to 1964 - National Sports Centre built by London County Council

1965 to 1986 - Greater London Council ownership

1976 - Crystal Palace Parade site 4.75 acres landscaped and opened

1972 - Motor racing stopped, allowing more public access

1978 - Ski slope installed. Park staff dwellings and jogging trail added

1986 - London Borough of Bromley take ownership of site

1988 - Maze replanted and reopened

1990 - Steve Backley breaks the javelin world record at the Grand Prix

1997 to 2001 - Plans for development on the hilltop ridge and park re-landscaping meet opposition

2001 - Development proposals dropped

2003 - Restored dinosaur park opens to public

2004 - 150th anniversary of The Crystal Palace relocated to the park

2004 - Mayor of London, LDA, Sport England and London Borough of Bromley reach agreement to secure short-term future of sports facilities and allow investment in athletics track

2004 September - first round of public consultation to rejuvenate park and sports centre

2006 - LDA take responsibility for the Sports Centre.