www.bexley.gov.uk
Bexley’s Heritage spots
A guide to the many fascinating heritage sites in Bexley that you might not be aware of… The Crimean War Cannon – Welling Corner Erith Pier – Erith Erith Pier, 1955 PHKT/86 The Welling Crimean War Cannon (or In the mid-19th century Erith marketed itself (© London Borough of Bexley) Caronnade to be precise) is probably as a seaside resort for Londoners and in 1842 Welling’s best-known landmark. a 444-foot wooden pier was built for leisure A 17cwt Russian 36-pounder boats. The development was not a success Carronade, it dates from the Crimean – probably not helped by the arrival of the War and was donated, along with sewage works at Crossness – and the pier was the replica wooden carriage, around turned over to industrial use. Today’s concrete 1987 by the Woolwich Royal Artillery pier is the longest in Greater London and gives Museum in recognition of the local a great view out over the Thames and the WW1 munitions workers. so-called “Essex Alps”!
Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre, 2019 (© London Borough of Bexley) Sidcup Cemetery – The grave of Blackwood’s drinking fountain – Crayford Tasman Millington OBE (1896-1963) This drinking fountain was added at the side of Crayford Bridge Millington joined the Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves around 1880 in memory of Stevenson Arthur Blackwood, a committed Commission in 1919 and by the 1930s was responsible for locating member of the Evangelical Movement, who, within sight of various and transferring soldiers’ remains to the 36 new war cemeteries on Crayford taverns, used to preach on the evils of drunkenness. Gallipoli and commemorating over 30,000 soldiers and sailors on The faded inscription reads ‘To S.A. Blackwood in grateful remembrance war memorials there. Millington’s wife, Ruth Evelyn Martin, was of Christian work in from Sidcup and was buried at Sidcup Cemetery - hence Crayford 1871-1880’. Australia’s national hero’s last resting place is in distant Sidcup. By contrast Blackwood’s son, Algernon, became a famous novelist, writing horror stories and gothic romances!
Crayford Bridge, 1916 PCD/439 (© Shier’s Photo Series) Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre, 2019 (© London Borough of Bexley) High Street House: Loring Hall – Sidcup House of John Thorpe (1715-1792)/ Loring Hall was built c.1760 on the site of a Tudor farmhouse. In St Mary’s churchyard – Bexley Village 1811 Robert Stewart (1769-1822) acquired the property. As Foreign Secretary he negotiated the Treaty of Paris, was the principal British Between 1750 and 1789 this Georgian rebuild diplomat at the Congress of Vienna and was an important figure in of a much earlier Tudor house was the home of the coalition that defeated Napoleon. He maintained a menagerie at John Thorpe, historian and antiquary, described the house which is believed to have included a tiger and a monkey. In by his contemporaries as “a studious, quiet and 1939 the mansion was bought peaceful man, who always saw the best in others, by Goldsmiths College as a hall and avoided anything disagreeable whenever of residence for female students, possible”. In the adjoining Churchyard of St and in 1982 it was sold and Mary’s, you will find a grand memorial stone converted into a care home. tablet to Thorpe’s first wife, Catharina, on the wall backing onto High Street House. “Pray, Disturb not her Ashes” is the solemn instruction.
North Cray Cottage (Loring Hall), High Street House, Bexley, 1828, PHLS/125/48 (artist 1903, PHLS 120/76 G. Shepherd, engraved by H Adlard)
The Cob statue – Belvedere Howbury Grange – Slade Green “The Cob”, a huge galvanized steel sculpture, is located at the roundabout between Eastern Way and Bronze Age Way in Belvedere At one time Howbury Manor belonged to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, the and celebrates the unique character and industrial heritage of the area, half-brother of William the Conqueror, who also owned the Manors of and its long association with the traveller community and their horses. Lesnes, North Cray and Foots Cray. Odo had a reputation as a greedy Scottish sculptor Andy Scott was inspired by seeing the horses grazing and tyrannical landlord and was eventually imprisoned by William for around the industrial estate and on the Belvedere marshlands. his behaviour, only to be released when the Conqueror’s son William Rufus succeeded to the throne. Sir Cloudesley Shovell bought Howbury in 1694. As MP for Rochester, the house was conveniently situated between Parliament and his constituency. During the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1714) Shovell led an assault on Toulon, which led the French to scuttle their fleet. On his return his ship the Association struck rocks off the Scilly Isles and sank. All the © Marathon, 2011, crew drowned including Shovell’s two https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2301910 stepsons. Shovell is said to have survived only to be strangled on the shore by a scavenging fishwife. Howbury Grange, PHLS/127/123 Five Arches Bridge – Foots Cray Meadows Styleman Alms Houses – Bexley Village
