here... - Chislehurst Society

Transcription

Chislehurst History
Today
A Tour
around Chislehurst
Now and Then
Published by The Chislehurst Society
www.chislehurst-society.org.uk
Chislehurst History Today
Looking south along Chislehurst High Street from the junction with Willow Grove.
Photograph taken before 1914.
These notes have been researched and edited by a team from the
Chislehurst Society’s Local History Group.
If you would like to join the group, contact us.
Images are taken from the Society’s Ribbons Collection of old images and
drawings, so named because of the generosity of Peter Ribbons in allowing
us to access his valuable collection of Chislehurst images collected over
many years.
© The Chislehurst Society, September 2013
The Chislehurst Society
PO Box 82, Chislehurst BR7 5TT
www.chislehurst-society.org.uk
email: localhistory@ chislehurst-society.org.uk
tel: 020 8467 0900
ii
Welcome to
Welcome to our tour, designed and presented by The Chislehurst Society, to show how
much of Chislehurst’s rich and varied history can still be experienced today.
Chislehurst can date itself back to before the Norman Conquest, and there has been
continuous settlement here for a thousand years or more. Most of what we can now
see was developed since the middle of the 19th century, though some buildings, such
as the parish church, are much older. Chislehurst became a fashionable place to live
after the exiled Emperor of France took up residence here, which nearly coincided
with the extension of the railway to Chislehurst. There followed a huge expansion of
building and development, which formed the basis for Chislehurst as it is today. At
the same time the new residents wanted to maintain a rural feel to Chislehurst, and
they campaigned successfully to keep the Commons, Petts Wood and Scadbury Park
as open spaces.
There is much to see, and our tour is designed to let you see the charms of Chislehurst
past and present, either from the comfort of your home, or by walking or cycling the
route. The tour starts at Chislehurst Station, which is located on the southwestern
edge of Chislehurst, and it is here that we will finish, though of course, being circular,
the tour can be started and finished where you like!
Some notes to bear in mind:
•
The text gives you directions (marked ]). If you are walking, the whole trip could
take most of a day. There are plenty of places to rest and eat and drink.
•
We give hints about what to look for on the trip (). If you would like to point out
something of interest that we haven’t included, please let us know...
•
We have not been able to include all parts of Chislehurst in this tour, in particular,
the areas north of Red Hill, the stretch of Green Lane from Belmont Parade, and
the parts of Chislehurst near Leeson’s Hill are not included. They are lovely places,
but not easy to include in an organised trip.
Remember to send us any images you take during the tour
iii
The walking or cycling tour.
•
The walk is some 7 miles long (plus
another mile or so if you extend it to
Babington House and Bullers Wood).
•
There are three steep hills, Summer
Hill, Red Hill and Logs Hill, otherwise
the route is reasonably comfortable.
•
Apart from the trip to Willett Memorial
Wood and any walking you do on the
commons, which are on grass or dirt
tracks, the route is served by pavements
in reasonable condition. Cycling on the
commons is only allowed on bridle
paths.
•
You will need to cross some busy roads
during the tour.
iv
Tour Map and list of contents (showing stop number, location and page number)
1. Chislehurst Station
2
2. Summer Hill 2
3. Water Tower
3
4. Mill Place
3
4
5. Old Hill
6. The Cedars
4
5
7. Camden Place 8. Prince Imperial Monument 6
9. Cricket Ground
7
10. Chislehurst Common 7
11. St Nicholas Church
8
12. Hawkwood Lane
9
13. St Mary’s Church
9
14. Manor House
10
15. Manor Park
10
16. Willett Memorial
11
17. Holbrook Lane
12
18. Bull Lane
13
19. Royal Parade
13
20. War Memorial
14
21. Farringtons15
22. Perry Street
15
23. Scadbury 16
17
24. Ashfield Lane
Detour. Kemnal Road 17
25. Chislehurst’s Ponds 18
26. Methodist Church
19
27. Chislehurst High Street
20
28. The Annunciation Church 21
29. Red Hill
22
30. Willow Grove
22
31. Yester Road
23
32. Lubbock Road
23
33. Chislehurst Caves
24
Appendix - two detours
Elmstead Grange
26
Bullers Wood26
1
Chislehurst Station
The present stylish station buildings date from
1868, though some parts are more recent. An
earlier station had been opened in 1865, 600
yards further down the road by Old Hill.
The arrival of the railway in Chislehurst nicely
anticipated the increase in interest in the village
that followed the arrival of Emperor Napoleon
III and his family in 1870 after his defeat at
Sedan and exile from France. Merchants and
professionals were attracted to this interesting village and could more easily commute
from here, and, as a result, new roads of large houses were built to accomodate them.
It is interesting that both Orpington and Sevenoaks stations, built at the same time as
Chislehurst’s, were relatively cheap clapboard structures; Chislehurst’s superior brick
building reflected the clientele it was expected to receive, given the growing number
of large properties in the area.
 The buildings to the south of the main station building are worth a look. The small
chalet building was once occupied by a coal merchant.
]Turn right out of the station and left up the hill towards Chislehurst. (Bus routes
162 and 269 can help you up the hill, which is quite steep).
Summer Hill
Originally a private road, and called Station Hill,
Summer Hill was developed by George Wythes
in the 1860s. It is a very steep hill.
A number of Victorian mansions were built on
both sides of the newly developed road, including
the large houses Cromlix, Heatherbank and
Avalon. Only Avalon survives, today being
used by the Salvation Army, although Cromlix
Lodge remains and the name of Heatherbank is
retained in a road of modern houses.
The road bends alarmingly at its steepest point, near where the single decker bus is
on this photograph of 1949. Summer Hill is now the main road between Chislehurst
(and beyond) and Bromley, and can get very busy during the morning and evening
rush hours.
The gates of Cromlix can be seen on the right hand side of Summer Hill near the
brow of the hill.
2
]Carry on to the top of the hill just by the bus stop.
Water Tower
A Water Tower straddled the top of Summer Hill
in Chislehurst for more than a hundred years.
George Wythes built it in 1860 as a gateway to his
new Bickley Park Estate. Wythes was a wealthy
man, a developer who had made his fortune in
the construction of railways
Above the pedestrian archway, on each face of
the Tower, was his coat of arms, carved in stone.
There was living accommodation in the Tower,
accessed via steep stone stairs.
When Summer Hill was opened up as a public road, traffic in both directions, including
buses and wagons, had to negotiate through the narrow archway. There was nothing
else like it in the country.
The Water Tower was demolished in 1963 when Chislehurst and Sidcup Urban District
Council decided, in the face of much local opposition, that it needed to make way for
easier traffic flow. The coats of arms were saved after the demolition, and one was
incorporated in the Memorial that was eventually built, in 1975, at the top of Summer
Hill, where the western end of the Tower once stood. Some would like to see the Tower
rebuilt not least as a traffic calming measure!
 Bank House, the building at the junction of Susan Wood and Summer Hill was a
