Living in Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace is named after the vast glass exhibition hall that was moved here from Hyde Park after the Great Exhibition of 1851 and destroyed by fire in 1936. Its terraces, grand steps and ruined sphinxes survive in Crystal Palace Park, alongside the famous Victorian dinosaur sculptures, a maze, a boating lake, the National Sports Centre and a concert bowl. The television transmitter mast on the hilltop is visible across London.

The neighbourhood sits on one of the highest points in the capital, where five boroughs meet, and its centre, known as the Triangle, is formed by Westow Hill, Westow Street and Church Road. The Triangle has independent shops, antique and vintage stores, cafés, restaurants, pubs and bars, and a strong local identity that residents are protective of. The views from streets on the ridge extend across central London and to the North Downs.

Crystal Palace station has Overground trains north through Forest Hill, Canada Water and Shoreditch to Highbury & Islington, and Southern services to Victoria and London Bridge. Gipsy Hill and Sydenham Hill stations nearby add more rail options. Journeys into central London typically take thirty to forty minutes, and the steep hills make walking and cycling challenging. Crystal Palace FC plays at Selhurst Park, a few miles away, not in the neighbourhood itself.

Housing includes large Victorian villas, many converted into flats, mansion blocks, Victorian terraces and some post-war estates. Rents are generally lower than in Dulwich or Clapham, with more space. Crystal Palace suits people who want a creative, characterful neighbourhood with a large park, independent businesses and views, and who are willing to accept a longer rail-based commute.