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Coordinates: 51°27′32″N 0°08′18″E / 51.4589°N 0.1384°E
| Bexleyheath | |
  Bexleyheath
Bexleyheath shown within Greater London |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| London borough | Bexley |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BEXLEYHEATH |
| Postcode district | DA6, DA7 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | Bexleyheath and Crayford |
| London Assembly | Bexley and Bromley |
| List of places: UK • England • London | |
Bexleyheath is a large suburban town in southeast London, situated in the London Borough of Bexley, and located 12 miles (19.3 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross. It is situated on the London to Dover section of the Roman road, Watling Street. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.[1]
Contents |
History
Until the early 19th century, Bexley Heath comprised an area of scrub-land with few buildings (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.
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 which was built by the developers Feakes & Richards.
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 Outer London 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.
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.
Leisure
Bexleyheath has a bingo-hall, Cineworld cinema hotel, reference library, six-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.
Notable residents
(alphabetical order)
- Baroness Amos attended Townley Grammar School in Townley Road, where she became the first black deputy-Head Girl (Head Girl: Lesley Hodgkiss).
- Steve Backley, javelin champion, attended Hurst Primary School and then Beths Grammar School
- Jimmy Bullard, Premiership football player, currently at Hull City, attended Erith School
- Kate Bush, the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter was born in Bexleyheath[2]
- Bernie Ecclestone attended Bexleyheath School
- Boy George, George O'Dowd, attended Bexleyheath School
- Graham Kersey, Surrey county cricketer, also attended Beths Grammar School
- Roger Moore previously lived in Bexleyheath, in Danson Road
- Gavin Peacock, ex-professional footballer, attended Bexley Grammar School
- Liam Ridgewell, Birmingham City F.C. footballer, born and raised in Bexleyheath
- Delia Smith, television-chef, attended Bexleyheath School
- Linda Smith, stand-up comic and star of Radio 4 and BBC2, attended Bexleyheath School
- Andy Townsend, professional footballer, attended Bexleyheath School
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
Transport and locale
Nearest places
Buses
- 89 - Lewisham Station and Slade Green Station
- 96 - Woolwich Shopping Centre and Bluewater Shopping Centre
- 99 - Woolwich Shopping Centre and Bexleyheath Bus Garage
- 132 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and Eltham Station
- 229 - Thamesmead Town Centre and Sidcup Queen Mary's Hospital
- 269 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and Bromley North Station
- 401 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and Thamesmead Town Centre
- 422 - Bexleyheath Bus Garage and North Greenwich Station
- 469 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and Woolwich Common Queen Elizabeth Hospital
- 486 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and North Greenwich Station
- 492 - Sidcup Station and Bluewater Shopping Centre
- B11 - Bexleyheath Bus Garage and Thamesmead Town Centre
- B12 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and Joydens Wood
- B13 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and New Eltham Station
- B14 - Bexleyheath Shopping Centre and Orpington Station
- B15 - Joydens Wood and Eltham Station
- B16 - Bexleyheath Bus Garage and Kidbrooke Station
- N89 - Erith Town Centre and Trafalgar Square
Rail
Two railway stations serve Bexleyheath: Bexleyheath Station and Barnehurst Station, both located on the Bexleyheath line. Trains go to 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.
Nearest railway-stations
- Albany Park railway station
- Barnehurst railway station
- Bexley railway station
- Bexleyheath railway station
- Welling railway station
References
External links
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