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| Chislehurst | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The medieval Church of Saint Nicholas, the oldest standing building in Chislehurst | |
  Chislehurst Location withinGreater London | |
| Population | 15,600 (2021 census) |
| OS grid reference | TQ445705 |
| • Charing Cross | 10 mi (16 km) NW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Chislehurst |
| Postcode district | BR7 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
| 51°24′43″N0°04′30″E / 51.412°N 0.075°E /51.412; 0.075 | |
Chislehurst (/ˈtʃɪzəlˌhɜːrst/) is a suburban district of south-eastLondon, England, in theLondon Borough of Bromley. It lies east ofBromley, south-west ofSidcup and north-west ofOrpington, 10 miles (16 km) south-east ofCharing Cross. Before the creation ofGreater London in 1965, it was inKent. According to the2021 census, Chislehurst has a population of 15,600 (rounded to the nearest 100).[1]
The name "Chislehurst" is derived from theSaxon wordscisel, "gravel", andhyrst, "wooded hill".
The Walsingham family, includingChristopher Marlowe's patron,Sir Thomas Walsingham andQueen Elizabeth I's spymaster,Francis Walsingham, had a home inScadbury Park, now a nature reserve in which the ruins of the house can still be seen.[2]
A water tower used to straddle the road from Chislehurst to Bromley until it was demolished in 1963 as one of the last acts of the Chislehurst and Sidcup UDC. It marked the entrance to the Wythes Estate inBickley, but its narrow archway meant thatdouble-decker buses were not able to be used on the route.
The Chislehurst civil parish formed anurban district ofKent from 1894 to 1934.[3] In 1934 it became part of theChislehurst and Sidcup Urban District,[4] which was split in 1965 between the London boroughs ofBromley andBexley. Chislehurst Ward has three councillors on Bromley Council: the first non-Conservative party candidates returned for the ward were Chislehurst Matters members elected in 2022.[5]
As of 2021, Chislehurst is recorded as having a population of roughly 15,600. 35.3% of people in Chislehurst were recorded as being between the ages of 35 and 59, below the borough average of 36.4%. The largest religious group is Christian at 51.5%, above the borough average of 48.3%, with the second largest group being No religion at 33.8%, below the borough average of 37.3%. The largest ethnic group in Chislehurst is White, comprising 81.4% of the population, above the borough average of 76.5%, with the second largest being Asian/Asian British who make up 7.9% of the population, below the borough average of 8.3%.[1]
Chislehurst is largely a residential area.[6] Chislehurst West, previously known as "Pricking" or "Prickend", includes the biggest of the ponds and the High Street.
Chislehurst is one of the starting points for theGreen Chain Walk, linking to places such asCrystal Palace,Erith, theThames Barrier andThamesmead.
Chislehurst Common (and nearby St Paul's Cray Common) were saved from development in 1888 following campaigns by local residents. They were a popular destination for bank holiday trips in the early 20th century, and now provide a valuable green space. NearbyPetts Wood, Hawkwood and Scadbury have also been preserved as open spaces following local campaigns.
A 2017 list shows there have been 596.4 hectares (1,474 acres) in Chislehurst designated as conservation areas since 1971.[7] The designation of conservation areas is one of the manyplanning tactics used in the United Kingdom that includeslocal planning authorities (LPA's), with plans working in conjunction such as thelisting of buildings andscheduled monuments,metropolitan Green Belts,National Trusts, and "Tree Preservation Orders". These give stringent policies against development with statues and non-statutory orders. The destruction of many trees andVictorian style buildings caused by bombing duringWWII, as well as the ensuing building boom, made protection even more critical. The result is the protection of areas by preventing arbitrary destruction from large as well as small-scale development that can cause a creeping effect into side spaces and back gardens.[8]
Chislehurst bordersNew Eltham to the north,Sidcup to the north east and east,St Paul's Cray to the south east,Petts Wood to the south,Bickley to the south west,Elmstead to the west andMottingham to the north west.
A local attraction isChislehurst Caves. They were originally used to mineflint andchalk. DuringWorld War II, they were used nightly as an air-raid shelter. There is a chapel inside. A child was born in the caves during World War II and was given a middle name of 'Cavena'.[9] The caves have also been used as a venue for live music;Jimi Hendrix,the Who,the Rolling Stones,David Bowie,Pink Floyd andLed Zeppelin have all played there.
Camden Place (now Chislehurst Golf Club, 51° 24′ 40.05″N 0° 3′ 55.69″E ) takes its name from theantiquaryWilliam Camden, who lived in the former house on the site fromc. 1609 until his death in 1623. The present house was built shortly before 1717, and it was given a number of additions in the late 18th and very early 19th centuries by the architectGeorge Dance the younger.[10]
In about 1760, the house and estate were bought byCharles Pratt, theAttorney General, and laterLord Chancellor. Pratt was ennobled in 1765, taking the title Baron Camden, of Camden Place; in 1786, he was createdEarl Camden. The house is aGrade II* listed building.[11]
A later occupant of the house, from 1871 until his death there in 1873, was the exiled French Emperor,Napoleon III. His body and that of his son, thePrince Imperial, were originally buried inSt Mary's Catholic Church, before being removed toSt Michael's Abbey, Farnborough.[12] The Emperor's widow, the EmpressEugénie, remained at Camden Place until 1885.
There is a memorial to the Prince Imperial on Chislehurst Common, and the area's connections with the imperial family are found in many road names and in the local telephone code, 467, which in its earlier format corresponded to the letters IMP (forimperial).
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The Chislehurst War Memorial was dedicated on 17 October 1920. It commemorates the fallen ofWorld War I andWorld War II.[13][14]
Chislehurst station, operated bySoutheastern Railway, providesNational Rail services toLondon Charing Cross,London Bridge andLondon Cannon Street viaLewisham.
Chislehurst is served byLondon Buses routes61,160,161,162,269,273,R7,SL3 andN136 (with625,638 and661 passing through the historical town). These connect it with areas includingBeckenham,Bexleyheath,Bromley,Catford,Eltham,Plumstead,Grove Park,Lewisham,North Greenwich,Orpington,Sidcup,Coney Hall andWoolwich.
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