Chislehurst History Today

1 Published by The Chislehurst History To dayA Tour around Chislehurst Now and TheniiChislehurst History TodayThese notes have been researched and edited by a team from the Chislehurst Society s Local History you would like to join the group, contact 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 SocietyPO Box 82, Chislehurst BR7 : localhistory@ : 020 8467 0900 Looking south along Chislehurst High Street from the junction with Willow Grove. Photograph taken before History TodayWelcome to Chislehurst History Today 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.

2 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 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!

3 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 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 to send us any images you take during the tourThe 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.

4 Cycling on the commons is only allowed on bridle paths. You will need to cross some busy roads during the History Today1 Chislehurst History Today1. Chislehurst Station 22. Summer hill 23. Water Tower 34. Mill Place 35. Old hill 46. The Cedars 47. Camden Place 58. Prince Imperial Monument 69. Cricket Ground 710. Chislehurst Common 711. St Nicholas Church 812. Hawkwood Lane 913. St Mary s Church 914. Manor House 1015. Manor Park 1016. Willett Memorial 1117. Holbrook Lane 1218. Bull Lane 1319. Royal Parade 1320. War Memorial 1421. Farringtons 1522. Perry Street 1523. Scadbury 1624. Ashfield Lane 17 Detour. Kemnal Road 1725. Chislehurst s Ponds 1826. Methodist Church 1927. Chislehurst High Street 2028. The Annunciation Church 2129. Red hill 2230. Willow Grove 2231. Yester Road 2332. Lubbock Road 2333. Chislehurst Caves 24 Appendix - two detours Elmstead Grange 26 Bullers Wood 26 Tour Map and list of contents (showing stop number, location and page number)2 Chislehurst History TodayChislehurst StationThe present stylish station buildings date from 1868, though some parts are more recent.

5 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 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 .

6 (Bus routes 162 and 269 can help you up the hill , which is quite steep).Summer HillOriginally a private road, and called Station hill , Summer hill was developed by George Wythes in the 1860s. It is a very steep 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 History Today ]Carry on to the top of the hill just by the bus TowerA Water Tower straddled the top of Summer hill in Chislehurst for more than a hundred years.

7 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 railwaysAbove 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 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 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!

8 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 PlaceMill 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 4 Chislehurst History Todaysuggested 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.

9 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 HillOld 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 the pub down the hill is the Old Court House, built around 1792, where magistrates held their sittings every third Monday in the month.

10 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 Cedars and Camden Park RoadThe 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 was buried in St Nicholas churchyard, and we will also come across his memorial in the National Trust Willett Memorial History TodayThe 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.