A large major town in South London and also the principle settlement of the London Borough of Croydon. The town is identified as one of the eleven metropolitan centres in Greater London.

Historically, Croydon was part of Surrey and expanded during the Middle Ages as a market town and a centre for charcoal production, leather tanning and brewing.

The Surrey Iron Railway which went from Croydon to Wandsworth opened in 1803 amd was the worlds first public railway.

By the early 20th century, Croydon was an important industrial area, well known for its car manufacturing, metal working and its airport. These sectors were replaced by retailing and the service industry in the mid 20th century. Croydon was eventually incorporated into Greater London in 1965.