Orpington & Chelsfield

Blue Plaque Orpington & Chelsfield Start at the Blue Plaque beside the entrance to Priory Gardens from Church Hill, off Orpington High Street (TQ465665; near bus stops 51, 61, 208, 477, B14, R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, and R11). Its inscription reads:- PRIORY GARDENS The Priory Gardens form part of the commemoration in 1946 by the Orpington Urban Council to those who gave their lives in the Second World War LEST WE FORGET Walk via Bark Hart Road and the churchyard to Court Road, A224, then turn right. Turn left into Avalon Road, then right across Goddington Park. Fork left across a large arable field to Chelsfield Lane. Turn right by a footpath to the A224 and cross it to a footpath leading to the church. Take its drive to Church Road and the Brass Crosby Blue Plaque. Turn left (N) along Church Road, then re-cross the A224 to the ‘Five Bells’ bus stop R3 for Orpington, Petts Wood, and Locksbottom (2.5 miles) Blue Plaque Chelsfield & Cudham Start from the ‘Five Bells’ R3 bus stop in Chelsfield Village (TQ483642) from Locksbottom, Petts Wood, and Orpington. Head southwards, and then turn right at the corner ahead along Church Road. Cross the A224 and continue along Church Road. Beside the Church (right) is a thick wood post topped by a Blue Plaque to Brass Crosby, MP (1725-1795) and Lord Mayor of London, who lived at Court Lodge (right). After 400 metres fork left by footpath across a lawn and Chelsfield Lakes Golf Course, passing a lake (right) and a power pylon (left). Cross Sevenoaks Road, A21, then continue by footpath. Turn right for a few metres along Turnpike Drive. Turn left up a footpath, which eventually descends to the triangular green of Pratt’s Bottom. Cross this green to the Village Hall and Norstead Lane. Take the bridleway on the left just past the village hall, signposted ‘Green Street Green Circular Walk’, to reach the road junction at Fairtrough Farm. Turn right; and after 150m, at a grass triangle, turn left up a private drive to Norstead Manor Farm. At the end of the drive and farm complex, turn right on a grass path (still part of the ‘GSGCW’) which drops down into a valley and then goes up the far side to enter woods. After a short distance in the woods, bear right on meeting a track. After 40m, turn left on a bridleway to cross a field. Turn left onto a track, which soon becomes a concrete drive and then Mace Lane. This is now the ‘Cudham Circular Walk’. Pass Mace Farm House on the right, and after 80m turn left onto a footpath signposted ‘Cudham Church’. After the second kissing gate, turn right for 10m, then left into Cudham Recreation Ground (picnic tables here donated by Environment Bromley). Cross it to the pavilion, public conveniences, and the back entrance to ‘The Blacksmith’s Arms’, Cudham (4 miles). In addition to the Blue Plaque on the outside wall here, there is a small Blue Plaque inside to music hall entertainer ‘Little Tich’, real name Harry Relph (1867-1928), who lived there until the age of seven. The R5 bus leaves the adjacent stop for Orpington Station via Green Street Green. The R10 bus reaches Orpington Station via Knockholt Pound, Halstead, Pratt’s Bottom, and Green Street Green. .

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