Bexley is an area of south-easternGreater London,England and part of theLondon Borough of Bexley. It is sometimes known asBexley Village orOld Bexley[1] to differentiate the area from the wider borough. It is located 13 miles (21 km) east-southeast ofCharing Cross and south ofBexleyheath.
Bexley was an ancient parish in the county ofKent. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century, Bexley increased in population,becoming a municipal borough in 1935 and has formed part of Greater London since 1965.
Bexley was anancient parish inKent, in thediocese of Rochester, and under theLocal Government Act 1894 formed part ofBexley Urban District. The urban district gained further status in 1935 as amunicipal borough.Kent County Council formed the second tier of local government during that time. In 1965,London County Council was abolished and replaced byGreater London Council, with an expanded administrative area that took in the metropolitan parts of theHome Counties. Bexley Municipal Borough, Erith Municipal Borough, Crayford Urban District Council and Chislehurst & Sidcup Urban District Council were merged (less areas of Chislehurst and Sidcup that became part of the new London Borough of Bromley) into a newLondon Borough of Bexley.
Bexley's mainlandmark is theAnglican church ofSt. Mary which lends its name to the London Borough of Bexleyelectoral ward containing thevillage. Theancient church's most distinctive exterior feature undoubtedly is its unusualspire which resembles an octagonal cone balancing on top of a truncated pyramid. Originally built in theMiddle Ages, its monastic-styleinterior survived from theReformation[2] until the 18th century, before refurbishment inVictorian times. Among others, the German-born scientistHenry Oldenburg was buried in thechurchyard in 1677.
Hall Place, a formerstately home beside theRiver Cray on the Bourne Road out of Bexley towards Crayford, is where theAusten baronets lived. It lies to the north of Bexley at the foot of the road (Gravel Hill) up onto Bexley Heath (now covered in the modern day town of Bexleyheath). Thehouse is unusual in that its two halves are built in highly contrasting architectural styles with little attempt at harmonising them.[3] The house and grounds are now owned by the London Borough of Bexley, and are open to the public. The gardens include atopiary display oftraditional heraldic figures. Three walking routes pass Hall Place, the local council-sponsored Shuttle River Way and Cray River Way and the Mayor of London's"London LOOP" walk, which, shortly after its start atErith, follows the Cray River Way fromCrayford toFoots Cray.
Danson House and the surroundingDanson Park inWelling are two of the main popular attractions in the London Borough of Bexley. The Shaw family, celebrated 19th-century architects came from Bexley:John Shaw (1776–1832) worked onLamorbey Park and was a well-known architect inKent andMiddlesex, being one of the first designers of semi-detached housing in the capital. He is buried at St. Mary's Church; his son,John Shaw Jr, lived in nearbyCrayford for a short time and owned avilla which was demolished in the early 20th century.
Bexley railway station serves the area with services toLondon Charing Cross viaSidcup and toGravesend. Bexley is served by severalTransport for Londonbus services connecting it with areas includingAbbey Wood,Bexleyheath,Bromley,Crayford,Chislehurst,Dartford,Eltham,Erith,North Greenwich,Sidcup,Thamesmead, andWelling.
Bexley istwinned with:
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