| Crayford | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Crayford Location withinGreater London | |
| Population | 11,226 (2011 Census. Ward)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ515745 |
| • Charing Cross | 13.7 mi (22.0 km) WNW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DARTFORD |
| Postcode district | DA1 |
| Dialling code | 01322 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
| 51°26′57″N0°10′52″E / 51.4491°N 0.1812°E /51.4491; 0.1812 | |
Crayford is a town andelectoral ward inSouth East London, England, within theLondon Borough of Bexley. It lies east ofBexleyheath and north west ofDartford. Crayford was in thehistoric county ofKent until 1965. The settlement developed by theriver Cray, around a ford that is no longer used.
AnIron Age settlement existed in the vicinity of the presentSt Paulinus Church between theJulian andClaudian invasions of Britain, from roughly 30 BC to AD 40. Roman ruins have been discovered and Crayford is one of several places proposed as the site ofNoviomagus Cantiacorum, a place mentioned in theAntonine Itinerary as being on the Roman equivalent of the laterWatling Street. Crayford is also plausible as the site of the bloodybattle of Crecganford ("Creeksford") in 457 in which Hengist defeatedVortimer to become the supreme sovereign ofKent.[2][3] TheAnglo-Saxon Chronicle written around 400 years later describes howHengist andÆsc defeated the "Brettas" at that battle.
Crayford is mentioned in theDomesday Book, which was compiled just prior to 1086, as a settlement within theHundred of Litlelee with a church, three mills, and a relatively large population of 27 regular householders (villeins) and twosmallholders. Its overlord was not a private individual or the king butChrist Church, Canterbury.[4]
As a(civil/combined) parish (before 1920) it included the hamlets ofNorthend, Perry Street andSlade Green which lie to the north. In 1831, the population of the parish was 2022 people.[5] For centuries it was strongly associated with brick-making, the printing of silk scarves, ties and calico cloths, and for a short period carpet-making.
There were two main Manor Houses in the area during theMiddle Ages, Newbery Manor on the site of what is now Crayford Manor House, and Howbury Manor next to Slade Green. Roger Apylton had served KingsHenry V andHenry VI as auditor, and resided at Marshalls Court, Crayford. Late in the reign ofElizabeth I Henry Partich sold Newbery Manor to Henry Apylton of Marshalls Court, and Apylton built May Place close by.[6]Hall Place, which lies alongside the River Cray, was built forLord Mayor of the City of London,Sir John Champneis, in around 1537. There was also an Iron Mill, which was later replaced by a saw mill (in 1765), which produced the timber for the floor ofBuckingham Palace.[5] In 1551Francis Goldsmith bought a 'Great tenement called The Place' next to the bridge in Crayford, and between 1556 and 1586 purchased substantial amounts of local farmland and the Old Bell Public House.[7]
In 1623 most of the parish of Crayford was purchased by Merchant Taylor Robert Draper[8] including Newbery Manor, Howbury Manor, Marshalls Court and May Place, where his family took up residence. Draper's wife Anne was the daughter ofThomas Harman who lived at Ellam House which subsequently passed to the Drapers.[9] The ownerships subsequently passed to Robert Draper's son William, who was selected to be the Sheriff of the County of Kent but died in 1650 before taking office, and then to Robert's grandson, parliamentarianCresheld Draper. On the death of Cresheld Draper in 1694, his heirs sold all the properties toSir Cloudesley Shovell.[9]
Crayford Manor House was rebuilt in the eighteenth century, at the time essentially a farmhouse until it was remodelled in 1816 for the Rev. Thomas Barne.Historic England state it was built piecemeal over several periods, with a porch andItalianate features being added to the 1816 building.[10]
Other notable 19th-century local houses included Shenstone (built around 1828 and demolished 1974, the site is now Shenstone School, with Shenstone's former grounds now being Shenstone Park),[11] Stoneyhurst (which became Stoneyhurst Convent High School and is now the site of St Catherine's Roman Catholic School for Girls),[12][13] Martens Grove and Oakwood – the latter two designed by architectJohn Shaw Jr. and built by George Locke of builders Locke & Nesham with each occupying one of the houses.[14]
In 1819, the former saw mill site became a flour mill. Another major employer was the silk works set up byAugustus Applegath and later run by David Evans. The Maxim Nordenfeldt Gun and Ammunition Factory was also a major employer, until taken over by theVickers Company in 1897. Vickers built military aeroplanes and armaments and became the dominant employer, building homes, a theatre and a canteen close to many workshops. The canteen (built during theFirst World War) was converted for use by theCrayford Urban District Council asCrayford Town Hall and is a locally listed building.[15]
Another former major employer in Crayford was Dussek Brothers (part of Burmah-Castrol since the 1960s) who operated their oils and waxes blending business on Thames Road from around 1928 until the site was bought by BP and subsequently closed down in 2001. The entire site was demolished in early 2010. The David Evans silk works is another recent closure, in 2002.
In 1982 ahousing cooperative was built at Craymill next to the A206 road.[16]
According to the 2011 census, 84% of the population is White British.[17]
Crayford has a theatre and a greyhound racing track. The theatre was named in honour ofGeoffrey Whitworth who played a key part in developing a British tradition of amateur drama and in building political support for TheRoyal National Theatre. The new Crayford Community Centre, located above the library, is the venue for many groups.[18]
NearbyHall Place is ascheduled monument lying between Crayford andBexley. It has gardens with the River Cray running through and a plant nursery, a cafe and restaurant plus the silkworks shop.
The large Sainsbury's supermarket situated next to the greyhound stadium was claimed by Sainsbury's to be the world first's use of technology which heats the store using natural energy captured through boreholes buried hundreds of metres beneath the ground and was at the time of its expansion (2010) the largest Sainsbury's in England.[19]
The Tower Retail Park is opposite Crayford Town Hall.
The High Street is partly one-way for motor traffic.[20]
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Crayford railway station connects the town withSoutheastern services toLondon Charing Cross viaSidcup,London Cannon Street via Sidcup andLewisham, London Cannon Street viaWoolwich Arsenal andGreenwich,Dartford andGravesend.[24]
Crayford is served by threeTransport for London bus services.
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