branch of Martin’s Bank until the 1960s, and until recently sported the Bank’s emblem,
a grasshopper.
]Go past Susan Wood and look onto the Common on your left. Our next stop is Mill
Place.
Mill Place
Mill Place is a small community of its own. It
developed in the late 19th century with a police
station (until the High Street Police Station
was built), pubs and a church. It is built on a
steep hillside, on what was originally a wood,
Denbridge Wood, and the lanes twist and turn
round the hillside.
After the area was developed by George
Baskcomb and Denbridge Wood was largely
felled, the lane that runs through the development was called Susan Wood, and it is
3
suggested that this was in memory of Baskcomb’s mistress. Chislehurst Caves extend
underneath Mill Place, and some houses here are rumoured to have direct access to
the caves.
The Rambler’s Rest, originally called The Miller’s Arms, has been here since the late
17th century. The current building dates from a century later, though there have been
more recent additions.
 St John’s Mission Church was built in 1886 just below the Ramblers Rest, it was
closed in 1933, and demolished in 1998.
]Continue towards the crossroads at the top of Old Hill.
Old Hill
Old Hill was originally the main road from
Chislehurst to Bromley, hence its former name
of Bromley Road.
The Imperial Arms dates back to 1787, when it
was originally known as The Windmill, standing
as it did in Mill Lane with a clear view of the old
now demolished windmill. The current name
reflects the connection with the residence in
Chislehurst of the French Imperial family from
1870. Note also the name of the nearby cottages, Eugenie Mews, named after Empress
Eugenie, the wife of Emperor Napoleon III.
Beside the pub down the hill is the Old Court House, built around 1792, where
magistrates held their sittings every third Monday in the month. It was also used as a
police station until the High Street Police Station was opened in 1893.
This was the main road between Chislehurst and Bromley before Summer Hill was
opened to traffic, and was then known as Bromley Road.
]Continue to the Cedars, the large house on the corner, and take a short diversion
down Camden Park Road.
The Cedars and Camden Park Road
The attractive house prominently positioned at this important junction was built in
1894 by William Willett from designs by Ernest Newton in the early Arts and Crafts
Style, with characteristically wide windows. The house sports a blue plaque in memory
of William Willett, the instigator of Daylight Saving, known here as British Summer
Time, and operated in different ways, in over 70 countries world-wide.
Willett was buried in St Nicholas churchyard, and we will also come across his
memorial in the National Trust Willett Memorial Wood.
4
The houses on the left hand side of Camden Park
Road, which runs to the right of The Cedars,
were built by William Willett, some of them
designed by Ernest Newton. Many of them are
magnificent examples of the designs of the time,
and most can be seen from the road.
There was a plan to build over the whole of the
Camden Park Estate. In the end only Camden
Park Road and The Wilderness were developed
and the Park was maintained as a golf course.
If you want to know more about William Willett and his campaign for changing the
clocks, look for David Prerau’s book, ‘Saving the Daylight’.
The first letters of the names of the first four houses to be built at this end of the
road spell CAMD(EN).
Sir Malcolm Campbell’s family lived for a while at Bonchester, here in Camden Park
Road.
]Retrace your steps to the Cedars, and turn left into the drive of Camden Place. This
is a private members golf club, but you should be able to walk to the house.
Camden Place
There has been a house here since the early
1600s, but the present house was developed
and first occupied by Charles Pratt, lawyer and
politician who later became Lord Chancellor.
He was created 1st Earl Camden in 1794,
adopting the name of his house. The house
itself was named after William Camden, a
great antiquarian and historian who lived in
a previous house on this site until his death in
1623. The house was rebuilt by a later owner, who then named it Camden Place in
honour of the great scholar.
Nathaniel Strode, a later owner, made alterations more in the style of a French
chateau. It was to become the home of the Emperor Napoleon III of France (nephew to
Napoleon Bonaparte) after his exile from France in 1871 and of his wife, the Empress
Eugenie and their son the Prince Imperial. Chislehurst became the site of the French
Court in exile, and there were many visits from British and French politicans and
royalty, including Queen Victoria. Their presence put Chislehurst firmly on the list of
fashionable places to live. The exiled Emperor died here in January 1873.
5
Both Napoleon III and the Prince Imperial, were the subjects of lavish funeral
processions from Camden Place. Reports and images can be found on our website.
The Empress left Camden Place in 1882, shortly after her son died.
William Willett owned the house for a while, and plans were prepared to develop the
whole of the estate for housing. Fortunately these plans were never fully implemented,
with only Camden Park Road and the Wilderness being developed. The remaining
parts of the estate now form part of a private Golf Club.
An earlier death here was more sensational. Previous residents Thomson Bonar and
his wife Anne, were found murdered here in 1813. The footman, Philip Nicholson,
was arrested, and though he initially denied his guilt, he subsequently confessed. A
monument to Bonar, bearing details of the murder, lies in St Nicholas churchyard.
Napoleon III had visited Chislehurst as a young man, and it is thought that he had
paid Strode to buy it and mantain it as a bolt-hole.
Want to read more about the French Imperial family in Chislehurst? Tom Bushell’s
book, Imperial Chislehurst, provides an interesting insight into life in Chislehurst
during the years when Napoleon and his family were in residence.
]Go back to the crossroads, and take the first left, down Prince Imperial Road. Look
to your right after 100 yards or so.
Prince Imperial Monument
Louis Napoleon, the Prince Imperial, was
a romantic and colourful character, hugely
popular in mid-Victorian England. High Society
raved about him, women threw themselves at
him, and all the Royal Family sang his praises.
He was 14 and heir to the Emperor Napoleon III,
when he came to Chislehurst with his mother,
the Empress Eugenie to escape the Paris mobs,
after the Emperor’s humiliating defeat at Sedan.
He joined the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, and despite his mother’s refusal
to his request to do so, he joined his fellow officers (though as an observer) in the Zulu
wars. He was killed there on 31 May 1879. You can read about his life on our website.
The huge granite cross, designed by Edward Robson in 1881, stands as a monument to
the Prince. It is situated opposite Camden Place. Originally the cross would have been
visible from across the commons, but it is now surrounded by dense wood and has a
slightly eerie feeling to it.
Note the inscriptions on the cross, which include words from his last will and
testament: ‘I shall die with a sentiment of profound gratitude...’
6
The triangular piece of common between Watts Lane and Bromley Road, Hangman’s
corner, was the site of gallows in the 17th century. It is rumoured that the small area of
grassland exists because no tree can grow here!
]Retrace your steps to the mini-roundabout and turn left down Watts Lane.
Cricket Ground
