Bexleyheath

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Coordinates: 51°27′32″N 0°08′18″E / 51.4589°N 0.1384°E / 51.4589; 0.1384

Bexleyheath
"The Yacht", Long Lane, Bexleyheath - geograph.org.uk - 148946.jpg
The Yacht, Long Lane
Bexleyheath is located in Greater London
Bexleyheath

 Bexleyheath shown within Greater London
OS grid reference TQ485755
London borough
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region London
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BEXLEYHEATH
Postcode district DA6, DA7
Post town LONDON
Postcode district SE2
Dialling code 020
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
EU Parliament London
UK Parliament Bexleyheath and Crayford
London Assembly
List of places: UK • England • London

Bexleyheath is a main suburban district of Southeast London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley. Bexleyheath is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is 12 miles (19.3 km) east south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

Until the early 19th century, Bexley Heath comprised an area of scrub-land with few buildings, although Bexley Heath windmill stood at the corner of what is today Erith Road and Mayplace Road. The heath bordered Watling Street. In 1766 Sir John Boyd had Danson House built in parkland (now Danson Park between Bexleyheath and Welling). In 1814 the land to the north of Bexley that would become Bexleyheath became subject to an Enclosure Act. In 1859 architect Philip Webb designed Red House for the artist, reforming designer and socialist William Morris on the western edge of the heath, in the hamlet of Upton — before Upton became largely developed as a London suburb. The National Trust acquired the house in 2003.

Bexleyheath's parish church, Christ Church, dates from 1841; and the parish of Bexleyheath from 1866; the building of the current church finished in 1877. Alfred Bean, railway-engineer and one-time owner of Danson House, furthered the development of Bexleyheath as a London suburb by championing the Bexleyheath Line in the 1880s to support the growth of estates around Danson Park. The clock-tower at the centre of the modern shopping area, built in 1912, commemorates the coronation of King George V. In the late 1970s the London Borough of Bexley built its headquarters, the Civic Offices, in Bexleyheath.

[edit] Geography

Bexleyheath was originally part of Kent until the expansion of the London County Council in the 1960s. It is generally seen as being split into two parts by the old Roman road. The DA6 postcode area which is south Bexleyheath has a less homogeneous feel and features Danson House and the Red House. Adjacent to the park, Danson Road has an array of large houses, including a small number of Modernist buildings. In the north DA7 postcode area the majority of houses are predominantly 1930s semi-detached residences, apart from bungalows situated close to the railway station. This area includes part of the Bostall Park Estate, built by the developers Feakes & Richards.

Neighbouring areas of Bexleyheath
East Wickham Northumberland Heath Barnehurst
Welling Crayford
   Bexleyheath    
Blackfen Bexley Dartford Heath & Bexley Park

[edit] Town centre

The modern town area is dominated by an early 1980s shopping centre, now on its second faux-American name as "The Mall Bexleyheath" (formerly "The Broadway Centre", opened 1984), and an Asda supermarket (opened 1988), similar to facilities in other suburban towns and post-war 'New Towns'. A face-lift in 2008 on "The Mall" gave the centre a more modern internal appearance; externally it was largely unchanged. Other developments included the building of "Bexleyheath Square" in the early 2000s as an extension to the then "Broadway", providing more retail units. The 1990s saw the pedestrianisation of the road adjacent to "The Broadway" shopping centre (also known as the Broadway) following the construction of two minor bypasses (Arnsburg Way and Albion Way). Many of the changes to the town centre since 2000 have been in some way a response to competition from Bluewater Shopping Centre, 9 miles to the east in Greenhithe, Kent. Management was taken over in 2010 by Broadway Shopping Centre.

The statue outside the Broadway Centre is "Family Outing" by local artist John Ravera; it was commissioned by Norwich Union and unveiled in 1985.[2] The sculpture, of two parents playing with their son, is based on a Mr G Brazier of Bexley, and was created at a cost of £10,000.[citation needed]

In May 2009 a major redevelopment scheme was approved by the local council following public consultation. This involves the redevelopment of the land currently occupied by the Bexley council buildings. The magistrates' court will move to a new building on land currently occupied by the library, which will be incorporated into the new development alongside 300 new homes.

Bexleyheath has drawn a lot of custom to match the expansion in retail space from residents of towns in the borough, particularly from Erith and Thamesmead which have expanded in size with development along the River Thames. Custom is also drawn from Plumstead and Woolwich (in the neighbouring borough of Greenwich). The residents of these areas include a large West African community, predominantly Ghanaian and Nigerian.

[edit] Leisure

Bexleyheath has a bingo-hall, Cineworld cinema hotel, reference library, five-a-side football centre and ten-pin bowling alley (Ten Pin). Cultural events include concerts given by the Sidcup Symphony Orchestra regularly in the hall of Townley Grammar School for Girls, and the Edward Alderton Theatre which produces a number of non-professional productions each year.

[edit] Notable residents

(alphabetical order)

[edit] Places of worship

  • Bethany Hall, Chapel Road, Bexleyheath
  • Bexleyheath Community Church, Lyndhurst Chapel, Lyndhurst Road, Barnehurst, DA7 6DL
  • Bexleyheath United Reformed Church, Geddes Place
  • Christ Church (Church of England), Broadway
  • Bexleyheath Methodist Church, Broadway
  • Trinity Baptist Church, Broadway
  • St John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, Heathfield Road
  • St Peters (Church of England), Pickford Lane
  • St Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, Long Lane
  • The Salvation Army, Lion Road
  • Bexley Christian Life Centre (Pentecostal), Rowan Road
  • Pantiles Methodist Church, Hurlingham Road
  • Grace Baptist Church, Albion Road
  • Christ Apostolic Church, Welling (CAC) Dove House

[edit] Transport and locale

[edit] Nearest places

[edit] Buses

A bus garage which holds bus routes-89,132,321,229,401,422,486,B11,B16-Night Buses:N21 AND N89-School Buses-661 and 669. Some times route 89 does not go to Slade Green but terminates at the bus garage

[edit] Rail

Two railway stations serve Bexleyheath: Bexleyheath Station and Barnehurst Station, both on the Bexleyheath line. Trains go to London Cannon Street, London Charing Cross or London Victoria to the west, and to Dartford and Gravesend to the east. Some trains in peak hours go to Slade Green.

[edit] Nearest railway-stations

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mayor of London (February 2008). "London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004)". Greater London Authority. http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/docs/londonplan08.pdf. 
  2. ^ Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project, http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/UEL/BE013.htm (Accessed: 28 November 2011)
  3. ^ Sweeting, Adam (2005-10-02). "Kate Bush: Return of the recluse". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/kate-bush-return-of-the-recluse-509224.html. Retrieved 2010-04-26. 
  4. ^ Thompson, Tony (2000-04-16). "Noye linked to more killings". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/apr/16/tonythompson.theobserver. 

[edit] External links

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