Open House Festival

Neighbourhoods

Back to neighbourhoods

Croydon

Croydon, this year’s London Borough of Culture, has so much to offer this Open House Festival. From iconic landmarks that have shaped the borough's skyline, like The Minster and Shirley Windmill, to the charming corners that hold cherished secrets such as Little Mouse Cheese Shop and Love Lane Community Garden, the festival is your chance to gain insight into the tapestry of unique designs that reflect Croydon’s diverse history and vibrant community.

Drop in / Guided tour

Carnival of Invention

open site

A day-long takeover of Station Road celebrating local invention, community and creativity. Bringing together the past, present and future of South Norwood with interactive arts & crafts, live performances, a feast and a go kart race.

Drop in

Croydon Minster

religious, concert/performance space, civic

Medieval style church rebuilt by Sir George Gilbert Scott after 1867 fire. Tower & south porch are 15C. Large nave with open timber-work roof leads to chancel dominated by superb stained glass window & rich alabaster reredos.

Mediaeval/Sir George Gilbert Scott, 1870

Drop in

Little Mouse Cheese Shop

retail

Visit Little Mouse, an Edwardian shop in South Norwood with original wooden frontage and fascia that is now an artisan cheesemonger.

-, 1850

Guided tour

Love Lane Green

garden

Visitors can drop in on the 10th September to view the garden. Volunteers will be onsite to answer any questions about the community garden. The 11th September there will be two guided talks, beginning at 11am and 3pm. No need to book.

Guided tour

Museum of Croydon Behind the Scenes Tour

community/cultural

We propose to open the Museum of Croydon stores for an intimate guided tour of our stored collections also featuring an overview of collection care. This activity will take approximately 1hr and can cater for a maximum of 8 people.

Charles Henman, 1896

Drop in

Shirley Windmill

industrial

The present brick tower windmill was built 1854 to replace a post mill destroyed by fire. Now renovated to near-working condition, it is the only surviving windmill in Croydon.

Unknown, 1854

Drop in / Talk

South Norwood Library

library, civic

The purpose-built library is a fine example of brutalist architecture. Built by Hugh Lea, Borough Architect for Croydon, in 1968 the main volume shows miesian influence with an abundance of natural light, interrupted by a concrete cuboid.

Hugh Lea , 1966

Drop in / Guided tour

Stanley Arts

theatre, entertainment, community/cultural, mixed use, concert/performance space

A public hall, theatre and gallery in grand Edwardian style. Grade II listed, Stanley made fun of the Victorian style with grand ornamentation. It reflects Stanley's interest in science, the arts and public cultural improvement.

William Ford Robinson Stanley, 1903

Guided tour

St Bernard's Houses

residence, housing

21 houses, in 3 terraces, built by Swiss architects Atelier 5 for Wates. Living areas on the upper floor are approached through a garden court. Bedrooms downstairs open to a lower garden. Pevsner wrote, 'a group with few equals in Britain'.

Atelier 5, 1969

Drop in

Turf Projects (Whitgift Centre)

art studio

Founded in 2013 by Croydon locals, Turf Projects is Croydon’s homegrown artist space and the first entirely artist-run contemporary art space in the borough.

Anthony Minoprio, 1968

Join us for an open tour exploring the architecture, use, and restoration of the WWII fighter pens and air raid shelters that were part of RAF Kenley's airfield defenses.

Air Ministry Works and Buildings, 1940