60th anniversary town centre walks
In commemoration of the borough’s 60th anniversary, residents are being encouraged to explore their local history through walks between the town centres that came together to form the London Borough of Bromley.
Penge to Beckenham walk
Beckenham and Penge walking route
This approx. 2.5 mile walk begins at Anerley Town Hall, which actually served as the town hall for Penge Council prior to the formation of the London Borough of Bromley. The Victorian hall opened in 1879 and was designed by George Elkington for a construction budget of just £4,400.
The route then travels past Betts Park, where a short remaining stretch of the Croydon Canal can be found, which the train line from Anerley Station used to run along.
Turning up Maple Road, residents will reach Penge High Street opposite the impressive Free Watermen’s and Lightermen’s Almshouses, the Tutor revival design is by George Porter and was built in 1840.
Travelling down Penge High Street, at the junction with Kent House Road and Royston Road, residents cross the old boundary between the Hamlet of Penge and Parish of Beckenham, a prior marker between the counties of Surrey and Kent, where the ‘Boundary Stream’ runs beneath the road.
Continuing past Clock House Station, residents will reach Beckenham High Street via prominent War Memorial first unveiled in 1921. While walking up, spot the blue plaque outside the site of the folk club that David Bowie established in 1969.
The walk concludes at Beckenham Green, the lovely park in the town centre. This is just past St George’s Church and its distinct lychgate, understood to be the oldest in England, dating to the 13th Century.
Beckenham to Bromley
Beckenham to Bromley walking route
Enjoy this approx. 2.15 mile walk to Bromley Town Hall from Beckenham. Setting off from Beckenham Green, residents travel down to Bromley Road and travel along to Shortlands. Along the way, pass by Chancery Lane, a historic lane dating back to at least the 17th Century, where there are a number of cottages and two long-established pubs.
Continuing along, reach Shortlands past Bishop Challoner School, an 18th century building that was named Shortlands House when the school was founded in the 1950s. Following under the railway bridge, then head towards Queensmead Recreation Ground and up the challenge of Martin’s Hill!
Reach the high street past Bromley Parish Church, and enjoy the extensive shopping offerings, including from the bustling Bromley Market first established in 1205.
Finish the walk at Bromley Old Town Hall, the Grade II listed former headquarters for the council that has recently been impressively refurbished, including for modern office space.
Bromley to Chislehurst
Bromley to Chislehurst walking route
Travel up to Chislehurst from Bromley on this approx. 3.2 mile walk. Leave Bromley town centre via Widmore Road to Bickley through the shopping parade and along to Chislehurst train station. The nearby Chislehurst Caves which were carved out over generations of miles creating a vast network of tunnels stretching over 22 miles. Continue up Old Hill past the Victorian buildings on Mill Place to Camden Place, a impressive structure dating from 1717 that famously housed the deposed Emperor Napoleon III in exile.
Finally continue up to Chislehurst High Street via the war memorial, where a range of shops, café and restaurants are on offer and historic buildings like the Church of the Annunciation founded in 1870.
Chislehurst to Orpington
Chislehurst to Orpington walking route
This approx. 4.15 mile walk kicks off from Chislehurst High Street over Chislehurst Common and down to The Cockpit, a distinctive feature on the green once used for cockfighting as its name suggests until this practice was outlawed in 1834. Continue through the Hawkwood Estate, passing over the Kyd Brook, a southern section of the river Quaggy.
Then pass by Petts Wood cricket club ground and Christ Church United Reformed Church, where you could then take a detour for refreshments by following Petts Wood Road and enjoy one of the local cafes and eateries on offer. Continuing the walk takes you past Poverest Park. The final leg finishes at Orpington Village Hall at the start of the high street, where a wide range of shops are on offer for residents to enjoy.
Orpington to Biggin Hill
For residents looking to enjoy more of the borough’s impressive green spaces, two further routes have been set out to take residents from Orpington down to the Biggin Hill RAF Memorial Museum. Route A takes residents via Keston and is approx. 6.2 miles and route B via Farnborough and Downe is approx. 7.2 miles.