The cricket ground is part of Chislehurst
Common. The Lord of the Manor granted the
West Kent Cricket Club permission to use the
ground in 1822 after its grounds in Bromley had
been lost as a result of enclosure of Bromley
Common. It has been used as a cricket ground
ever since. It later merged with the Chislehurst
Cricket Club.
The pavilion was built in 1898 and is still in
regular use. The Chislehurst Society provided finance for its recent significant repair.
Games are played on most weekends during the summer months.
The cricket ground was close to Chislehurst’s own windmill on the Common. The
windmill was built in 1796 but was demolished in 1876. It is suggested that during the
residency of the exiled Emperor Napoleon III, French government spies occupied the
top of the windmill to keep an eye on who was coming to visit the Emperor, so good a
view did it give of the surrounding area. There is nothing to be seen of it today.
WG Grace lived at Mottingham, and is known to have often visited the ground. He
never played for West Kent.
]Continue along Watts Lane with the wooded commons on your left followed by the
old curved wall of Camden Close. Note the lovely view across open land , now owned
by the National Trust, on your right. You will eventually arrive at open common land
with St Nicholas Church opposite.
Chislehurst Common
This piece of common land, at the heart of Chislehurst, is part of Chislehurst Commons,
owned by the Lord of the Manor, protected under the terms of the Metropolitan
Commons Supplemental Act 1886, and managed by the Trustees of Chislehurst
Commons.
There are three main areas of common: by the parish church, where you are now;
the area around the cricket ground and Mill Place; and the largest section which
begins in the east by Camden Place and continues between Prince Imperial Road and
7
Bromley Road, across Centre Common Road
as far as, and just beyond, Kemnal Road. This
last part of the Commons extends down to the
High Street, as we shall see shortly. St Pauls Cray
Commons, also managed by the Trustees, lies to
the south east of Chislehurst straddling the road
to Orpington.
The work of the Trustees of the Commons is
funded partly by grants from Bromley Council,
and increasingly by private donations.
The action by residents to protect the Commons was extremely controversial.
Hearings were held in Chislehurst in 1885, at which feelings ran very high, as shown
in the reports printed in the Bromley Times and available on our website.
The Commons were always regarded as belonging to the residents, even though
owned by the Lord of the Manor, as this epigram, quoted in Webb’s History (page 241
of the 1999 edition), indicates:
‘Tis bad enough in man or woman
To steal a goose from off the common;
But surely he’s without excuse
Who steals the common from the goose.
Note the depression in the ground in front of the church. This is the Cockpit,
presumably so called as it was used for cockfighting. it was probably dug out to
provide building materials for the church.
]Enter St Nicholas churchyard.
St Nicholas Church
There has been a church on this site since
Norman times, and possibly earlier. The church
has been rebuilt many times, each time retaining
some features from the previous period.
Look for the detailed memorials and
monuments, especially in the Scadbury Chapel,
linking the church with the Walsingham family
and later lords of the manor. The church is
usually open during daylight hours.
The churchyard contains the tombs of some well-known former residents of
Chislehurst, including William Willett.
Canon Francis Murray was Rector at St Nicholas for over 50 years, and oversaw
8
many changes to the church, though his relationship with the Lord of the Manor was
difficult. He wrote a chapter for Webb’s History of Chislehurst, and local historian Jean
Pailing has written a biography of this interesting man. He died in 1902 and is buried
in the churchyard.
Look for the impressive effigy of Earl Sydney (and other interesting memorials) in
the Scadbury Chapel.
]Leave the churchyard by the Lych Gate and cross Manor Park Road into Hawkwood
Lane.
Hawkwood Lane
This short lane is one of the oldest in Chislehurst.
Starting by the Tiger’s Head, and travelling
south, one can see the old fire station on the left,
now the depot for the Trustees of Chislehurst
and St Pauls Cray Commons, and a fine terrace
of clap-boarded cottages on the left. On the
corner of Morley Road there are three cottages
designed by Sir Ernest George, amongst the
earliest Arts and Crafts buildings in Chislehurst.
Here Hawkwood Lane skirts the southern-most portion of Chislehurst Commons.
At the junction with Crown Lane, the charming village church of St Mary’s faces
Coopers College which now occupies the site of the old Coopers’ Estate; the old 18th
century house has recently been restored, but access to the east side is not possible
without arrangement with the School (see old image above). At the end of the lane
Hawkwood House and its sister, Hawks Wing, have replaced the old Hawkwood
House, and the outbuildings are now converted into separate residences.
If you have the time, walk down Botany Bay Lane, to the left of Hawkwood. After
walking for two or three minutes, there is a wonderful view southwards across the open
land towards Petts Wood and Orpington, and further down you will see Goodlands
Cottage, and eventually reach Kyd Brook.
 Crown Lane is a fine old village lane, with a fine group of terraced cottage.
]Enter the churchyard of St Mary’s Church.
St Mary’s Church
A simple village Roman Catholic church built in 1854 on land donated by Henry
Bowden, owner of Coopers. It was the focus of a funeral for the exiled Emperor
Napoleon III of France in 1873, following which a large and elaborate Mortuary
Chapel was built to house his tomb. Six years later his son, killed in the Zulu wars, was
also buried here. (See a report of his funeral on our website.)
9
The chapel is now empty, the remains of her
husband and son having been taken by Empress
Eugenie to St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough
Hampshire, after she was refused permission to
extend the Chapel here.
Look for the headstone of the daughter of
Kitty O’Shea. Kitty had an affair with Charles
Parnell, leader of the Irish Home Rule Movement.
The disclosure of the affair ruined him, and put back Irish Home Rule for a generation.
]Return to the top of Hawkwood Lane and turn right.
Manor House
A fine looking house, with interesting
outbuildings, dating originally from the 16th
century, and altered in the 19th century.
Despite its name it was never Chislehurst’s
Manor House with any manorial rights, and
the lords of the manor never lived here. The
name was applied by George Baskcomb after he
redeveloped the house in the mid 19th century.
Later occupiers included the Redpath family, an
account of whom can be found on our website.
Almost opposite the Manor House was a line of residences designed by local
architect Edward J. May built to accomodate retired Governesses. The buildings were
demolished in the 1950s and replaced by Queen Mary House.
A new ‘public-house’ was proposed to be built on Manor Park Road by George
Baskcomb, near the Manor House and Governesses Institution. The proposal was
blocked by the courts.
]Go to the end of Manor Park Road and turn right into Manor Park.
Manor Park
Manor Park was laid out in the 19th century and a number of impressive Victorian
Mansions were built along its length. It extends south into Petts Wood with St Pauls
Cray Common to the east and the grounds of Coopers College to the west.
