Biggin Hill

Biggin Hill
Biggin Hill
	Polesteeple Hill, Biggin Hill
Population	9,951 (Biggin Hill ward 2011)
OS grid reference	TQ418590
London borough	Bromley;
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WESTERHAM
Postcode district	TN16
Dialling code	01959
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Orpington;
London Assembly	Bexley and Bromley;
	List of places UK England London

Biggin Hill is an area and electoral ward in the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley in South-East London, UK.

History

Historically the settlement was known as Aperfield and formed part of the parish of Cudham. It took the name Biggin Hill after the Second World War in recognition of the historic role played by the adjoining Biggin Hill Aerodrome.

The most architecturally noteworthy building within Biggin Hill is St Mark's Church, Church Road - 'the moving church'.^[2] - designed by Richard Gilbert Scott. It was erected in the 1950s using the dismantled materials from All Saints Church, North Peckham. Much of the work was undertaken by volunteers led by Rev Vivian Symons who undertook much of the decorative work himself.

Airport

Biggin Hill also has an airport, London Biggin Hill Airport, which uses much of the land formerly used by RAF Biggin Hill Aerodrome. The latter hosted the "Operations Room" for the Operation Crossbow V-1 flying bomb defence during World War II. The aerodrome famously appeared in the novel, The Da Vinci Code. It also appeared in a episode of Eastenders in 1998, as well as The Great Escape ( which starred Steve McQueen.)

The old "west camp" of the airport is now owned by Bernie Ecclestone of Formula One fame. A small section remains in the care of the RAF, and the chapel (guarded by replicas of the base gate guardians, a Hawker Hurricane and a Supermarine Spitfire) is open to the public.

The old "south camp" is now occupied by the Biggin Hill Business Park, Airport Industrial Estate and various private flying clubs. There are further commercial premises, hangars, private flying clubs and a helicopter joy-ride and pilot training centre to the east of the main runway.

The term "airport", rather than airfield, is used to describe the present-day facility because Biggin Hill has a terminal building and customs facilities. It is host to a wide range of private/business jet and turbo-prop aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737. The main airport apron has recently been enlarged; the one remaining hangar on the old south camp has been totally re-clad and a planning application has been posted for further hangars on the eastern side.

Another aviation connection is Biggin Hill's status as the location of a VHF omnidirectional range navigational beacon, codenamed "BIG", which anchors the South East Arrival Stack for London Heathrow Airport.

Biggin Hill airport is the venue of the Biggin Hill International Air Fair, an annual airshow that usually takes place towards the end of June, the event was first held in 1963.

Education

Charles Darwin School is the only secondary school in the immediate area.

There are two main primary schools; Oaklands Primary School and Biggin Hill Primary School. On the outskirts of Biggin Hill, there is also Cudham CoE Primary School which is situated near Foal Farm, Tatsfield Primary and Downe Primary in the Downe village.

Location

Biggin Hill is on the outskirts of the London Borough of Bromley. The A233 road is the only main road that runs through the area, from North to South. Most places surrounded by Biggin Hill are small towns and villages. Biggin Hill's postcode is TN16 and its post town is WESTERHAM. Although Westerham itself is located outside Greater London.

Transport

Biggin Hill always had poor transport links. It only has some buses serving the area, but not even one station.

Rail

The area does not have any railway station in its own location. The following stations are the closest:

Hayes station (6.5 mi (10.5 km)^*)
Orpington station (7 mi (11 km)^*)
Bromley South station (7.5 mi (12.1 km)^*)

Buses

The area is served by five London Buses, along with another bus not operated by Transport for London:

246 Bromley – Westerham (extended to Chartwell during the summer);
320 Bromley – Biggin Hill Valley (Rosehill Road);
464 Tatsfield – New Addington;
R2 Biggin Hill Valley (Melody Road) – Petts Wood;
R8 Aperfield – Orpington
Surrey Route 594 Oxted (Chalkpit Wood) - Biggin Hill (schooldays only and no sunday/public holiday service)

Trams

Just like rail, the area is not served by Croydon Tramlink services. Although there is a close tram stop, New Addington, which is the terminus of Tramlink Route 3, and is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away, and linked by bus 464. Recently, Croydon Tramlink has been talking about an extension of Route 3 to Biggin Hill. Currently, there are no plans at present.

Nearby areas

Ghosts

Biggin Hill is a place that is believed to be the home of many ghosts. This is commonly attributed to the fact that it is the home of a World War II airbase.^[3]

References

^ Census Information Scheme (2012). "2011 Census Ward Population figures for London". Greater London Authority. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
^ Symons, Vivian. The Moving Church. London: Herbert Jenkins.
^ Bob Ogley, The Ghosts of Biggin Hill, 2001, ISBN 978-1872337418

External links

[pop_ref_london-1] Census Information Scheme (2012). "2011 Census Ward Population figures for London". Greater London Authority. Retrieved 17 October 2023.

[Symons-2] Symons, Vivian. The Moving Church. London: Herbert Jenkins.

[3] Bob Ogley, The Ghosts of Biggin Hill, 2001, ISBN 978-1872337418

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e London Borough of Bromley
Districts	Anerley Aperfield Beckenham Berry's Green Bickley Biggin Hill Bromley Bromley Common Chelsfield Chislehurst Coney Hall Crystal Palace Cudham Downe Eden Park Elmers End (including Upper Elmers End) Elmstead Farnborough Foxbury Goddington Green Street Green Hayes Hazelwood Hockenden Horns Green Keston Kevington Leaves Green Locksbottom Longlands Luxted Mottingham New Beckenham Orpington (including: Broom Hill, Crofton, Derry Downs and Ramsden) Park Langley Penge Petts Wood Plaistow Poverest Pratt's Bottom Ruxley St Mary Cray St Paul's Cray Shortlands Single Street Southborough South Street Sundridge Sydenham Upper Norwood West Wickham Widmore
Attractions	Bethlem Gallery Bethlem Museum of the Mind Bromley Little Theatre Chislehurst Caves Churchill Theatre Crofton Roman Villa Crystal Palace Crystal Palace Bowl Crystal Palace Dinosaurs Down House St Blaise's Well
Parks and open spaces	Betts Park Chislehurst Common Crofton Wood Croydon Road Recreation Ground Crystal Palace Park Cuckoo Wood Downe Bank Elmstead Wood Hayes Common High Elms Country Park Jubilee Country Park Kelsey Park Keston Common Norman Park Ruxley Gravel Pits Saltbox Hill Scadbury Park Sundridge Park The Warren West Kent Golf Course nature reserve
Places of worship	Bromley Reform Synagogue St Botolph's Church, Ruxley St George's Church, Beckenham St John the Evangelist's Church, Penge St Mark's Church, Bromley St Mary's Church, Downe St Mary the Virgin, Hayes St Peter and St Paul's Church, Bromley
Constituencies	Beckenham Bromley and Chislehurst Lewisham West and Penge Orpington
Rail stations and tram stops	Anerley Avenue Road Beckenham Road Beckenham Junction Bickley Birkbeck Bromley North Bromley South Chelsfield Chislehurst Clock House Crystal Palace Eden Park Elmers End Elmstead Woods Hayes Kent House Knockholt Lower Sydenham New Beckenham Orpington Penge East Penge West Petts Wood Ravensbourne St Mary Cray Shortlands Sundridge Park West Wickham
Other topics	Coat of arms Council Grade I and II* listed buildings Parks and open spaces People Public art Schools
Category Commons