Five Arches Bridge spans the River The alms houses in Bexley Cray linking the site of Foots Cray Village were built using a Place in what is now Foots Cray bequest of half of the Manor of Meadows with that of North Cray Danson from John Styleman, Place on the East bank. Thomas the wealthy East India Coventry inherited the estate in merchant. When Sir John Boyd 1778 and around 1780 he hired acquired the Danson estate he Capability Brown to landscape exchanged the charity’s share the parkland. It is believed Brown of the estate for government designed this bridge. Brown died bonds. The alms houses are still suddenly in 1783 on the doorstep administered by Bexley United of his daughter after spending Charities and provide social an evening with Thomas’s uncle, housing to local residents. The River Cray, c1920, PCD/640 Syleman’s Almshouses, 1941, William, the 5th Earl of Coventry. PHLS/113/22
Bexley Village Library – Bexley Village Frank’s Park – Erith Bexley Village Library was built in 1912 at the junction of Bourne Road This public park is formed from the eastern portions of the Belvedere and Albert Road. Although the design is modest, it is nevertheless of House estate. It was named after Francis Beadle, sometime Chairman interest as a very early commission for the architect Sir Edward Maufe of the Erith Local Board and Erith Vestry. It is very unusual to name a who later designed Guildford Cathedral and whose family lived at the park after someone’s first name, let alone an affectionate diminutive Red House, Bexleyheath. form of that name.
Bexley Library, PHLS/145/29
Frank’s Park, c1925, PCD/2374 Blendon Chapel House – Blendon Christ Church, Bexleyheath
Blendon Chapel House is the name given to a cottage This bulky but striking Victorian Gothic ragstone church was on Blackfen Road, which has a steeple attached to it. built in 1877. It is clear it was intended to have a steeple, but this The purpose of this folly was apparently to enhance was never added. Just in front of the church, note the fine obelisk the panorama viewed from Danson House, with the memorial to its first Vicar, William illusion of a distant church steeple beyond the lake Pincott. A few steps beyond the church, and the woodlands that marked the southern discover the little-known Bexleyheath boundary of the park. Cemetery of 1879 – it contains many impressive memorials, abundant wildlife and a welcome green space. Blendon Chapel House, PHLS/128/44 Building of Christ Church, Bexleyheath, PHLS/64/3 St Paulinus – Crayford (Boswell lantern slide)
Named after Paulinus, a Roman missionary (died c644 AD) Saint John’s, Erith and one-time Bishop of York and Rochester, there has been a church on this site since Saxon times. Look out for the wealth A Saxon church stood on this site, and the present building was of monuments and commemorative tablets – including one to founded in the 12th Century as the ancient Parish Church of Erith. Lady Elizabeth Shovell, the widow of Sir Cloudesley Shovell – It is a Grade II* listed building, full of interesting architectural and the superb views down over the town. features and tombs. Despite some restoration work in the 1870s, it’s still primarily a medieval building, full of history – it’s reputed that the rebellious barons of Magna Carta fame met here in 1215 to plan their campaigns against King John.
St John’s Church, Erith, c1815, PHLS/68/3
St Paulinus Church, Crayford, c1900, PHLS/66/22 St Michael’s – East Wickham Map of Bexley
The ancient chapel of St Michael, East Wickham is the oldest building in Welling. Originally a chapel of ease of the Parish of 6 Plumstead it was replaced by the new church next door in 1926. In 1969 the old building became 12 16 a Greek Orthodox Church. 3
17 St Michael’s, East Wickham, PHLS/71/28 8 1 All Saints – Foots Cray 15 14 All Saints Church, Foots Cray, retains much of the character of a Kentish 2 village church. Built in about 1330 it replaced an earlier building of 13 which only the Norman font survives. The churchyard includes the 11 10 grave of Sir John Pender, the Victorian engineer knighted for laying 5 cables across the Atlantic. 4 7
9 18
1 Crimean War cannon 10 Bexley Village Library 2 Blackwood’s drinking fountain 11 Styleman Almshouses 3 Erith Pier 12 Frank’s Park 4 Sidcup Cemetery 13 Blendon Chapel House 5 High Street House 14 Saint Paulinus Church of England 6 The Cob statue 15 Christ Church, Bexleyheath All Saints Church, 7 Loring Hall 16 Saint John’s, Erith Foots Cray, pre-1915, PHLS/68/41 8 Howbury Grange 17 St Michael’s, East Wickham 9 Five Arches Bridge - Foots Cray Meadows 18 All Saints Foots Cray Follow us
If you would like the information in this document in a different format, please call 020 8303 7777 and ask for Communications/Graphics. The reference to quote is: 607428.4.19