Cookham Dene, a large Arts and Crafts style house, was designed by Sir Aston Webb,
eminent architect for his brother, the principal author of The History of Chislehurst.
(Sir Aston Webb designed much of the Mall, from Admiralty Arch to the Queen Victoria
Monument, and redesigned the facade of Buckingham Palace in 1913). The house can
10
be seen today.
Five large houses were designed by local
architect George Somers Leigh Clarke: Walpole
(his own home), Harley, Pelham, Manor Place
and Walsingham. They are all easy to find and
worth a look.
There has been much infilling over the last fifty
years or so, and some of the original houses have
been demolished, such as Lepel, shown here, but the road still has a country feel to it.
Look for the blue plaque at Manor Place honouring Sir Victor Shepheard, who lived
here for over thirty years. An eminent naval architect, Shepheard designed the Royal
Yacht Britannia.
]At the bottom of manor Park, enter Petts Wood and St Paul’s Cray Common.
Follow the footpath past the open field and find Willett Memorial Wood. (Lat 51.406,
Long 0.082).
Willett Memorial
Manor Park leads directly into St Pauls Cray
Commons, which extends eastwards towards
Scadbury, and is maintained by The Trustees of
Chislehurst Commons. The inclusion of St Pauls
Cray Commons with Chislehurst Commons was
somewhat contentious (read two contemporary
accounts, from the Bromley Times, of the public
hearings in 1885, on our website).
The entire woodland area south and east of here
was rescued from potential development in the years after 1925 when it was put up for
sale, and is now owned by the National Trust; the network of walks and bridlepaths
is open to the public. The footpath southwards will take you into Petts Wood, and will
eventually lead to the town of the same name.
Our route is towards Willett Wood. This area of 87 acres was bought through public
subscription shortly after the enactment of the Summer Time Act in 1925 and
dedicated to the memory of William Willett, its instigator. Winston Churchill had been
supportive of Willett’s proposals, and was instrumental in the passing of the Act. The
memorial was erected in 1927 in a small clearing of the wood, and is an understated
acknowledgement of the man whose ideas affect more than 2 billion people worldwide
twice a year when the clocks are adjusted in spring and autumn. William Willett was
a builder, active in Chislehurst and across London, but is better known for having
devised the concept of daylight saving while he lived at the Cedars. He died before his
11
idea was introduced, falling victim to the ravages of influenza in 1915. He is buried in
St Nicholas churchyard.
There is a further monument in the woods, the Edlmann stone, 500 yards or so to the
south of the Willett Monument.
This was erected in 1957 when substantial parts of the Hawkwood estate, purchased
30 years earlier by Francis Edlmann, were donated to the National Trust. It reads:' This
woodland was saved in 1927 by Francis...Edlmann and was given to the National Trust
in 1957 by Robert and Francesca Hall'. A service of re-dedication was performed in
2007 to remember these two acts of generosity towards future generations.
The stone lies to the right hand side just off the middle track southwards to Petts Wood
town.
The inscription ‘Horas non numero nisi aestivas’ (I only tell the summer hours), is
a variation on the usual quotation: ‘Horas non numero nisi serenas’ (I only tell the
sunny hours).
]Take the northwards footpath from the monument for 400 yards, cross St Pauls
Cray Road (which can be busy), and take the short footpath north-eastwards to the
southern end of Holbrook Lane.
Holbrook Lane
This short lane was laid down in the 17th
century as an access road from Bull Lane to
Holbrook House to the south. Holbrook House
was demolished in 1960.
The older houses now on Holbrook Lane were
built in the early 20th century, in varying styles,
but predominantly Arts and Crafts style. The
older houses to the north were smaller cottagestyle houses, while those to the south were more
substantial.
Edward J. May was a prominent local architect who designed (at least) five houses
here in varying styles that make for interesting comparison: No.9 The Homestead,
1909, No.27, Mainstay Lodge, 1922, No.39, Lockers, 1927, No.41, Quatre Fils, 1926, and
Antokil (formerly Oak House, and a VAD hospital in 1914), 1912.
More recent developments have filled out many of the earlier open spaces, but
Holbrook Lane still retains something of a rural feeling.
Until recently there was a bowling green just before Paddock Way, backing onto the
allotments.
12
]Turn left into Bull Lane.
Bull Lane
Bull Lane was, until eighty years ago, part of the
main route from Sidcup to Bromley. It is a short
lane, and an interesting contrast to Holbrook
Lane. A number of older houses have been
demolished, but some remarkable buildings
remain:
•
Bull Cottage, on the corner with Holbrook
Lane, a timber framed house built around
1700, is now painted white and divided into
two residences.
•
Easdens, a working men’s club built in 1907 based on designs by Maurice Webb,
the son of Sir Aston Webb (see Manor Park), and featuring a variety of idiosyncratic
styles. The upper floor was designed as a shooting gallery. For over 50 years it was
used as a furniture workshop, but is currently unused.
•
Handley Green, a Georgian House, set back on the northern side of the road,
largely hidden from view.
Bull Lane is now a busy cut-through for traffic.
The allotments on the southern side of the road are owned by the Diocese of
Rochester.
]Continue towards Royal Parade.
Royal Parade
Royal Parade acquired its name in 1876 in
honour of the French Royal Family’s residence
in Chislehurst; originally it was called the village
street. Many buildings date from the mid-19th
century, but some such as Walton Lodge are
older, and Abury is much older – indeed Abury
may be the oldest extant building in Chislehurst.
It was the village bakery, where Arthur Battle
was raised and worked. His book, Edwardian
Chislehurst, is a fascinating account of Chislehurst life a century ago. The Parade is
unusual in that part of Chislehurst Commons lies between the footpath and the road,
as it does between The Shaw and The Parade.
There has been much rebuilding, not all of it sympathetic, on the east side, but the
13
western side is largely as it was in the 19th Century when the Parade was built.
The main road to Bromley crossed Royal Parade by the Bulls Head Hotel, which was a
busy coaching inn at this important crossroads.
The village sign commemorates the knighting of Thomas Walsingham, lord of the
manor, in 1597, when Queen Elizabeth I visited Scadbury. It was erected in 1953, but
the current sign is a replica. The bricks at the base come from Scadbury.
If you have time, take a few steps down St Pauls Cray Road, to see some fascinating
buildings, The Old Rectory, Chesil House, and a series of three tall houses with their
backs to the main road: Crayfield, Cleeveland and Warren House.
St Pauls Cray Common starts here on the east side, and extends further south
eventually on both sides of the main road. Saxby’s, an old house sits to the west of the
road. Dabner’s Cottage, an old house on the Common, has long disappeared.
The village stocks were located on the rectangular piece of common land by Bromley
Lane.
Abury, opposite The Bull’s Head Hotel, is one of the oldest buildings in Chislehurst.
]Go to the crossroads.
War Memorial
The War Memorial, on Chislehurst Common at
the crossroads where Royal Parade and Bromley
Lane meet, was unveiled on Sunday 17th
