Kelsey Park is a public park in

Beckenham Beckenham () is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley, in Greater London. Until 1965 it was part of the historic county of Kent. It is located south-east of Charing Cross, situated north of Elmers End and E ...

in the borough of

Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 87,889 as of 2011. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, c ...

, Greater London. It historically formed the landscaped park of the Kelsey Manor Estate. The

river Beck The River Beck is one of the tributaries of the River Ravensbourne in south London. The source of the River Beck is in Spring Park () where Shirley and West Wickham meet. For its first mile or so it forms the border between the London boroughs o ...

runs through it.

History

The original mansion was built around 1408 for William Kelshulle and demolished around 1800. A second mansion was built for Richard Bennett around that time and then acquired by Peter Richard Hoare, the elder (a partner in the banking firm C. Hoare & Co) in 1835. Peter Richard Hoare, the elder converted the manor into a rambling Gothic Revival house. The house passed to Peter Richard Hoare, the younger in 1849: he added a chapel, designed by

Sir George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...

, in 1869. It then passed to Charles Arthur Richard Hoare in 1877. The land adjoining Wickham Road was sold in the 1890s and laid out with large Arts and Crafts movement houses designed by

Francis Hooper Francis George Fielder Hooper (1859–1938) was an architect who worked mostly in London and Kent. He was born at Regent's Park, London on 7 July 1859, the son of a coach builder. He was educated at Spencer House, Wimbledon Common and at Marlborou ...

. The house became a

convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglic ...

for the

All Saints Sisters of the Poor The Society of All Saints Sisters of the Poor is a religious order of sisters in the Anglican Communion. It was founded in 1851 and is active in England and the United States. In 2009 all but two of the American sisters were received into the Rom ...

in 1895 and then became Kepplestone School for the Daughters of Gentlemen in 1901. Following the death of Charles Arthur Richard Hoare in 1908, Beckenham Urban District Council acquired the estate in 1911. Kelsey Park was officially opened to the public by Right Honourable

John Burns John Elliot Burns (20 October 1858 – 24 January 1943) was an English trade unionist and politician, particularly associated with London politics and Battersea. He was a socialist and then a Liberal Member of Parliament and Minister. He was ...

MP, President of the Local Government Board, on 31 May 1913. The house itself was used by the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and was demolished in 1921. Kelsey Park Sports College which was opened in 1968 takes its name from the fact it was built on the historic Kelsey Park Estate; however following Academy conversion in September 2011 it was renamed to Harris Academy Beckenham. Kelsey Park is managed by

Bromley London Borough Council Bromley London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Bromley in Greater London, England. It is one of 32 London borough councils. History There have previously been a number of local authorities responsible for the Bro ...

in partnership with Friends of Kelsey Park, a

non-profit organisation A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

formed in 1997 that consists of around 600 members and publishes the triannual ''Kelsey Park Magazine''. Kelsey Park - geograph.org.uk - 1325831.jpg, Information board by northern entrance off Manor Way Gate lodge for Kelsey Park - geograph.org.uk - 2525618.jpg, Gate lodge near northern entrance Kelsey Park eastern gate lodge.jpg, Kelsey Lodge, a Grade II–listed

late Victorian Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian we ...

Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture (also known as mock Tudor in the UK) first manifested itself in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture ...

lodge by the eastern entrance off Wickham Rd. Kelsey Park Waterfall - 1 (17454852414).jpg,

River Beck The River Beck is one of the tributaries of the River Ravensbourne in south London. The source of the River Beck is in Spring Park () where Shirley and West Wickham meet. For its first mile or so it forms the border between the London boroughs o ...

waterfall just north of main lake Ornamental cat in a flowerbed, Kelsey Park - geograph.org.uk - 2528771.jpg, Ornamental cat in a flowerbed Kelsey Benches - geograph.org.uk - 1325866.jpg, Paths and benches near main open area Ice Well in Kelsey Park, Beckenham (02).jpg, Ice house near southern end of park, probably dating from the early 19th centuryLongley, P. (2020). The Kelsey Ice House. ''Kelsey Park Magazine'', Autumn 2020. p. 7. Kelsey Park wildlife.jpg, Wildlife of Kelsey Park Kelsey Park common wildlife.jpg, More wildlife of Kelsey Park Kelsey Park water birds.jpg, Water birds of Kelsey Park

References

{{LB Bromley Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Bromley