Mitcham history

At the time of the Domesday Book, the area was called Michelham. It became a popular area for rich people wanting to have houses away from the centre of London. Queen Elizabeth I visited Mitcham on a number of occasions to stay with various notables. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was a centre for the printing trade. It was added to the London tram network in the 1880s, which led to considerable residential development as commuters moved into the area. Mitcham Common was preserved by an Act of Parliament in 1891 and covers about 460 acres.