October 1920 by Lt Colonel F Edlmann, D.S.O
(who lived at Hawkwood House).
The memorial has the names inscribed of the
186 local men who died in the First World War,
and a further 65 who died in the Second World
War.
The memorial is about 8 metres tall, is from a design by Sir Reginald Blomfield, and
is similar to the traditional Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves Commission
Cross and Sword of Sacrifice, seen in their cemeteries in many parts of the world. It
cost £1,000 to design, build and erect.
Ninety years on, the memorial is in good condition, though is now at the centre of a
busy traffic intersection. The inscribed words: ‘In Proud and grateful memory of the
Men of Chislehurst, Fallen in the Great War, 1914-1919’, and ‘They gave us Peace by
their Warfare, and Life by their Death’ are re-read each November by the many who
attend the annual Remembrance Service held here.
The best-known name on the memorial is that of Ferdinand Marsham-Townsend,
14
the younger son of the then Lord of the Manor. Yvonne Auld’s book, For King and
Country, contains details of all those named on the memorial.
]Take Bromley Lane, the road eastwards towards Sidcup.
Farringtons
Travelling along Bromley Lane you will pass
through Shepherds Green. The five houses
which line the southern edge of the Green
are splendid examples of the Arts and Craft
movement. They are among the best works of
local architect Edward J.May.
Farringtons School sits to the east of Shepherds
Green. An old mansion dating back to the 17th
century stood here. Before it fell into disrepair,
the house had been home to several families, including three generations of the
Farrington family who lived there during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and it
is from this connection that the school took its name.
The land for the school was bought in 1908 to create a Methodist girls’ school as a sister
school to a very successful Methodist boy’s school, The Leys School, in Cambridge. It
was felt that the daughters of Methodist families would benefit from a good education
just as much as their brothers. The first Governor of the school when it was opened
in 1911 was Sir George Chubb (later Lord Hayter), the grandson of the founder of the
Chubb Lock and Safe Company. Queen Mary visited the school in 1925.
The chapel at Farringtons School was built in 1934; the huge bronze doors were cast
in Australia at Chubb’s works in Sydney.
Sir Ted Willis, playwright and author, lived at number 5 Shepherds Green, recently
renovated.
]Continue eastwards turning right into Old Perry Street.
Perry Street
Perry Street is described by Webb in his History of Chislehurst as a hamlet. Until 1950 it
was the only direct route from Chislehurst to Sidcup. It was thriving community, with
a laundry, a school, shops and a public house.
It is now called Old Perry Street. It meanders past Farringtons School, past the two
lodges to the old estate of Homewood (whose lands have been protected from
development, and are now mainly sports grounds), and two separate entrances to the
Scadbury estate.
The Sydney Arms public house is named after Lord Sydney, one of the lords of the
15
manor. It was previously called The Swan. There
are a variety of Victorian and some older cottages
on both sides of the road. Orchard Cottages and
Orchard Villas are among the newer houses
built in the 19th century, while Chestnut and
Waggoners cottages and Rose Cottage are from
a century before.
In 1875 Lady Emily Sydney established a school
opposite the Sydney Arms for local children,
extending an older building for the purpose. The school buildings are well preserved,
but have not been used as a school since 1900. They are now part of a timber yard.
If you are planning to walk around Scadbury Park, which could take at least 45
minutes, you should know that there are at least five different entry/exit points.
Remember where you started.
]There are two entrances to Scadbury Park from Old Perry Street. One almost
opposite the Sydney Arms, and the other at the eastern end of Old Perry Street where
it meets the main road.
Scadbury
The earliest references to Scadbury are found in
the 13th century when it was owned by the de
Scathebury family. It was home to a succession
of lords of the manor, including the Walsingham
family from 1424 until about 1655.
Sir Edmund Walsingham became Lieutenant of
the Tower of London and had custody of many
of the prisoners of King Henry VIII, including
Sir Thomas More and Anne Boleyn. Sir Francis
Walsingham, Secretary of State under Queen Elizabeth I, may have been born here.
Thomas Walsingham IV, his cousin, did live here, and was the patron of the poet and
playwright Christopher Marlowe, who was arrested at Scadbury shortly before his
mysterious death in 1593.
Later owners of Scadbury included Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney. Sydney
in Australia is named after him. He did not live at Scadbury, however, having moved
the family home to Frognal, across the A20 in what is now Sidcup.
Scadbury Park was purchased by the London Borough of Bromley in 1983 and is now
a Local Nature Reserve. A circular trail through the pleasant woodland and open
meadows is popular with walkers and joggers.
The Park is maintained by volunteers, the Friends of Scadbury.
16
The moated house was destroyed by fire in 1976. Its foundations and the remains
of the moat can be visited. Orpington and District Archaeological Society holds open
days each year in September.
]Return to Shepherds Green and turn right into Ashfield Lane.
Ashfield Lane
Ashfield lane skirts the northern edge of
Chislehurst Commons, connecting Chislehurst
High Street with the Sidcup Road.
Farrington Place orginally looked across to
Shepherds Green. It was rebuilt after a fire in the
1960s. Fallowfield is now a care home.
On the junction with Kemnal Road was
Webster’s Pond, now filled in. Arthur Battle
recounts in his book Edwardian Chislehurst how
he used to drive his horse into Webster’s Pond to cool off during his delivery round.
Further to the right was Woodlands, the home of the Webster family, and a group of
cottages further west were originally called Webster’s Cottages.
Oak Cottage (see above) and Websters Cottages are the oldest houses on Ashfield
Lane. The rural nature of Ashfield Lane was changed forever after developments in
the 1950s when Marlowe Close, The Meadow, and, later, Roehampton Drive were
developed, and other houses built opposite Rush Pond, which lies at the western end
of Ashfield Lane. Ashfield Lane itself has become a cut-through for traffic from the
Sidcup Road, and can be busy (and dangerously fast) especially at peak times.
Websters Cottages were created from a house occupied by a Mr Ringer, a suspected
smuggler. His celery beds were the hiding place for his contraband gin. Oak Cottage
was built in Ringer’s timber yard before his house was converted into three cottages.
] You can take a detour down Kemnal Road. Foxbury is one of the finest houses in
Chislehurst – though not always easy to see – and there are wonderful spring bluebells
at the site of Kemnal Manor. See below for details.
] The main route takes you along Ashfield Lane until you reach Rush Pond.
Kemnal Road
Developed in the 1870s, Kemnal Road runs between the A20 and Royal Parade. The
road follows the route of an old footpath, described by Canon Murray as ‘one of the
prettiest walks in the neighbourhood’, taken by many to pick up the Sevenoaks to
London coach on the Sidcup Road.
17
Only a few of the original Victorian buildings
now remain, but the largest, Foxbury, still sits
