Falconwood

Falconwood
Falconwood  Falconwood shown within Greater London
OS grid reference	TQ455755
London borough	Bexley
	Greenwich
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WELLING
Postcode district	DA16
Post town	ELTHAM
Postcode district	SE9
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Eltham, Old Bexley and Sidcup
London Assembly	Bexley and Bromley
	Greenwich and Lewisham
List of places: UK • England • London

Falconwood is an area in South East London, around 9.5 miles (15.3 km) south east (as the crow flies) of The Square Mile.

The area forms part of both the London Borough of Bexley and the London Borough of Greenwich.

The Local Area

Falconwood forms part of the Falconwood and Welling ward in the London Borough of Bexley, and borders the Eltham North and Eltham South wards in the London Borough of Greenwich.

The Green Chain walking network runs through Shepherdleas Wood, Oxleas Wood, Eltham Common, Eltham Park North and Eltham Park South. All these wooded and open areas are accessible via footpaths from Rochester Way, Welling Way and Riefield Road.

Falconwood Community Centre, next to Falconwood Park, was opened in 1954. The Falconwood Community Association meets here 5 times a week along with many other groups. The Falconwood and District Horticultural Society stages the Annual Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Show on the third Saturday in August.

In 2008 the Mayor of Bexley, Falconwood & Welling Councillor Nigel Betts, inaugurated the Community Centre as the local Children's Centre.

The Estate

The Falconwood Park Estate was designed and constructed by housing developers Ideal Homesteads in the 1930s. Situated between Welling and Eltham, the estate occupies the site of the former Westwood Farm. In regards to housing styles, the majority of the estate consists of semi-detached houses, with several bungalows scattered across the roads within the estate. There are flats above the parades of shops on Lingfield Crescent and Falconwood Parade (The Green). There are also a handful of 3/4 storey blocks of flats; 1 on Lingfield Crescent, and the others situated at the corner of Rochester Way and Riefield Road, close to the A2 junction and Eltham Cemetery & Crematorium. Millbrook Avenue also houses several maisonettes on the road, and in a banjo-like set up.

Falconwood is served by one National Rail train station. Falconwood railway station which was opened in 1936, is served by Southeastern Trains on the Bexleyheath Line. The station is situated in London Travelcard Zone 4.

Troublesome Westwood Senior School (later Westwood College) became The Harris Academy Falconwood in 2008 under the funding of Lord Harris of Peckham, who owns several other academies in South London. The Academy occupies the original senior school and the old junior school buildings, which have undergone extensive renovation, along with new buildings being built on some of the old playing fields.

Westwood Infant & Junior Schools were separate, until the late 1990s, when they merged and became Westwood Primary School. A short while after, the school was renamed Bishop Ridley C of E Primary School. After major renovations it is now one of the most improved primary schools in the London Borough of Bexley.^{[citation needed]}

Education

See also London Borough of Bexley and London Borough of Greenwich education services.

• Harris Academy Falconwood
• Bishop Ridley C of E Primary School
• Crown Woods School

Transport & Location

Post Code Districts

Falconwood forms part of 2 London Boroughs, and 2 post codes. These being:

• Bexley - DA16 (part) - The rest of DA16 being formed by Welling and East Wickham.
• Greenwich - SE9 (part) - The rest of SE9 being formed by Eltham, New Eltham and Mottingham.

Southeastern Train Services

Nearest Train Stations

• Falconwood railway station, Lingfield Crescent, Eltham, London, SE9 2RN.
• Eltham railway station, Well Hall Road, Eltham, London, SE9 6SL.
• Welling railway station, Station Approach, Welling, London, DA16 3AU.

Central London bound, trains run to London Bridge, London Waterloo East, London Charing Cross, London Victoria and London Cannon Street.

Kent bound trains serve Dartford, but some trains terminate before reaching Kent: at Barnehurst, Crayford or Slade Green. There are less frequent services for further into Kent, with most services requiring alighting and changing at Dartford.

Transport for London Bus Routes

• 624 - Grove Park (Downham Way) - Welling corner.
• B15 - Horn Park (Alnwick Road) - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre.
• B16 - Kidbrooke station / Kidbrooke Ferrier Estate - Bexleyheath Bus Garage.

Main Roads

Falconwood is a junction on the A2. London bound on the A2 will immediately lead to the A102 (Blackwall Tunnel Approach), and the Blackwall Tunnel under the Thames to east London, unless changing onto the old A2 at the Sun In The Sands junction (Blackheath). The Kent bound A2 isn't accessible directly from Falconwood. Access Kent bound is from either the Danson Interchange or the Eltham junction with the South Circular (A205).

Rochester Way leads to Eltham (continuing straight at the junction with Welling Way). It also leads to Welling (turning right at the junction with Welling Way). In the opposite direction, Rochester Way will lead to the A2, unless bearing right on Riefield Road. This leads to Avery Hill (a left turn at traffic lights, and Eltham town centre (a right turn at the lights).

Lingfield Crescent will lead towards the Falconwood Park Estate, Falconwood Park and Welling town centre, with traffic turning left onto Millbrook Avenue.

Nearest Facilities & Shops

• Lingfield Crescent (Falconwood railway station shop parade).
• Falconwood Parade, The Green (surrounding Falconwood Park).
• Both Welling and Eltham town centres are also very easily accessible.

Natural Areas & Open Spaces

• Oxleas Wood
• Eltham Park north
• Eltham Park south
• Falconwood Field
• Falconwood Park
• Shepherdleas Wood
• Eltham Common