proudly to the east of the road. As the road
narrows past South Lodge, walk about 100 yards
beyond the entrance to Foxbury and look up
at the house that was built in 1877 by Henry
Tiarks on land formerly part of Kemnal Manor.
It was sold in 1938 by the family to the Church
Missionary Society, and was restored to a family
home recently. Michael Jackson took a lease on the house in 2009 for his use during
his London concerts, but died before he took up residency.
Beyond Foxbury, the Kemnal Manor estate is one of the oldest known properties in
Chislehurst and can be traced back to the 12th century. The last house was build in
the late 19th century, but burnt down in 1964. There is nothing to be seen now of the
house, and while much of the old estate is being developed into a burial ground there
are still some interesting sights. The Glass House was built around a wartime bunker,
and is surrounded by woodland. There are still a number of footpaths through the
ancient woods here with stunning springtime bluebell displays.
Foxbury North Lodge overlooks a footpath which crosses Kemnal Road. This ancient
footpath leads to Belmont Lane to the west and Beaverwood Road to the east.
]Return to Ashfield Lane, or, alternatively, take the footpath westwards from North
Lodge towards Belmont Lane, and follow Belmont Lane to Green Lane and then to the
junction of Ashfield Lane.
Chislehurst’s Ponds
Rush Pond, at the junction of Ashfield Lane and
Heathfield Lane, was created as a result of the
digging out of gravel, in great demand by road
builders in the mid 19th century. This gravel pit
soon filled with water to create a pond.
Prickend Pond, a hundred or so metres to the
north, adjacent to the High Street, is most
likely a result of the same process. It was partly
to prevent the widespread excavation of the
Commons that would otherwise have occured that local residents campaigned for
the permanent protection of the Commons from the commercial exploitation by the
owner the Lord of the Manor.
Ironically, the very cause of the action to protect the Commons has created the most
iconic features of this most accessible part of Chislehurst Commons, the ponds, which
18
attract regular visitors throughout the year, both of the human and avian kinds.
Alas, the two remaining ponds are in some danger of dying, mainly as a result of the
drier weather in recent year, and the resulting drop in the level of the water table,
though the Trustees of the Commons continue to work to maintain the levels of water.
Two other ponds have disappeared. Webster’s Pond, which we have already passed,
has been completely filled in and is now obliterated by overgrown vegetation. A large
pond on the common just to the north of Bromley Road, was called the Overflow
Pond. Now largely dry, it occasionally fills with water after prolonged rain – hence the
name. Other ponds which feature in old images of Chislehurst appear to have been
seasonal affairs - particularly the pond by the Tiger’s Head near St Nicholas Church,
and that at the foot of Red Hill.
There is a pipe connecting Rush Pond and Prickend Pond, but it is positioned so that
it only operates when Rush Pond is fullest.
]Cross Chislehurst Common westwards to the south end of the High Street at its
junction with Prince Imperial Road. Continue up this road for 200 yards.
Methodist Church
A large and impressive ragstone church facing
the common on Prince Imperial Road. The
church was built thanks to the generosity of
Nathaniel Strode, who donated the land, and of
George Chubb (1st Baron Hayter), whose family
had founded Chubb & Sons Lock & Safe Co.,who
largely covered the costs of construction. Work
began in 1868, and after a disaster when a violent
storm all but destroyed the tower, the main body
of the church and its steeple were completed in 1870. The original construction cost
was £5,800.
To provide extra seating the gallery or balcony was built in 1881 and shortly afterwards
as the congregation grew further, the side chapel was completed, including the vestry.
Further rooms behind the Church were added later. Next door to the church was the
Manse, a three-storey mansion for the minister, now replaced by a smaller modern
house and adjoining residential flats.
The style of the church is a mix of gothic revival and arts and craft, and its very tall
circular spire and the many different stained glass windows on all sides of the church
make for a pleasant surprise.
The interior of the church has recently been splendidly remodelled so that it can
serve as a community and arts space when not in use as a church. The old pews have
been removed, and the entrance moved to the west via a new atrium, while the most
19
attractive features of the church have been retained.
Forster and Andrews of Hull, Yorkshire, built the church organ and installed it in
1883. The cost of the organ was £210 when first built. In 1900 the organ was altered
and expanded, and it was given a major overhaul and refurbishment in 1923. It was
again refurbished and overhauled in 1990. The British Institute of Organ Studies list
the organ as being of Grade 2 significance and have included it within their register of
historic Organs.
The organ has 1600 pipes, many of them ornately painted. It was originally pumped
by hand bellows.
]Return to the High Street and turn left passed the Red Cross Car Park, formerly
Hornbrook House.
Chislehurst High Street
This area of Chislehurst was originally called
Prickend and later Chislehurst West. The
High Street is separated from Royal Parade by
the Commons, and presents a quite different
character. The High Street runs from the
junction with Prince Imperial Monument,
past the junction with Willow Grove and up to
Albany Road, where Red Hill starts. The section
between the Willow Grove junction and Red Hill
is strictly called Burlington Parade.
Apart from some obvious new buildings, the High Street is immediately recognisable
from photographs taken a century ago, though the businesses carried out in the
various shops have changed dramatically. The building of the Sainsburys store at this
important location impacted the High Street when it was built in the late 1970s, both
architecturally and economically, and continues to do so.
The High Street is enhanced by its proximity to the commons and Prickend Pond, and
with its tree-lined aspect it has a sense of a real village community, despite the impact
of constant traffic.
It was on the High Street that omnibuses from the East End of London would stop on
bank holidays, enabling people from inner London to spend time in the fresh air and
relative openness of Chislehurst Commons.
It is not only the businesses that have changed in the High Street. The Police Station
was a busy station until changes in policing and cuts in budgets resulted in the police
station moving to a much less impressive building behind HSBC Bank.
The Old Police Station building is now in private hands, used as a restaurant, as is
20
the Post Office further up the High Street. The upper floors have been converted into
apartments.
The car park behind has been used as a location for Chislehurst’s first Farmers Market.
A new heritage trail for the High Street has been prepared. You can view it on the
Society’s website.
]Continue to the Annunciation Church.
The Annunciation Church
In the 1860s, as small houses were being built
for workers in the village of Prickend, or West
Chislehurst. Canon Francis Murray, Rector of
Chislehurst, realised that the area was rapidly
developing and needed its own church. The
church of the Annunciation was funded by the
people of Chislehurst (including from Canon
Murray’s share of his proceeds from publishing
‘Hymns Ancient and Modern’).
It was designed and built by James Brooks, consecrated in 1870 and became a parish
church in 1871. Some benefactors had argued that a simple brick building would be
sufficient but Francis Murray was part of the Anglo-catholic revival and his vision was
for a lofty building with beautiful stained glass and wall paintings designed to uplift
and inspire the worshipper.
The church is near unique for its remote Tower (which was designed by E.J.May and
completed in 1930, in memory of Canon Murray), and its flying buttresses are rare for
a small English church. The Tower was originally intended to be a spire, but lack of
funds delayed the building, and the spire never materialised. The views from the top
of the tower are impressive, though the series of stairs and ladders make the climb
difficult for some.
The Manning and Anderdon Alms Houses, behind the church and overlooking the
churchyard, were built in 1881, commissioned by Maria and Anne Anderdon, the
sisters of Canon Murray’s wife Frances. They accommodated 12 residents who had to
be over 60, resident in Chislehurst for 12 years and communicants of the Church of
England; relatively recently restored they serve the same purpose today.
The impressive Lych Gate was also designed by E.J.May and built in 1905. Look for
the reference to Henry James (not the novelist) carved in the roof trusses.
]Turn right out of the Lych Gate and turn right towards Red Hill.
21
Red Hill
So called because of the red soil here, Red Hill
is built on london clay which contains iron
which tends to turn red when exposed to the
elements. There was a farm, brickworks and
a pond here, and a number of cottages on the
west side where Red Hill School now stands.
At the summit of the hill was the White Horse
Inn, now The Lounge. The northern slope of the
hill is still called White Horse Hill. Although the
‘peak’ of Red Hill would appear to be the highest point in Chislehurst, it is marginally
lower than the area around The Tiger’s Head on Watt’s Lane.
Formerly a cinema, dating from 1930, St Patricks Church, on the corner with Albany
Road, was converted to a Roman Catholic Church in 1961. One of the last films to be
shown there was ‘Some Like it Hot’ starring Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe.
The Church was opened and dedicated on St Patrick’s Day, March 17th 1961. The
projection room is now the organ loft, the ticket office is now a Holy Water stoup and
where the screen was is now the altar. The floor slopes downwards and the seats are
still the tip up type and can be unusually noisy during moments of prayer!
The top of Red Hill is one of the best viewing points in Chislehurst, both down into
Chislehurst, but also towards London.
]Return to the traffic lights on the High Street and turn right into Willow Grove.
The recreation ground is off Empress Drive, some 200 yards from the junction.
Willow Grove and the Recreation Ground
Allegedly so called because Emperor Napoleon
III planted a cutting from a willow tree here
which overhung the tomb of his uncle, Napoleon
Bonaparte, on St Helena, Willow Grove has
some interesting Victorian and Edwardian villas
along its north side. It links the High Street to
the residential areas of Chislehurst to the west,
around Walden Road and Elmstead Lane.
Chislehurst & Walden Recreation Ground
consists of 15 hectares of playing fields, open grass areas, a children’s playground and
woodland that support a variety of wildlife, including species that are rare in London.
It is home to the Chislehurst Tennis Club and Football Club Elmstead and, in due
course, to the Chislehurst Scouts. The new children’s playground was jointly funded
by Bromley Council and the Chislehurst Society.
22
The Recreation Ground is designated as Urban Open Space and is now managed by
the Friends of the Rec.
Whyte’s woodland, an enclosed wildlife area, was dedicated to the people of
Chislehurst in 1939 by Miss Whyte of The Briars.
]Return to Willow Grove and continue westwards.
Yester Road
Walden Road branches off from Willow Grove
and extends eastwards towards Elmstead Lane.
Both sides of the road have now been developed,
but these were once the grounds of large estates
including Walden Manor (later Waratah),
Cranmore Place and Elmstead Grange. Lodges
and older houses can be seen on the way.
Continuing along Willow Grove, Beechcroft on
your left takes its name from the former home of
the Vanner family who were so prominent in the development of the local Methodist
Church. The house is still in existence; it became a convent and is now owned by The
Unification Church. Spuriously called Livingstone House, it is a substantial ornate
Victorian house with additions by Ernest Newton c.1898.
At the top of Yester Road, note the attractive old walls of the former estate of Oakwood
on your right, originally the home of George Medley Webb, a renowned chess player
of his day. Note also the gate house at the entrance to Yester Park, which was the site
of Walden Grange, home to Viscount Walden, who succeeded as the ninth Marquis
Tweeddale in 1876. He was born in Yester near Edinburgh, but continued to live in
Chislehurst until his death in 1878. This house should not be confused with Walden
Manor, later named Waratah, in Walden Road.
Down the hill to your left was the former Victorian House, Greatwood, for some
years a college but now an award winning estate of houses designed by architect N
Sperring in 1960.
]At the bottom of the hill, either turn left before the railway bridge into Lubbock
Road, or go under the bridge to view two buildings shown in the Appendix. This
additional trip will take an hour or so, and involves a steep climb up Logs Hill.
Lubbock Road
Lubbock Road was named, in 1865, after a former resident, Sir John Lubbock, a
Victorian banker and politician who was responsible for the Bank Holidays Act of
1871 amongst other achievements.
23
Christ Church was built on four acres of land
donated by Nathaniel Strode of Camden Park; it
was set up by a group of evangelical churchmen
as a ‘low’ church as opposed to the ritual high
church of St Nicholas. The foundation stone
was laid on 10th June 1871 by Lord Sydney
(deputising for his wife) and the whole work was
completed in little more than a year. Originally
the church was built with a spire but due to the
popularity of the church the need for expansion resulted in the existing tower being
built in 1879.
At the junction of Lubbock Road with Old Hill there is a memorial seat to Rev and
Mrs. I.E. Davidson. This remarkable couple rescued 68 Jewish children from Central
Europe in 1938. The children were initially cared for in the parish rooms of Christ
Church, then they moved into a larger house next door, which can still be seen today,
Seven Trees, number 44. Later still another house in the road became available,
Lamas, pictured here, the former home of Sir John Lubbock, which was renamed by
the Barbican Mission for the Jews, Mount Zion.
Christ Church Parish rooms accommodated some of the first Belgian casualties to
arrive from the front in October 1914, and Abbey Lodge, the large red brick house at
number 34 Lubbock Road (now named Chislehurst Hall), became a Red Cross VAD
hospital for the duration of the Great War.
]At the end of Lubbock Road, turn right down Old Hill, and left at the bottom
following signs to the Caves.
Chislehurst Caves
Chislehurst caves are not natural caves, but
man-made for mining chalk and flint. They
were worked until the late 19th century, and
in the early 1900s the caves became a popular
tourist attraction, as they remain today.
During the First World War, they were used
as an ammunition depot associated with the
Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, and in the 1930s
they were used for mushroom cultivation.
After the bombing of London began in 1940 the caves were used as an air raid shelter
and became an underground city with an estimated 15,000 inhabitants at their peak,
with electric lighting, a chapel and a hospital. In the 1960s, the caves were used as a
music venue. David Bowie, Status Quo, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Pink
24
Floyd are all believed to have performed there.
The caves have appeared in several television
programmes including the BBC programme
Doctor Who from 1972 titled ‘The Mutants’.
The Bickley, formerly the Bickley Arms Hotel,
was at one time called Ye Olde Stationmaster,
as the original station stood at the foot of Old
Hill. Old photographs show the two horse
brake outside the then Bickley Hotel running to
Bromley for market day on a Thursday, the fare was 6d (old pennies) return in the
early 1900s.
At one time it was possible to enter the caves through the hotel gardens, but now
the area between The Bickley and the caves is well developed with housing.
]Back to Chislehurst Station, along Station Approach, and the end of this tour.
Some old images of the entrance
and interior of Chislehurst
Caves, followed by tea!
25
Appendix
If you have the time and the energy, you can add a section to the walk from Yester
Road Railway Bridge that enables you to see two of Chislehurst’s finest Victorian
houses, both now used as schools.
] Continue under the bridge, turn right and right again at the roundabout into
Elmstead Lane, and right again after 400 yards into Grange Drive. Babington House
School is on your left after 100 yards.
Elmstead Grange
A Jacobean style house built in 1879 for a ‘dry
goods merchant ‘, John Comer Scott, on a 22 acre
site. The house was originally approached along
a drive, where the lodge with its distinctive ball
finials can still be seen. The house has long been
associated with Kenneth and Ethel Bilborough
who came to Elmstead Grange in 1904,
departing in 1940. Kenneth was the third son
of Arthur Bilborough, founder of the shipping
company that still bears his name.
The Grange became Babington House School in 1959 (the school was originally
founded in Eltham in 1887). The school takes its name from Thomas Babington
Macauley, a great Victorian writer and politician, who was a friend of the school’s
founder, Madame Roussell, a distinguished Belgian lady interested in fostering the
arts for ‘young ladies and small boys’.
The original lodge to Elmstead Grange is on the corner of Walden Road and Elmstead
Lane.
]Continue towards Elmstead Lane, and turn left down the hill. At the bottom of the
hill cross over into Logs Hill and proceed until you reach St Nicholas Lane on your left.
Bullers Wood
Named after an ancient forest, the original
Bullers Wood house was built in the 1860’s and
was owned by the Sanderson family from the
1870’s. Sanderson was a Scotsman who had
made his money sheep farming in Australia.
He employed local architect Ernest Newton to
extend the house in 1889. The result is an Arts
and Crafts style house which sits on an elevated
terrace overlooking woodland.
26
Morris and Co were employed to decorate the interior, it is said that William Morris
himself contributed the beautiful library wallpaper and hand painted ceiling, which
remain in place. A carpet named Bullers Wood by Morris is on display in the Victoria
and Albert museum.
The house became St Nicholas College, the Royal School of Church Music in 1930 and
then a School in 1939. It is now Bullers Wood School.
Note: It is not easy to see the old house unless the school is open. If you wish to see the
building, you should contact the school to see if it is possible to gain access.
The school building on the right as you enter was a separate residence called
Inglewood, not to be confused with the building of the same name in Kemnal Road.
]Return down Logs Hill, turn right into Yester Road, and after the railway bridge
right into Lubbock Road.
Old photographs of
the interior of the
Library,
showing
some of the detail
of the ceiling and
wallpaper.
27
The Chislehurst Society is a registered charity.
Our activities are designed for the following objects:
1. To promote high standards of planning and
architecture in Chislehurst;
2. To educate the public in the geography, history,
natural history and architecture of Chislehurst, and
3. To secure the preservation, protection, development
and improvement of features of historic, environmental
or public interest in Chislehurst.
We have more than 3,800 members, and we are one
of the largest Civic Societies in the UK. Membership is
open to anyone regardless of where they live.
The Society is run by an Executive Committee of
volunteers. A key feature of the Society’s activities is
our 140 volunteer Road Stewards, who act as the link
between the Society and its members. We are always
looking for new Stewards – please contact us if you are
interested.
As a charity we must operate carefully within the terms
of our objects. As a result, from time to time we are not
able to support activities that we otherwise might wish
to. If there are activities that you would like to see us
undertake for the benefit of Chislehurst, and which are
within our objects, please contact us.
Planning. We look at all planning applications for
Chislehurst and raise objections or observations
with the London Borough of Bromley when we have
concerns.
Amenities. The Society liaises closely with
representatives of the London Borough of Bromley,
and we are active members of the Chislehurst Town
Centre Management Group. We take a leading role
on matters of local interest to members and residents,
including planning, road safety, traffic, public transport,
local amenities, litter, trees, open spaces and flooding.
We support and provide funding for the new Town
Team, which is developing programmes to improve
Chislehurst High Street.
Education. We work with the schools in and around
Chislehurst. Our annual schools competition, with cash
awards to schools and students, demonstrates how we
work with the youger generation in an exciting way.
Local studies. The Society supports research and
publication on matters of interest in Chislehurst, and
arranges regular talks and study sessions.
Our environment. We work with other organisations,
especially the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons, to
preserve our open spaces and woodlands, to ensure
that we all benefit from the unique environment that
is Chislehurst.
The Society is fortunate to be able to provide financial
support for relevant local projects.
The Chislehurst Society is happy to receive requests for
financial or other support from clubs or organisations
for projects that meet our objects.
If you think we may be able to assist you, please ask
us for an application form, or download one from our
website, www.chislehurst-society.org.uk
*Reg. Charity No. 298413
Mist over the Cockpit, Chislehurst Common
28

here... - Chislehurst Society

Transcription

Similar documents

Chislehurst Caves Leaflet NEW_28032012

The Cockpit - Chislehurst Society

Event Poster

Devour - Roto Grip

map - SET

$1,766,160 - Round Top Real Estate

My Brother, My Sister: Shannon Boodram Rob Hill, Sr.

Directions: Delicious Marketing Group How to find us:

Stone Hill Flowering Pear L.E. COOKE CO

Racing Cars - Everyday Math